Families celebrating very special Christmas gifts

Families across Gloucestershire will be unwrapping a very special gift this year as they bring their babies home in time for Christmas Day.

Sophie Creswell, from Berkeley, gave birth to son Ifan Elias Nicholas Creswell on Tuesday 20th December at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital (GRH). Weighing 9 pounds, Ifan is doing well and mum and dad Daniel are preparing the family for their new arrival.

Sophie said: “Alexander, our three year old, is so excited to have a little brother. We are a bit more organized this time and plan to spend a nice Christmas day together. It’s such a special time of the year. After some complications, baby and mom are doing well now. We are healthy and I don’t think we could have asked for more.”

Mother Lucy King of Brockworth, Gloucester gave birth to baby Jasper on Monday 19th December. Jasper is doing fine weighing just 5lb 8z and they will be home before the big day.

She said: “It’s a very emotional time and I’m just incredibly grateful and appreciative of the team here who have looked after us absolutely brilliantly.”

Jo Williamson gave birth to their son Sunny Charles on Wednesday December 21st. He weighed 7lbs 10oz. Dad Daniel Fitton is doing well too.

Jo said: “We’re excited and a little bit intimidated at the same time. But this is the best Christmas present we can give ourselves.”

Sue Maxwell, GRH Obstetrician added: “We are very proud of the team and the birth of newborns is an enormous privilege.

“It has been a particularly grim year, although there is hope and none more than bringing new life into the world at this time of year. It’s great to see that our mothers are doing so well and I wish them all a Merry Christmas.”

Mom of two, Hannah Wilson gives birth to a healthy girl weighing 7 pounds and 1 ounce in the Stroud Maternity Unit (SMU). She is now looking forward to a very special Christmas celebration.

She said: “Having a toddler at home I think we’ll have a little bit more time to dedicate Christmas to her as well. It’s going to be really magical.

“Our older daughter is very excited and the baby bought her big sister the best Christmas present.

“I have to say it was really calm and relaxed – beautiful surroundings to have a baby. The water birth was awesome.”

Father Stephen added: “The environment here in Stroud is all about creating an atmosphere of complete relaxation and you know you have really fantastic, experienced professionals looking after you.”

“It’s all about mom and it’s like a home away from home.”

“The whole thing was just magical – because Stroud only has midwives, it’s like having a giant super mama, it’s like family.”

Alex Lloyd, SMU Chief Midwife, said: “It’s such a special feeling to give birth especially at this time of year. This is Hannah’s second baby with us in Stroud and we are very happy for her and her family. We wish you a Merry Christmas.”

SMU further provides the following provision:

• Birthing unit with access to birthing pools and en-suite rooms
• Postnatal care for these Stroud families will continue to be available in Stroud birthing rooms for the first 6/12 hours postpartum, after which families will be discharged home. If a Stroud-born mother or baby needs post-natal care that requires ongoing hospital monitoring, they will be placed in our maternity ward at GRH
• The municipal midwifery service in Stroud will remain unchanged. Women are offered home visits or the opportunity to visit a postpartum clinic run by midwives in the postpartum period
• Breastfeeding parent support in the department.