From correspondents in California, United States, 07:38 PM IST

Former Spice Girl Melanie Brown gave birth to a girl Tuesday.

The baby was born in St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California, and the girl, who weighs approximately 5 pounds 6 ounces and is 18 inches long, is yet to be named, reports www.hollywood.tv.

'It was an easy birth,' a source close to Brown said, adding that she plans to stay in the hospital for two more days. 'The baby's light-skinned and beautiful. Mel is thrilled,' added the source.

Brown, who was known as Scary Spice, checked into the hospital Monday afternoon, and was surrounded by her mother, eight-year-old daughter Phoenix Chi and close friends.

The child had a natural birth. Although the name of the baby's father has not been listed on the birth certificate, Brown has long insisted that former boyfriend Eddie Murphy is the father, which the comedian denies.

'I don't know whose child that is, until it comes out and has a blood test,' he was quoted as saying last year.

According to the source, the fact that Brown's baby was born on Murphy's birthday, April 3, is purely coincidence, and Brown has not told Murphy about the birth. 'Brown said that he can read about it,' the source said.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)