The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
An earlier than expected Christmas Day delivery brought twice the joy for Agata and Szymon Gicz.
See full story and pictures on page 3.
A St Cyrus mum has given birth to the first baby born in Courier Country on Christmas Day 2019 – at home.
Support worker Louise Fairweather, 36, and her partner delivery driver Kevin Clark, 34, chose a home birth for baby Jacob Alexander Clark, who arrived into the world at 1.13am on Christmas morning weighing almost 9lbs.
The trio went through a last minute scare, which saw them rushing to Ninewells Hospital after suspected complications, but were later sent back home to have the baby as planned.
One midwife supported Louise at home while a second was due to arrive for the final part of the labour.
Louise said: “Jacob was born before the other midwife could arrive. He wasn’t hanging about.”
She said she was “overwhelmed” and “quite shocked” not only to have given birth at home, but to discover Jacob was the first Christmas baby in Tayside this year.
“It is going to be really good. There are going to be lots of parties.”
She would recommend a home birth to other mothers, she added.
“I had heard a lot of people talking about it and I wanted a change. The birth was more relaxed because we were at home.
She thanked the NHS workers for their work and support.
“They were superb. You couldn’t pick a fault.”
Jacob is the couple’s third child, joining Megan, 6, and Chloe, 2.
In Perth, little Aleksander Wasik caught his parents by surprise with an early arrival on Christmas morning.
Dad Zibi, 35, was preparing breakfast with three-year-old daughter Victoria when wife Marzena went into labour.
“I was setting the table, just getting everything ready for Christmas day, when Marzena started having contractions,” he said.
“The baby was due on December 30, so it took us by surprise.”
He said: “We had booked to go into Dundee, but we realised we didn’t have enough time, so we went straight to Perth Royal Infirmary. It is just round the corner from our house.”
The couple arrived just minutes before 11am. They were let in just in time. Aleksander was born with the help of midwife Lorna Horsefield at 11.06am, weighing 7lb 9oz.
The first Christmas babies to arrive at Dundee’s Ninewells Hospital were born just seconds apart to joyous parents. The first was 6lb 15oz Oscar Kift who came into the world at 7.46am before being swiftly followed by 6lb 5oz Holly Reid at 7.47am.
One of the first to congratulate Oscar’s parents Amy and Sean, who live in Cupar, was none other than BBC Masterchef: The Professionals finalist Dean Banks.
The pair work at the Carnoustie native’s restaurant The Haar in St Andrews. Sean, 31, said he had been at a staff closing party before being woken by a startled Amy in the early morning.
He said: “It took a wee while to realise what was going on.
“Because he came two and a half weeks early, we just hadn’t expected it.
“I’d had a couple of drinks thinking there was no chance but I was wrong.
“I needed a fair few coffees to sort myself out. Dean was straight on Facetime to send his best wishes. ”
Mum Amy, 23, said she felt thrilled, if a little groggy, to welcome the couple’s first child and paid tribute to the nurses in Ninewells’ Midwifery Unit.
“It’s brilliant,” she said.
“The staff here gave Oscar a little Santa outfit to put on including a cardigan, hat and blanket.”
Holly’s parents Steven Reid and Christine Townsley were welcoming their child almost simultaneously down one floor in the hospital’s Labour Suite.
The couple, who live in Kinross, were ecstatic to see Holly in good health after arriving four weeks early.
In Fife, an earlier than expected Christmas Day delivery brought twice the joy for Agata and Szymon Gicz.
Agata, 31, gave birth to Eryk and Henryk on December 25 in Victoria Hospital after going into labour early.
The twins were the fifth and sixth deliveries of the day at the Kirkcaldy hospital.
They were born by Caesarean section. Agata, of Cowdenbeath, still didn’t believe the babies would be born on December 25 and that it might be another day or two before they came into the world.
But son Artur, 3, was convinced he was going to meet his little brothers later that day.
And she said: “He was right. It was a Christmas miracle for me. I am overwhelmed and really excited.