The doctors and nurses at the Women’s Center of Sentara Obici Hospital welcomed the first baby born this year in Suffolk at 6:31 p.m. on Tuesday.

It was a surprise for the mother Karmia Ali, 23, because she was originally due to give birth on Jan. 8. But the Emporia resident started having her contractions that morning.

“I woke up that morning in so much pain,” Ali said.

So, her 6-pound, 18-inch-long boy, Zymer, came into her arms just a bit earlier then expected. She said she looked up names online and liked “Zymer” because it means “warrior,” based on what she read.

“I just think warrior is a good trait to have, I guess,” she said as she held her son close, bundled up and sleeping soundly. “I wanted a different name (for him). I didn’t want a name that everybody else had.”

Zymer is her first child, which is a “surreal” feeling, she said.

“I’m still in shock that I have a baby, but it feels good to have this little person to comfort me,” she said.

The hospital staff were “really good” to her throughout the delivery process, she said. They coached her in everything that she needed to do to make sure that Zymer was safely brought into the world.

“They said I did a really good job for a first-timer. I was proud of that,” she said.

Ali thought it was “cool” that Zymer was the first baby of 2019 at Sentara Obici, but she was more excited to get back home. She was discharged on Thursday to be with her boyfriend, mother, sister and brothers.

“Basically, we’re going to be relaxing and enjoying this little one,” Ali said.