'˜Having Stanley on Christmas Day feels amazing'

He was born weighing 8lb 5oz at 1.53am, the first of seven on the big day.

Ian Sims and Rolyn Bayotas told The News they were thrilled to become parents for the first time.

Rolyn, 25, who works as a nursing assistant at a care home, said: ‘It felt nice because it’s our first baby, but it feels even more amazing having Stanley on Christmas Day.

‘We did not know that he was going to be born at Christmas – it’s a blessing.’

Husband Ian, 47, said the experience of becoming a father made for a ‘very different Christmas’.

He said: ‘I’m very proud to become a father and proud of Rolyn, regardless of what day it was.

‘It could have been any other day, but I suppose it does feel quite special for Stanley to be born at Christmas.’

Stanley was delivered following an induction of labour at the Cosham hospital.

The couple, who live in Redhouse Park Gardens, spent three days at the hospital before taking their new addition to the family home later on Christmas Day.

Ian says that the birth had distracted him from the notion that he had

just fathered a baby on the festive holiday.

He added: ‘It was such a busy time that I forgot what day it was. It didn’t really dawn on me until nurses pointed it out and I was like “Crikey!”.

‘It’s definitely going to make a difference to him. He’s going to have a very busy day once a year now!’

Ian, who is an aircraft engineer, praised the hard work of the staff on QA’s maternity ward, who delivered the babies on Christmas Day.

He said: ‘The hospital staff were amazing, that’s the key thing for me.’

‘All of the nurses were fantastic, and I could not have asked for anything better.’