Christmas Day was extra special for mums and dads in Suffolk and Essex who welcomed new bundles of joy into the world.
The festively named Sophia Jolly was born in Ipswich Hospital at 12.36am in the early hours of Christmas Day, weighing 6lbs 2ozs to proud first-time parents Lauren Terry and Carl Jolly, who live in the town.
Sophia is named in memory of Miss Terry’s grandmother, who died around seven years ago.
Miss Terry, 27, said: “My grandmother was adopted and she was Italian.
“I was very close to her. I have got a lot of similarities to her, so I had to had to pick something Italian to keep her legacy alive.”
Four babies had been born at Ipswich Hospital by 3pm on Christmas Day.
Lead midwife Sharon Edwards said: “It’s a real privilege any time to be delivering babies but Christmas makes it a little bit more special.”
Colchester General Hospital had five new arrivals by mid-afternoon.
Jodie and Chris Rollings added to their brood and welcomed baby Effie at 6.05am on Christmas Day.
The couple were back home in Colchester by lunchtime and Emmy, four, and two-year-old Maxi were delighted with their new sister.
Mrs Rollings, 37, said: “It was a bit of a shock, we thought we were having a New Year’s Eve one but it’s a really lovely Christmas present.”
Effie, who weighed 6lbs 2ozs, was keen to meet her parents as she arrived around just five to 10 minutes after Mrs Rollings entered the delivery room.
Georgie Claydon was born at 10.02am tipping the scales at 9lbs 11ozs to parents Amy and Neil Claydon.
The couple, from Colchester, had just finished opening their stockings with three-year-old son Zachary when Amy went into labour.
Mrs Claydon, 31, said staff on the ward had been “great”.
Colchester mayor Gerard Oxford visited the new parents on Christmas Day with his wife and consort, Beverley.
Matron Julie Hinchcliffe said: “It’s always a privilege to be present at a birth but even more so at Christmas.
“We have got tinsel on and festive things up. The atmosphere is lovely.”
West Suffolk Hospital is expecting to deliver at least one Christmas Day baby as there was a woman in labour on the maternity ward at 3pm.
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