Meet the Christmas Day babies

Rita Mehmi is a cardiology nurse in New Cross Hospital's Heart and Lung Centre and has worked on Christmas Day for the past 11 years.

With her baby boy not due until January 1 she was hoping to able to put her feet up and enjoy a relaxing festive period away from work.

But she and partner of two years Nick Chand spent the day in hospital with their little bundle of joy being Wolverhampton's first Christmas Day baby, born at 1.42am.

The proud first-time parents, from Pennfields, had not yet named their baby boy, nicknaming him 'Charlie Boy' for now.

Rita, aged 36, said: "It's typical that I'm here.

"For the past 11 years I've worked on Christmas Day and I thought this year I'd finally have it off, but here I am.

"It's lovely that he's Wolverhampton first Christmas baby, it's been exhausting but we're so happy."

Partner Nick looked just as tired after a marathon two days, with Rita induced on Tuesday and then needing an emergency caesarean section to give birth to 'Charlie', who weighed in at 6lbs 3oz.

Incredibly, when Rita fell pregnant he predicted that they would have a baby boy born on Christmas Day.

The 41-year-old said: "The last three days have been pretty hectic. I could definitely do with a drink.

"I predicted we'd have a Christmas Day boy. I should have put a bet on it."

Rita added: "I was induced on Tuesday and I thought it would happen on the same day but it's taken a while. He's my first and he's adorable."

By 5pm there had been just four babies born at New Cross, a surprisingly quiet year for healthcare assistant Amelia Gill.

She said: "We've been full every day throughout December and then the past three days it's gone quiet. Except for the four we've had everyone is having Christmas off."

This little bundle of joy was one of the first babies to be born on Christmas Day after keeping her mother waiting 10 days.

She doesn't yet have a name as Poonam Deol, who also has an eight-year-old daughter Prisha and a two-and-a-half son Jeevon, is still deciding on her favourite.

Mrs Deol, from West Bromwich, said: "She was due on December 15 so I am very glad she finally arrived on Christmas Day.

"I've been told that she was the first girl to be born.

"The staff have been great, really kind and supportive," said Mrs Deol.

The baby's grandmother Sheila Kaur added: "All of the midwives and nurses have been wonderful."

Maternity staff at Walsall Manor Hospital and the Midwife Led Unit were kept busy with eight new arrivals before mid-day.

Little Israel Soloman Watton gave his mother Melissa, 30, a surprise when he arrived four days early. Weighing 8lbs 8oz, he was the first boy to be born at the hospital yesterday.

Ms Watton, who lives in Brownhills, said she was looking forward to taking him home today to meet his sisters eight-year-old Pemalline and seven-year-old Ceylon and five-year-old brother Harry Isaac.

"Harry had said he would arrive on Christmas Day but I didn't think it would happen as he wasn't due until December 29. It was the best Christmas present ever."

Matron Trudie Roberts said: "It was a really lovely day. The staff were all in good spirits.

"Everyone tries hard to make it a nice day for everyone. We had Santa giving out presents and everyone had a Christmas dinner."

Maternity staff at Walsall Manor Hospital and the Midwife Led Unit were kept busy with eight new arrivals before midday

One of the first to make their appearance was little Emily Jayne Cooper who had kept her proud parents waiting since Monday.

She was born at 3.53am, weighing 7lbs 7oz, to school teacher Christine Billings, 36, and accountant Lee Cooper, 33, from Cannock.

Miss Billings said: "We still can't believe it. I wasn't sure I was having contractions at first with it being my first baby but they were real ones. I was in the birthing pool for an hour and then Emily was here."

Mr Cooper added: "We are feeling wonderful. When she didn't arrive on Monday, I had a feeling it was going to be Christmas Day."