Big Ben’s bells had chimed to welcome in 2024 and not long after – in the early hours of New Year’s Day – NCIC midwife Alex Sowerby gave birth to a baby girl.
Fern Amber was born at the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle to parents Alex and Carl at 1.22am weighing 6lb 13oz. She was six weeks premature.
Alex, who has been a midwife at NCIC for four years, said: “Fern wasn’t due until the end of January so it was a bit of a surprise,
“My waters broke on Saturday night and I went into hospital but nothing happened so I came home on Sunday but ended going back in later on and Fern arrived at 1.22am.
“She’s perfect. She has an older sister, Wren who is two.”
Alex, who lives in Penrith, stayed in hospital with Fern for one night and went home on 2 January.
The second new year baby to be born at the Cumberland Infirmary was a little boy. He arrived at 7pm weighing 8lb 7oz.
Over the festive period, midwives at NCIC delivered two Christmas Day babies and seven New Year’s Day babies.
At the Cumberland Infirmary there was one Christmas Day baby – a boy – born at 9.46am on Christmas Day morning weighing 7lb 7oz. At West Cumberland Hospital a little girl arrived at 9.30pm.
Five babies were born on New Year’s Day at West Cumberland Hospital. There were three boys and two girls.