KUALA LUMPUR - First-time mother Farah Syazwani hopes that her baby boy will grow up to be a caring and faithful person who will give back to society.

Farah, who gave birth at 11.09pm on Wednesday on the first day of the Islamic new year, said she was happy that he was born early as he was only due in the first week of December.

"I guess he wanted to make it for Awal Muharram, which is a very important day for Muslims," said the 26-year-old housewife who has yet to name her child who weighed 2.3kg.

Farah said that she and her husband, a college lecturer, would choose a name related to the occasion for their first-born.

Suzana Ree, 26, who also gave birth to her baby boy in Hospital Kuala Lumpur yesterday, said she hoped that her son would grow up to be a filial child.

"We hope he will get extra blessings being born on this special day and that he will grow up to be someone we can be proud of," she said.

Her son, Mohammad Ammar Danish, was born at 3am. She also has a two-year-old daughter.

Farah and Suzana were among 120 women who gave birth to "Awal Muharam babies" on Wedneday and yesterday.

They each received a hamper of baby-care items from Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil who visited the hospital with her Skuad Sayang yesterday.

The former Women, Family and Community Development Minister called on more corporations to set up child-care centres, to ensure that mothers can build their careers without neglecting their family responsibilities.

"I urge the Government to take the first step and set up child-care centres in every government-linked company and in the offices of all their agencies," she said.