Mum welcomes festive twins - one born on Christmas Eve and one on Christmas Day

25 December 2023 , 17:07

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Newborn twins Jami (left) and Rubi, who were born each side of midnight at NHS Lothian's St John's Hospital in Livingston, West Lothian (Image: Copyright remains with handout provider)

Twins have surprised their parents by arriving four weeks early – and somehow they won't share the same birthdays.

Adeeqa Parveen Ali, 31, and her partner Faisal Imran, from Livingston, West Lothian, rushed to St John's Hospital on Christmas Eve, almost a month before the twins were due.

Baby boy Jami and his sister Rumi were born soon after, but they won't share the same birthday. Jami, who weighed in at 5lb 8oz, was born at 11.44pm on Christmas Eve, while his sister Rumi, weighing 4lb 2oz, arrived almost an hour later at 12.27am on Christmas Day.

The family will stay in hospital for a few days, staff said, but hope to be home by Hogmanay. Rumi nearly became the first Christmas baby in Scotland, but Eliza Shearer in Aberdeen beat her to it.

Maja Shearer, 27, and Jason Shearer, 28, rushed to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary on Christmas Eve as Eliza arrived a few days early. The change in plans meant Mrs Shearer's parents, who were visiting from Poland, had to host the traditional Christmas Eve celebration without the expectant parents.

Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him

Mr Shearer, who works in the oil and gas industry, shared: "Maja's Polish, so we celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve and British Christmas on Christmas Day, and Maja's folks are over just now so they had to host Christmas dinner without us last night because we're here, and they'll probably get a nice Christmas dinner again today," When asked about what he was doing when Maja went into labour, he said: "Sleeping it was 5.30am. She woke me up at 5.30am, it was all quick, then it was quite slow 5.30am yesterday morning, in here at 7am then we were here the whole day."

Eliza might be the first Christmas baby in Scotland this year, born at 12.18am and weighing 7lbs 8oz. Mr Shearer, from Aberdeen, mentioned it was "touch and go" whether she would be born before or after midnight. He also thanked the midwifery staff at the hospital, saying they had been "absolutely amazing".

In other news, Lauren Haddock and Jordan Hamill welcomed their son Finley at 12.33am at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow. The newborn, their first child, weighed 7lb 8oz.

At 12.59am on Christmas Day, Lexi was born to Marissa McLean, 31, and Kevin Lothian, 33, from Edinburgh. Weighing 7lb 8oz, Lexi arrived at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

Finally, at 1.24am, Ashleigh Gillon and Dean Halup welcomed their baby boy at Forth Valley Hospital, weighing 7lb 6oz. The couple, from Clackmannanshire, are still deciding on a name.

In St John's Hospital in Livingston, Claire Gray, 35, and her partner Kyle, 36, welcomed a baby girl. The couple from Bathgate, West Lothian, are still deciding on a name for their little one, who was born just after 7am and weighed 8lbs 8oz.

* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]

Ryan Fahey