ROD Snow lovingly cradles his new-born son who was "made and born in Wales".

Dakota, the first child for Newport Gwent Dragon's popular prop and his wife Elizabeth, is believed to be the first baby born in Gwent on New Year's Day.

He made his entrance into the world at the Royal Gwent Hospital at 1.27am weighing a healthy 8lb 7oz.

Dakota was due on Christmas Day but made his 33-year-old parents wait a week.

Mrs Snow, a ward sister on the hospital's D2 ward, went into labour three days before her son was eventually born.

Her husband chose the unusual name. "I've always liked it. It was that or Christian but he looked more like a Dakota than a Christian."

Although Dakota was born on New Year's Day, the time difference meant the couple's families in Canada were still waiting for midnight when they received the happy news.

"I would like the thank all the staff on B4, B5 and MDU, especially the midwife Tricia Sherston," said the proud dad.

He has played rugby in Newport for several years and lives with his wife in the St Julian's area. He also is a Canadian international and played for his home country in the World Cup.

With his Canadian parentage and Welsh birthplace, if Dakota chooses to follow in his dad's sporting footsteps he could have two countries vying for him. Lewis Newman was the next baby to arrive at the Royal Gwent at 9.22am. He was not due until January 10 but Lewis, who weighed 7lb 15oz, arrived after an exhausting labour for 29-year-old Debbie Newman.

It was her fifth child - a brother for Shaun, 11, Natasha, aged nine, seven-year-old Lee, and Kyle, three. Debbie lives in the Tranch, Pontypool, with her husband Peter, a 32-year-old security guard.

Ethan Christopher showed a great sense of timing when he arrived on the day he was due.

The second child of 20-year-old Aimee Spring was born at 11.25am weighing 8lb 3oz.

She and husband Matthew, 19, of Bettws, Newport, were waiting for their two-year-old daughter Ellie Louise to visit her new brother. "She's really excited," said Aimee.

At Abergavenny's Neville Hall Hospital, Jacob Thomas arrived two weeks early, at just after 4am. Mum Gayle Watkins, aged 26 , and fiancee James Thomas, 28, of Mardy, were overjoyed with their firstborn, who weighed 7lb 2oz. Gayle said: "I must be the happiest person in the world today. He's beautiful, I can't stop looking at him."

The birth meant that Gayle was back at her place of work instead of celebrating New Year's eve - she is an assistant in the hospital's operating theatre.

And Pamela Reeves, of Christchurch Road, Newport, celebrated 2004 with twins. A baby boy arrived at 7.17pm, weighing 7lb 4oz, and is with his mother. A sister born at 7.45pm and weighing 5lb 5oz is being looked after in the neonatal care unit.