Baby you're a firework

One baby couldn’t wait to get the New Year started, arriving just three minutes past midnight at St Thomas’ Hospital – only yards away from London’s iconic firework display.

New Year’s Day saw the arrival of 15 babies at St Thomas’ Hospital, with 10 boys and five girls born between 12.03am and 10.28pm.

Proud parents Veronica and Benn Andrews welcomed their daughter into the world at 12.03am weighing 6 lb – one of the country’s first new arrivals of 2019 and most likely the first born in the capital.

Veronica, from East Dulwich in south east London, said: “It was a very exciting New Year’s Eve for us and a great start to the year.

“We didn’t know if she would be the last baby of 2018 or the first of 2019 but she arrived when the fireworks were still going off at the London Eye.

“We were surprised that she arrived on her due date because you’re always told that the first baby could be late.

“It’s been a whirlwind and if she was the first baby to be born in London in 2019, that’s pretty special.”

It proved a busy start to the year for midwives at St Thomas’ with 24 babies also born on New Year’s Eve.

Maxine Spencer, director of midwifery, said: “More than 6,600 babies are born at St Thomas’ Hospital each year but Baby Andrews was our very first arrival of 2019, and was probably the first in London. Happy New Year to all the new parents and to all of our dedicated maternity staff.”