Paparazzi Take Aim at Britney Baby Photo

Sept. 15, 2005 — -- If you thought celebrity magazines went gaga publishing pictures of a barefoot Britney Spears emerging from a gas station bathroom, just wait until the paparazzi take aim at her new baby.

"The shot's huge," entertainment photographer Ben Presnell told ABC News Radio. "That's exactly what we want to have. We want to be able to broadcast it first."

Spears gave birth at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, according to US Weekly, which broke the story late Wednesday. With heavy media interest expected, she and husband Kevin Federline reportedly went to the hospital earlier in the day with a police escort.

"Britney went into early labor contractions over the weekend and she was in a lot of discomfort and pain, so I think it was a big relief when she finally had the baby," said US Weekly West Coast editor Ken Baker.

"She had it via C-section because she said she just can't stand pain, and I'm told the procedure went well. She's resting comfortably and she hopes to be home with her newborn by the weekend."

Spears, 23, and Federline, 27, confirmed the news this morning with a statement to People magazine: "We are ecstatic to announce the birth of our son! Everyone is happy, healthy and doing wonderful. Thank you all for your love and well wishes!"

The new baby is reportedly named Preston Michael Spears Federline. But that has not yet been confirmed. Baker says that's the name they had picked out before they went to the hospital. "Whether they follow through on that, we'll see," he says. "Parents often change their minds once they see the baby."

This is Britney's first child and Federline's third. He and his ex-girlfriend, Shar Jackson, have a 3-year-old daughter, Kori, and 1-year-old son, Kaleb. Federline married Spears last September, two months after Kaleb was born.

While celebrity photographers wait anxiously for the new family to emerge, one of Spears' biggest fans says the world should expect to see a new Britney -- one that won't be locking lips with Madonna anytime soon.

"She's not out doing PR anymore," says Ruben Garay, founder of the fan Web site WorldOfBritney.com. "She's not out recording. She's not out touring. She just finished her house in Malibu and, you know, she got married … It's a new era for her.