As part of a new series, the Star will be visiting Ipswich Hospital each week to meet parents welcoming their bundles of joy into the world.
From going into early labour during a comedy show, to a frantic near-miss drive to the hospital, four Suffolk couples have shared their stories of childbirth.
The new arrivals were born at Ipswich Hospital this week, bringing their beaming parents an early Christmas treat.
But for Laura Lysons, it was a festive surprise that she wasn’t quite ready to receive.
The 34-year-old went into labour at 38 weeks during a Catherine Tate show at Ipswich’s Regent Theatre on Tuesday night.
But the determined fan sat through the whole performance while enduring contractions.
“I was hoping they would stop,” said Mrs Lysons, of Stoke Park, Ipswich. “I’m a big fan – she was brilliant and it was a really good show.”
When the contractions continued after the performance, Mrs Lysons went to Ipswich Hospital along with husband, Mike, 30.
And at 3am on Wednesday, baby Miley was born weighing 7lb 7oz.
Miley’s three siblings, Kyran, eight, Alexa, five, and Jorgie, one, have visited the hospital to see their new little sister.
“Christmas will be quite hectic in our house this year,” Mrs Lysons said.
It was a close call for parents Louise and Matthew Wilkins, whose son also came along in a hurry.
The couple, both 35, arrived at Ipswich Hospital around 7.30am yesterday, and baby Arthur was born less than an hour and a half later at 8.54am. He weighed just 7lb.
“He is adorable,” said his dad.
But it could have a been a very different start to life for the tiny tot.
As the parents made their way to the hospital, Mrs Wilkins’s contractions started coming every two minutes.
“If we left it too much longer at home it would have been car-side assistance or home birth,” said Mrs Wilkins.
The couple, of Baronsdale Close, Ipswich, also have seven-year-old daughter, Holly,
First-time parents Rebecca Broomhead, 23, and her husband Robert, 28, had to wait longer than expected to meet their daughter, Aria.
Mrs Broomhead was admitted to Ipswich Hospital on Sunday to be induced as the baby was already quite big.
She was given three induction tablets over two days, then put on a hormone drip, and when all of that did not work, she was taken in for a Caesarean on Tuesday night.
Aria was born at 11.30pm weighing 9lb 4oz.
“She was quite heavy,” Mrs Broomhead said. “I knew she was big, but not that big.”
The mum praised the care she had received by the hospital’s maternity staff.
“It’s been lovely, everyone has been really nice and you can ask for anything and they will do it for you,” Mrs Broomhead said.
The couple live at Wattisham Airfield as Mr Broomhead is in the Army.
And Laura Madden, 24, and James Tibbenham, 27, were blessed with their third child, Abel-James.
The tot arrived via a Caesarean at 9.29am on Tuesday, weighing 8lb 10oz - and mum Laura couldn’t be more proud.
“He’s lovely,” she said. “He’s my first boy so it’s a bit different this time, but I’m really happy.”
The couple, from Kesgrave, also have two daughters, Scarlett-Jane, four, and Mia-Faith, 16 months.
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