THE new year got off to an extra special start for one young Stratford couple when they welcomed the birth of their first child, who was also the first baby born at Warwick Hospital in 2025.
Millie Arabella Harman made her appearance at 4.46am on 1st January, weighing 7lb 7oz.
Proud parents Emily and Alex Harman, who are both 31 and live in Bridgetown, say they couldn’t be happier.
Emily told the Herald: “She was due on New Year’s Eve, and I went into labour in the evening.
“It was quite exciting because as we drove to Warwick Hospital and I was having contractions, as we came up to the Longbridge Roundabout it was midnight and we saw all the fireworks. Alex was able to enjoy that a little bit more than me, as obviously I was quite distracted!
“We got there at 12.15am and she was born five hours later, so it was relatively quick. I had some gas and air and a little bit of extra stuff later on when it got a bit more intense but it all went smoothly.
“We’re very happy.”
Emily moved to Stratford in 2018 to be with Alex, who grew up in Alcester.
“We’ve got a lot of family in the area so although it’s been very busy we’ve got great support, including from both our parents and grandparents,” added Emily.
For now, both parents are at home on leave helping to care for baby Millie.
Alex, who works in admissions and recruitment at the University of Warwick Business School, has a couple of weeks off, while Emily, who works for an investment bank, will be enjoying a year’s maternity leave.
“Good teamwork is getting us through,” said Emily. “And our dog Jasper – who’s a sprocker – is making sure we go out on walks and get plenty of fresh air. As Alex says, he’s really our first born!”
Reflecting on Millie being the first baby of 2025 in the area, Emily said: “We were very excited that she was the first baby of the new year. We didn’t really consider it as a possibility to be honest, because we thought by the time we got to 4am another baby would have been born.
“It was very exciting to see her photo shared by the hospital on its Facebook page and having people congratulate us.
“Millie’s already brought a lot of joy to us and our extended family, she definitely brings a lot of positivity into the new year.”