IT'S A BOY!! Sean Preston Federline

LOS ANGELES Britney Spears gave birth to a baby boy named Sean Preston Federline at Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center today.

Spears' publicist was not available for comment. It has been reported that the 23-year-old entertainer gave birth by Caesarean section shortly before 1 p.m.

Hospital officials declined to comment. Spears was escorted to the hospital by a police escort and accompanied by her husband, dancer Kevin Federline. Spears, who married Federline in September 2004, had been previously reported as saying she planned to have the baby by Caesarean section to avoid the pain of a natural birth.

Federline, 27, has two other young children by his former girlfriend, actress Shar Jackson.