Extra special presents as proud parents welcome bundles of joy over festive period

Nine babies were born at Peterborough City Hospital on Christmas Day, including Majid Ali, who was the 1,000th baby born at the Midwifery Led Birthing Unit (MLBU) in 2017.

Majod made an appearance at 12.29pm on December 25, giving his family plenty to celebrate.

The MLBU facilitates women to have their babies in a relaxing non-clinical environment. The unit consists of four individual birthing rooms with the additional facility of a birthing pool. There is also a range of equipment available to promote active natural birth in a home-from-home environment.

Fran Stephens, divisional head of midwifery and nursing, said: “This is such an exciting time for the Midwifery Led Birthing Unit. Since the unit began triaging separately from the delivery suite the number of births within the MLBU has significantly increased, with 956 babies born on the unit in 2016, an increase from 894 births in 2015. This equates to 20 per cent of our total births and is a wonderful achievement. By encouraging women to birth in a low risk, home from home environment, we are promoting active birth which in turn helps to prevent unnecessary intervention.”

“Nine babies in total were born at Peterborough City Hospital on Christmas Day with staff truly entering the spirit of Christmas. If you are pregnant and would like more information on the MLBU, please speak with your midwife.”

Other new parents celebrating on December 25 included Ashley and Samantha Forde - who chose a festive name for their baby son, Joseph; Ernesta and Modestas Triukas, who named their new child Dovydas and Claire Lockwood and Philip Berridge, who took time to decide on a name for baby Berridge.

One of the first babies born in 2018 was Harper Ripley Rate, who arrived at 1.40am to proud parents Katie and Nick Rate. Just a few short hours later Helen and Alex Hankinson-Parr welcomed Aaron Hayden Hankinson-Parr to the world, at 4.20am.

Fran Stephens, Divisional Head of Midwifery and Nursing said: “We always look

forward to seeing who our New Year babies are; it’s an exciting time for all midwives

and families on the ward.”