Falkirk's trio of New Year babies provide bright start to 2021

Ivy McKnight came along first – a day before her due date – at 6.18am in Forth Valley Royal Hospital (FVRH), weighing 7lb 15oz.

Mum Jade Burns (30) said: “Everything was fine, although it’s a little bit different with COVID-19. They don’t let your partner come in until your labour is actually active.

“The birth lasted four hours and my partner Billy didn’t come in until 5.30am, with Ivy born just before 6.20am.”

While the birth went without a hitch, Jade – a nursery teacher at Linlithgow Primary School – did have concerns during her pregnancy.

“I was worried being pregnant and going out to work during the COVID-19 but the school had a lot of safety measures in place.”

Dad Billy McKnight, a labourer with Maxi Construction, and big brother Ethan (6) are now making a fuss of baby Ivy at the family home in Carronshore.

Current restrictions mean its hard for family members to visit Ivy and, while Jade’s parents have been able to meet the new arrival, Billy’s mum is yet to have the pleasure.

Little Hunter McMinn followed Ivy into the world at 11.55am, weighing 6lb 1oz.

Mum Natasha Quigley (18) said there were no problems at all with the birth of her first child and everything went fine with the pregnancy. Now she and new dad Liam McMinn (18) are doting on little Hunter at Natasha’s mum’s house in Bainsford.

The name Hunter was something Liam came up with and Natasha liked.

The Falkirk area’s last New Year’s Day baby of 2021 arrived just over half-an-hour after Hunter when Eva Buchanan made her appearance at 12.24pm, weighing 6lb 7oz.

First time mum Samantha Darrien (35) thanked staff at FVRH for their care and professionalism during the current COVID-19 restrictions.

The Sainsburys online worker laughed: “Eva was conceived during a lockdown and now she had been born in a lockdown. If anything I can’t praise the staff enough, especially with the way things are going at the minute.

“They did their best with the restrictions they had to work with.”

Samantha and partner Steven Buchanan (36), a joiner by trade, were due to get married in Cyprus in June last year, but, as with a lot of things in 2020, those plans were firmly put on the backburner.

“We couldn’t go on holiday and get married,” said Samantha. “So we had a baby instead. Hopefully we will be able to get round to Cyprus and marriage later on.”

The new family is now back at their home in Polmont.

“Eva is the first grandchild for both sets of grandparents and they have only been able to see her through the window or the door with their masks on. No cuddles yet, but hopefully it won’t be too long,” said Samantha.

Eva was a family name associated with Samantha’s Norwegian grandparents and the couple both loved it.