He’s amazing, but it may be a while before his grandparents hold him for the first time
After a tough year as frontline hospital workers, Caroline and Pete Hutchison are enjoying a wellearned rest, following the arrival of their baby son.
The couple, who live in Newport, Fife, welcomed 9lb 2oz Fraser on February 5.
“He’s just amazing,” NHS physiotherapist Caroline said. “It’s all been a bit of a blur since we got home but we’re just enjoying our little bubble.
“Because of the restrictions, there’s no pressure. We don’t need to be anywhere or do anything. We’re not allowed any visitors.
“It’s been a nice start to life as a family of three so far.”
However it does mean Fraser has yet to meet both sets of grandparents, with Pete’s parents in Aberdeen and Caroline’s mum and dad in Northern Ireland.
“We just love Fraser and want to show him off,” Caroline, 32, said.
“But it’s going to be a while before he meets his relatives.
“Fraser might not be a tiny baby anymore by the time his grandparents have their first hold of their first grandchild and that makes us really sad.”
Caroline and Pete, a trauma and orthopaedic registrar at Ninewells, were prepared for the
eventuality and bought Caroline’s parents an iPad for Christmas so they could at least meet the baby virtually.
“They aren’t very technically aware but they have mastered it well enough to meet Fraser and that’s better than not seeing him at all,” Caroline said.
Caroline and Pete, 33, found out they were expecting not long after lockdown hit last March.
And the pregnancy got off to a bit of a rocky start when Caroline’s appendix ruptured 14 weeks in and she had to undergo emergency surgery.
“It was a scary time wondering if everything would work out with the pregnancy and if I would get bad news when I was on my own as Pete was only allowed to visit for an hour a day and had to book in.
“But apart from that, everything was good. Named birthing partners were allowed to come to scans so Pete was with me for those and able to be with me in labour and for five hours a day after Fraser was born.
“Although there were fewer midwife appointments, the maternity team have been fantastic.”
With the baby here safely, the couple say their biggest parental challenge now is finding things to fit Fraser.
“He outgrew newborn size on the first day, so we need to get him some bigger clothes,” Caroline laughed.