‘Floribama Shore’ star Candace Rice gives birth to baby boy at 24 weeks

“Floribama Shore” star Candace Rice gave birth to her first child, a son, in the early hours of Christmas Day after going into pre-term labor at 24 weeks.

“Maxwell Michael Hardy arrived at 2:30am. We have a Christmas baby and another Capricorn! He’s so strong!” the first-time mom captioned a photo on Instagram of the tiny newborn.

The baby’s father is Rice’s boyfriend, DJ Skar, whose real name is Denzel Hardy.

“Currently in Nicu and hopefully I can take him home in a few months. I’m asking for prayers now, more than ever for my little man. He’s so small, but so aware,” she wrote, adding that she “cannot wait to hold him.”

In the photo, baby Maxwell’s eyes are already open as he lies with his head wrapped and what appears to be a nurse working on him.

“Please keep the development of baby Maxwell in your family prayers today as you gather with family & friends. #ChristmasBabyBaby,” Rice ended the caption.

The baby’s arrival came two days after Rice announced she was pregnant with a topless maternity shoot on Instagram.

In the caption, the MTV personality revealed that she had already gone into pre-term labor.

“Dr. Tosha Muse in addition to all the wonderful doctors & nurses have been doing all they can to keep baby Maxwell Michael Hardy inside the womb as long as possible,” she wrote at the time. “It’s wayyyy too early for him to enter.”

Rice and DJ Skar started dating in late 2020. This is their first child.