AS EXCITED children everywhere awoke on Christmas Day to see if Santa had been, others were being welcomed into the world at Oxford’s biggest hospital.
The John Radcliffe Hospital’s maternity ward in Headington became a temporary home to at least a dozen babies over the course of yesterday, delivering delighted parents the best gift they could have wished for.
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While most people were scoffing turkey and watching television, these families had to forget any previous plans as their nine-month countdown came to an end.
Baby Maja Soltyssek
Midwife Gail Walton, who joined parents on the ward today, said both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day had been busy.
She said: “A couple of the parents were saying it felt like they had got an extra Christmas present.
“There were lots of happy, smiling faces.
“I think some were sad to be away from family but others will have their Christmas on a different day.”
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She said first-time parents in particular seemed happy to have had their first-born on such a special occasion, with double celebrations on Christmasses to come.
Kirsty Hubbocks from Brill in Buckinghamshire was the first to have her baby, with little Jayden Choules born at 12.57am.
The 29-year-old works at the help desk at the Churchill Hospital, while partner Stephen Choules is in reablement support at the John Radcliffe.
She said: "The staff have been absolutely amazing, they were incredible.
"We were supposed to be going round to my brother's [for Christmas] but all my family have said they'll repeat it when we're out."
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Jayden was due on December 14 but ended up being born on Christmas Day - just two days after his mum's own birthday on the 23rd.
She added: "I was so lucky that my parents never let my birthday to be lost at Christmas - Jayden will still get his special day."
One of the last Christmas babies to be born was the son of Carly Smith-Huggins and Kit Collins, who are yet to decide on a name, who was born at 10.12pm.
Baby Maja Soltyssek was born at 9.24am, and wore a tiny Santa hat while the Oxford Mail visited the ward.
Just four minutes earlier, Aidan and Hollie Nicholl became proud parents to their daughter Lilly-May.
Some staff members brought cheer to the ward with tinsel and decorations, having sacrificed their own Christmases to look after parents and their newborns.
Colleagues who work in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit were also gifted with a spectacular three-tier cake from Classic Cakes.
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Chef Martin Sherriff, who crafted the festive showpiece, explained how his daughter Amelia was cared for there five years ago, when she was born prematurely.
The father, from Clanfield in West Oxfordshire, said: “The whole team at the JR deserve everything, with the work they do and the hours they put in, especially over Christmas.
“We had a long spell there, about three months, and both mother and daughter were lucky to be alive. I owe them that, and more.”
He said as well as for staff, for parents of poorly babies to be able to take a few minutes out for some tea and cake can make a difference.
Mr Sherriff, whose daughter will turn six next month, was up until 2.30am decorating the cake, before delivering it on Christmas Eve.
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He found time to make it in between starting work as head chef, at the newly-relaunched Black Horse gastropub in Standlake.
He said of the hospital visit: “It brought back memories, walking through those corridors. I was very choked up talking to the nurses.
“They all wanted to see pictures of Amelia and see how she’s getting on.
"It made my Christmas."
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