Several mums and dads were leaping for joy this morning at the Ulster Hospital with the safe arrival of their ‘leapling’ babies on February 29, Leap Year Day.
Identical twin boys Tommy and Teddy McCready were among the first Leap Year’s Day newborns as they came into the world at 1.36am and 1.40am. Ecstatic mum Louise Gordon said she and proud dad Gary were “delighted” with the birth of the boys on this very special day – and they had arrived, “a bit early!”
“Tommy was born first weighing 4lbs 15oz and Teddy at 5lbs. We are just delighted and the boys are doing really well.”
Being born on a Leap Day equates to a birthday every four years, Louise said that there will be most definitely be a double birthday celebration for the boys and that she and Gary plan to celebrate the twins birthdays going forward on March 1st.
Little Geoffrey Anaman was born a few hours later at 4.15am. Elated dad Bright explained that his son was born two weeks early, weighing 6lbs 7oz and that he and mum Sherajaly were just “over the moon.” “We are so glad that he is here. He has a big sister at home who will be coming up this evening to meet him after school.”
Completing the infant quartet, Dom Thomas arrived safely at 9.20am. “Dom’s mum and I are really excited,” explained beaming dad Don. “We are just so happy, Dom was born this morning and weighed 7lbs 10ozs. We are very proud.”
Lead Midwife Sarah McKevitt said, “The whole team within maternity services in the South Eastern Trust is delighted that we have been able to share this special memory with all the new mums and dads. We would like to offer our congratulations on the birth of all the beautiful babies born today.”