Former midwife back to help deliver a very special New Year baby

A former midwife helped to deliver one of Dundee's first babies of 2012 — her own grandson.

Rachel and Ross with baby Noah and able assistant Helen.

By Stefan Morkis and Leeza Clark
Published in the Courier : 02.01.12
Published online : 02.01.12 @ 02.26pm

Beauty therapist Rachel Keir (22) delivered baby Noah Andrew Thomas Hendry at 3.08am. He weighed 7lb 5oz.

Her mum Helen was one of Rachel's birthing partners along with Noah's father Ross Hendry (28).

Helen, who works as a health visitor, was previously a midwife, and is friends with many of the staff at the Ninewells Hospital Midwifery Unit in Dundee.

Even more remarkably, the midwife who delivered Noah, Linda Gierasik, also delivered Rachel when she was born.

''I was a midwife for 18 years and Ross and I were both birthing partners so there was a lot of support for Rachel with the three of us and the midwife,'' Helen said.

''There has been a real family atmosphere.''

Rachel said: ''He was due on the first so he came exactly when expected.''

Father Ross, who works as a postman, added: ''It's surreal but it's the best New Year's gift in the country. I can't really put it into worlds.''

Despite his early arrival, Noah was not the first baby born in Dundee in 2012. The New Year was just over an hour old when Alice Kummerer was delivered at 1.20am to mum Julie and dad Mark at Ninewells.

Mark, an economist, said Alice, who weighed 8lbs, had not been due until Wednesday but decided to put in an early appearance.

''She was supposed to be born on the fourth but Julie was in severe pain on Friday so we went to Perth and she was transferred to Ninewells on Saturday," he said. ''Both are doing well and I'm looking forward to going back into the hospital to see him. All the maternity staff were excellent.''

Mark added that Alice's two older brothers Calum (8) and Matthew (5) were excited to meet their sister for the first time.

Midwives had to wait until after 7am before Dundee's third New Year baby was born. Leanne Carr and Paul Wyllie celebrated the birth of daughter Mia at 7.06am. She weighed 5lb 11oz.

Fife didn't have long to wait for the patter of a tiny first foot. The New Year was only 38 minutes old when the kingdom's first baby arrived at Forth Park Hospital in Kirkcaldy.

The as yet unnamed boy is the third child of Cairneyhill couple Elaine and Lee Arnold. Elaine said her new baby, weighing in at 7lb 140z, was actually supposed to be an extra-special Christmas gift, but kept everyone waiting.

"He was 11 days late. He was due to arrive on December 21 and I'm actually quite pleased he waited because I did not want him to arrive on Christmas Day and have to have his birthday on Christmas Day.

"I said at the time, after Christmas was past, that I hoped to go to New Year's Day — and that's what happened!"

Happily Elaine also called on the support of husband Lee who works offshore and was due back on January 4.

"He was meant to go away on the fourth but he took another two weeks at home. I'm so glad because I wouldn't like to do it on my own — it's good to have your partner there."

Relaxing back at home later in the morning, having introduced the new youngster to son Kerr and daughter Emma, the couple were pondering the "big decision" of what baby Arnold would be called.

Next to arrive was Mhairi-Jayne Allison, the second child of Limekilns couple Jaynie and Chris Allison. The youngster, a new sister for two-year-old big brother Breannain, made her debut at 6.42am and weighed a whopping 8lb 14 and a half oz.

Jaynie, who combines being a mum wih a part-time singing teacher, said Mhairi-Jayne had keept the family waiting for her arrival as she was six days late.

New mum Stephanie Hogg from Glenrothes introduced Maisie to the world. She was born at 8.55am and weighed in at 6lb 3oz.

Elsewhere in Scotland, the first baby to be born in 2012 was Nicole Margaret Adam, who arrived at two minutes past midnight at the Southern General Maternity Unit in Glasgow, weighing 6lb and 6oz.

A minute later the first baby to arrive after the bells in Edinburgh was born. Joseph James Fleming, 6lb 2oz, was born at home to parents Nicola and Paul.

Click for more on these topics: