New Year's Day baby surprises Watford mum with early arrival (From Watford Observer)

New Year's Day baby surprises Watford mum with early arrival in Watford General Hospital.

2:30pm Thursday 3rd January 2013 in News By Rebecca Perring, Reporter

Only a few hours after singing Auld Lang Syne in to the New Year, Gabby Edwards, couldn’t quite believe she was going in to labour 23 days earlier than expected.

But as luck had it, her baby was about to make an early appearance and she was to give birth to the very first New Year's Day baby born in Watford General Hospital.

At 10:13am on Tuesday January, 1, Mrs Edwards welcomed her daughter, Phoebe Lillian Edwards, in to the world in front of her proud and somewhat surprised husband, Nick.

Weighing 5 pounds 13 ounces the couple’s New Year bundle and first born was an unexpected but nice way to start 2013 at their home in Copeswood Road.

Mrs Edwards, 25, said: "We were so surprised. It was quite funny really because we hadn’t expected her to come until the end of January or even February.

"We must have been jigging a bit too much during Auld Lang Syne or she heard the song and thought she would be a drama queen and arrive early."

The couple had decided to share their New Year's Eve celebrations with a quiet night in, consisting of a takeaway and fireworks in the garden with Nick’s brother, Mark and his wife, Emma and their one-year-old, Isabelle. Mrs Edwards began to feel slight contractions at around 1:30am and was then rushed to Watford General at 7am on Tuesday.

She added: "We were rushing around like crazy trying to pack my hospital bag.

"I had made a list of everything we needed for the hospital however we thought we still had three weeks to go so it was all a bit manic.

"It is lovely but so weird at the same time. I keep looking at her thinking wow she is ours."

Phoebe Lillian is the third generation of Edwards to be born in Watford General Hospital, with both Nick’s parents being born in the hospital and by coincidence both Nick and Gabby.

The pair, who married last February, say they are very pleased Phoebe was born in the same hospital.

Mr Edwards, 26, said: "It is a brilliant start to the New Year and we would just like to thank all the staff and our midwife, Jessica Thorpe, at Watford General.

"They were excellent and we had such a good experience."