Shaun Chen and his wife Celine Chin are now the proud parents of two baby girls, after their second daughter was safely and swiftly delivered via natural birth in Malaysia this morning (July 25).
In a phone interview with Toggle and other local media, the 38-year-old actor shared that the timing of events could not have been more perfect. “My wife started feeling contractions last night but they were not severe,” he shared, adding that the pain intensified at 8am this morning, after which he quickly rushed Celine to the hospital.
A while after 9am, Shaun was by his wife’s side to cheer her on, and soon, the baby was out, weighing a healthy 3.65kg and measuring 54cm in length. “I don’t know if it’s because she’s young and strong or what!” he exclaimed in amazement. “We went in at 9am plus and by about 10am, our daughter had arrived. It was a very smooth delivery.”
The reason Shaun praised the timing was because the brood had just arrived in Alor Setar, Celine’s hometown, last night, but his younger daughter “waited” until the next day to come into the world. Because of this, he joked that his nickname for her is “Guai Bao” (“Obedient Baby”).
While Shaun admitted that he was not moved to tears upon the sight of his newborn daughter, his heart ached to see his wife in such pain during the birth. However, he also felt much calmer and more prepared compared to the arrival of his elder daughter Nellie.
Speaking of Nellie, what was the 19-month-old’s reaction upon seeing her new baby sister for the first time? “She looked very confused, as if wondering, 'Why do I suddenly have another younger sister? Then what about all the other 'sisters' that I have seen?'" Shaun recalled with a chuckle.
When asked about his immediate plans after this event, Shaun revealed that he will remain with his family in Malaysia until July 31. After that, he will fly back to Singapore to continue filming Channel 8 drama My Friends from Afar. Celine and their two daughters will join him here after her confinement period.
Now that baby number two has come into their life, will Shaun and his wife be trying for a third child? “We’ll have to see how things go. Taking care of two kids isn’t easy, but we will let nature take its course,” he said.
Shaun tied the knot with Celine in a hush-hush ceremony in July 2015 and the couple welcomed their first child Nellie in December the same year.
My Friends From Afar debuts on November 27, 2017, 9pm on Channel 8.
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