A NUNEATON couple are celebrating a record-breaking baby.
Philip and Natalie Gibbs of Whitestone have welcomed a new member of the family in the form of Alfie.
He came into the world following a 12 hour labour at the George Eliot Hospital.
The couple’s first child weighed in at a hefty but healthy 11Ibs and five ounces, which is the heaviest youngster to be born at the Nuneaton NHS Trust so far this year.
Alfie’s larger than normal size was first noted by midwife Carole Hemmings who said the birth was the heaviest she had been involved with.
A quick check of the records at the George Eliot Hospital, after Natalie Gibbs’ mother in law contacted the Nuneaton News, revealed that Alfie is the heaviest baby of the year so far.
Records dating back to 2007, also show the newest addition to the Gibbs clan to be in the ‘top 20’ of the 12,500 babies born there since that time.
First time mum Natalie, who is a teacher at Cardinal Newman School in Coventry, said: “I was in labour for 12 hours.
“We had planned a natural birth, but after failing with the forceps, I was sent for an emergency Caesarean section.”
Mr and Mrs Gibbs are planning to have another child, but are hoping that he or she won’t be quite as large.
“We would like another one, just one more,” added the 33-year-old.
“But they say that your second is almost always bigger than the first, but we’ll have to wait and see.
“We’re both absolutely fine now and back home and very grateful to everyone at the hospital.”
Alfie came into the world at exactly 8.33am on Tuesday, May 22 in the labour suite at the George Eliot Hospital’s Maternity Unit.
Midwife Carole Hemmings congratulated Natalie on a wonderful nine months during which time she stayed fit and well and praised her for being the perfect patient.
“Looking back through our records, Alfie is one of the heaviest babies born at the hospital and definitely the heaviest births I’ve been involved with,” added the long time labour expert.
“We’re all really pleased for Natalie; she had a fantastic pregnancy and did everything she could have done to stay fit and healthy.
“It’s great that they are both doing so well and Natalie is so happy with the care she received at the George Eliot.”
The George Eliot Hospital has an average of 2,500 births a year.
As revealed in the News earlier this week plans are in the pipeline to move the unit out of its current home into a new purpose built centre on the main hospital site.
This has followed months of uncertainty over its long term future due to the Arden Cluster review into Paediatric and Maternity Care.
