Christmas Day babies bring joy to parents on their special day
It was not just Santa who was delivering bundles of joy this Christmas as families celebrated having their very own Yuletide babies.
Wednesfield mum Marie Smith welcomed Christmas Day daughter Rosie-Mae today at New Cross Hospital.
Her fifth baby arrived at 3.47am, weighing six pounds and 15 ounces, and was just over two weeks early.
Marie, 41, and partner Richard Hyde, 43, think she is the best Christmas present ever and can’t wait to show her off to the family.
Marie said: “I did all the Christmas dinner yesterday and sorted all the presents – then when I sat down at 11pm I thought something’s happening!”
“My other children range in age from 15 to 23 and I’m a grandmother so there’s quite a gap but we certainly have plenty of babysitters to call on."
She added: “I came into hospital yesterday to be checked out as I have had gestational diabetes and when I got home I sorted all the dinner out and didn’t sit down till 11pm. Then I thought, something’s happening, and I came in at midnight so she was a quick birth.”
Marie praised The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust Maternity Services.
She said: “The staff were just perfect; they are so good.”
Baby Cole was the first new arrival at Walsall Manor Hospital of Christmas Day giving his proud parents a priceless present.
For mum Laura Wilkes and dad Dan Rubenis, little Cole’s safe arrival was all the more meaningful as his brother Hudson was stillborn in September 2021.
Cole was born at 3.26am today and weighed exactly the same as his big brother – six pounds nine ounces.
Laura, 34, said: “The staff have been amazing with us, and our midwife Debbie Spicer who delivered Cole also delivered Hudson so had a real bond with us. Cole is just lovely, we want to munch him all the time, and we will be telling him all about Hudson whose ashes are with us today so he can be part of this special day.”
The Staffordshire couple haven’t had time to do a Christmas shop so their festive lunch will be “interesting” they said.
Laura added: “But Cole is safe and perfect and nothing else matters."
Dan, 31, a garage door fitter, and Laura, fundraised to support other bereaved parents who use maternity services at the hospital following the loss of Hudson.
They managed to raise £4,097 and spent £1,760 on a new cuddle cot with the remainder going towards the refurbishment of a bereavement room for other parents
At Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley, the first baby to be born on Christmas Day was Alana who was 6.7lbs, mother Demi-Lea Hill proudly posed for pictures with her bundle of joy.
