Whitehaven News

Carlisle couple add to New Year’s Day babies

By Safira Ali

Last updated at 13:42, Tuesday, 06 January 2009

Proud parents have been celebrating the birth of Cumbria’s first 2009 babies - especially those of Caine Alistair who appeared five weeks premature on New Year's Day!

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Iesha Davidson, 20, and Martin Richardson, 21, of Dalton Avenue, Raffles, had no idea their baby would be on his way so early. And neither had Martin’s parents – when he asked them for a lift to hospital, they had drunk too much to drive!

Eventually they took a taxi to the Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle. Little Caine was born at 2.30 am, weighing in at five pounds, five-and-a-half ounces.

Martin said: “It was all just so quick – she was feeling a bit of discomfort at around nine o’clock and decided not to go to her friend’s 21st.”
When she started having contractions, he did his best to keep a cool head.

He added: “I was trying to calm the situation down with a few jokes – I was reading my book and said we couldn’t go until I’d finished the chapter. But then we called a taxi and it was all a bit mental from there.”

Currently in the Special Care Unit at hospital, Caine had to be tube-fed at first because he was too weak to suck. But he has gradually started eating normally and staff say he should be home by the end of the week.

“I just can’t wait to get him home now,” said Martin.

Little Caine is the first grandchild for proud Tracey Richardson, 44, of Stonehouse Park, Thursby, near Carlisle.

She said: “At about 11.30pm on New Year’s Eve my son phoned to say Iesha wasn’t very well. He wanted to know how much I’d had to drink, but I’d had too many glasses of wine and I couldn’t take them to hospital.”

One of the first arrivals at West Cumberland Hospital, Whitehaven, was baby Matthew William Jackson at 11.19am. He is the first born to parents Sian and Gary of Stainburn, Workington.

He weighed in at 8lb 5oz.

Mum Sian went into hospital at 7pm on New Year’s Eve with labour pains.

She said: “I was in hospital over New Year’s Eve. It felt like a long time but it was worth it. He was not due until January 5, but it was a nice surprise to have him here earlier.

“It makes it extra special knowing that he was one of the first born in the area this year. It’s the best start to 2009 we could have asked for.”

Their baby was followed by the arrival of Jack Carins at 4.15pm.

Parents Kerry and Andrew, of The Pastures, Egremont, had been looking forward to a New Year party when Jack changed the plans. Mum Kerry said: “He came four days early but I’m glad it’s over now.

“I had an Indian takeaway the night before because I heard that speeds things up. It obviously worked.

“The birth went well. We didn’t know if we were going to have a boy or a girl. We wanted it to be a surprise.” Jack is the couple’s second child.

Also born on New Year’s Day was Saju Begum Choudhory and Abdul Ahad’s second child, a baby boy at 5.50pm. The couple from The Green, Bransty, are yet to choose a name for their son, who weighed 6lb 6oz.

Meanwhile, Marcus Laing, Emilia Sheckley and Kieran Skinner, were all born on New Year’s Day at the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle.

The babies and proud parents were still in under the dedicated care of staff at the hospital yesterday.

Kieran Skinner was born at 8.41pm to proud parents Gemma Taylor and Morgan Skinner of Pennine Way, Harraby, Carlisle. Kieran is Gemma and Morgan’s first child and weighed a healthy 8lb 4oz.

Morgan said: “The midwives deserve medals, each and every one of them.”

Jennifer Moorhead and David Laing from Redbank Terrace, Currock, Carlisle, cradled their first born, Marcus, who was born at 10.08pm, weighing 7lb.

New dad, David said: “He wasn’t due until January 6 so it was a wonderful surprise and a great little present.”

Beaming parents Rebecca Nugent and Chris Sheckley of Henderson Road, Currock, Carlisle, welcomed their first child Emilia into the world at 11.07pm on New Year’s Day.

Dad Chris said: “We just made it. Rebecca was determined that the baby would be born on New Year’s Day.”

The proud mum added: “She was due on December 20. Christmas passed and I was just thinking, when is this baby going to appear.”

Emilia was born weighing 7lb 3oz after eight hours of labour.

Rebecca praised the support of midwives Tanya Turnbull and Hazel Crabbe.

“They were absolutely fantastic,” she said.

Another Carlisle couple were celebrating after the birth of their third child, Emily Jane, born at their family home.

Graham and Gillian Shaw of Myddleton Street, who already have a two-year-old daughter who was born on Christmas Day, were overjoyed with their 7lb 1oz new arrival born at 5.59pm on New Year’s Day.

Graham said: “She’s fantastic, she’s feeding alright and she’s sleeping.

“It’s unusual to have two born at Christmas, we were wondering if they were both going to end up being Christmas Day, but at least this way they get a birthday each.”

The couple also have a four-year-old son, Bradley, who was born in July.