2018 has begun with a bouncing start for some families in north Essex and Suffolk as they celebrate the arrival of new babies.
Jake, weighing 6lbs and 9oz, was the first to arrive at Colchester General Hospital in 2018, being born at 12.31am to mum and dad Emma and Ryan Marshall, from Clacton.
Emma, 37, said: “I have never been in labour with fireworks in the background before.
“Everyone told us he was going to be big, so we were gobsmacked when we heard the weight.”
Ryan, 38, added: “We were well surprised.
“When the labour started on New Year’s Eve we thought he might be the last of 2017, but instead we got the first of 2017.”
Jake was due on December 29, and is eagerly awaited by his brothers Charlie and Oscar Wrigley, aged 14 and nine, and Zach Marshall aged 20 months.
Susannah Vinters, 34, went into labour just as Big Ben started to chime in the New Year.
Just one hour and 10 minutes later her as-yet unnamed boy was born, weighing 10lbs 10oz, with husband Paul Vinters, also 34, by her side.
Paul, from Stanway, said: “We were watching it on the TV, Big Ben and the fireworks, when it all started.
“Our first boy Jacob, three, was about 11 hours but it was very quick this time.”
Susannah added: “Jacob is very excited. He wanted a brother, but we didn’t know what we were having – but when I phoned him this morning to tell him he said ‘I already know that’.”
Paul said: “I don’t know what we’d have done if it was a girl.”
Also born at Colchester General Hospital in the “boy-fest” was Boaz Pancaldi-Loxley, weighing in at 8lbs 11oz to parents Seven and Charity.
Seven, 27 and a minister at the baptist church in Earls Colne where the family live, said: “We were looking at names with meaning, and this is a gift that redeems.”
Mum Charity, 25, who was induced two days earlier, said: “My labour was a dream, I had such an easy time.
“It was very quick for a first time baby.
“Our family are so excited to see the new arrival.”
Boaz had been due on January 13.
Charity added: “I wanted New Year’s Eve because everyone’s up for a party, but his birthday will always be a bank holiday now.”
The second baby born at Colchester General Hospital was Mark Cheskyi, who arrived at 0.55am weighing 8lbs 4oz to mum Liudmyla Zelenetska and dad Andre Cheskyi, from Colchester.
Suzanne and Jake Nugent, from Bury St Edmunds, had the first arrival of 2018 at West Suffolk Hospital, with their as-yet unnamed baby girl who was born at 9.55am at 7lbs 14oz.
Also arriving on the first day of 2018 at the Bury St Edmunds hospital was Valerie Beth-Mai Pritchett, born to parents Mark and Joanna Pritchett, from Brandon, at 3.36pm weighing 6lbs 12oz, while Rebecca and Edward Holt from Glemsford welcomed a boy, as-yet unnamed, at 1.33pm weighing 8lbs 10oz.
At Ipswich Hospital, mums and dads celebrated welcoming their bundles of joy into the world.
Baby Archie Anderson took his first breath upon entering the world at 1.20am.
The tot, weighing 7lbs 9oz, is the first baby for parents Tayla Anderson and Tom Self.
Miss Anderson, 19, who went into labour at 3.10am on Sunday, said: “The pregnancy went smoothly other than having to have an emergency Caesarean section.”
Eager Finley James Finch entered 2018 at 3.30am - two weeks earlier than expected.
Parents Bonnie Shiress, 35, and Simon Finch, 39, knew they were expecting a little boy who is now a baby brother to five siblings.
Finley weighed 6lbs 5oz.
She said: “He is my sixth but is the first one I have had to have a Caesarean section with. I was in labour for an hour and then was given the Caesarean section.”
Baby Atticus Coleman was delivered at 2.54am yesterday, weighing 8lbs 5ozs to proud first-time parents Hannah Gale and Christopher Coleman who are from the town.
Miss Gale’s labour lasted more than 30 hours. The 28-year-old said: “I was so tired when he arrived, I couldn’t quite believe he was actually my baby.”
Another baby boy to make an appearance was Alexander Belchev to first-time parents Vyara Razpopova and Valentin Belchev.
The 8lbs 12oz bundle was due on December 22 but arrived yesterday after an emergency Caesarean section.
Miss Razpopova, 38, said: “I was in labour for over 24 hours and then they said I needed a Caesarean section as he was becoming distressed.”
Miss Razpopova added: “I knew we were going to have a boy even before we were told, I just had a feeling that he was going to be.”
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