Families celebrated the perfect Christmas present as five babies were born at Hereford County Hospital on Christmas Day, and three were born on New Year’s Day 2018.

Hospital midwives and local families were delighted to welcome two baby girls and three baby boys on Christmas Day.

Santa had been and gone by the time the first of the Christmas babies arrived shortly after 8am on Christmas Day. The last of the babies was born around 11pm.

Maxine Chong, head of midwifery at the hospital, said: “It’s with great pleasure that we announce the arrival of five babies born on Christmas Day at Hereford County Hospital. Every birth is special, but Christmas babies have a very special birthday indeed.

“Welcoming a new baby into the world is a wonderful experience but it can be quite overwhelming for parents. Our midwifery and health visiting teams are on hand to visit parents at home in the early days of their babies arrival.

“The specialist support that we offer ranges from practical breast feeding advice on the maternity ward and at home, nappy changing, bathing your baby, through to personalised care, support and advice”.

Each of the babies received a special Christmas stocking from the hospital along with a teddy from Santa when he paid a visit to the hospital during the day.

Hereford County Hospital midwives were also delighted to welcome the arrival of three babies born on New Year’s Day 2018.

No babies were born in the morning - the first to arrive, a baby girl, made an appearance at 2.45pm followed by two baby boys, arriving at 7.27pm and 11.18pm.

All are doing well and are expected to be heading home soon.

Helen Price, deputy head of midwifery, said: “We were delighted to welcome a total of three babies on the first day of 2018 and celebrated their arrival with the proud parents on the special day.

“Our mums will also receive support when they return home from our midwives and health visitors so that they feel empowered and continue to have a positive experience of motherhood”.