While most of us enjoyed time at home with our families, midwives at Dorset County Hospital worked tirelessly to deliver bundles of joy to proud parents on Christmas Day.

It was a busy day for the hospital’s maternity unit as four babies were delivered on Tuesday - three of them within 15 minutes of each other.

Midwives at the hospital even knitted special Christmas hats for the festive newborns.

Tincy Thomas said it was a shock when her son was born on Christmas Day weighing 6.3lb, after being given a due date of January 10.

She said: “It was the best Christmas present ever, we didn’t expect it.

“I had a bit of pain so I walked over to the hospital that morning and they told me I needed to stay.

“My other son Astin was born at Easter time, so now we have a Christmas baby and an Easter baby.”

Heidi Pounder’s baby boy Oliver arrived at 8.02am and weighed 9lb.

She said: “It was a quick labour - he is my third and they do say it gets shorter.

“We are hoping to have our Christmas today (26) as we missed all the present opening with my other two children yesterday (25).”

Maui Pink was born to proud parents Dan and Cadi from Spetisbury, weighing a healthy 8lb 7oz.

Cadi said: “We always joked he would be born on Christmas Day but we never actually thought it would happen.”

Cadi’s two-year-old daughter Indi made a special visit to see her baby brother on Boxing Day.

“He definitely came out looking like a pudding”, Cadi joked.

Midwife Pawla Weekes delivered Oliver Pounder and Maui Pink.

She said: “I did a long day so I came in for 7.30am, baby Pounder came at 8.02am. That was a nice start to my shift.

“The Pink family arrived in the morning for inductions, and the baby came at 8.12pm so I looked after them throughout the day.

“It’s really lovely, and it’s definitely one of the highlights of our job.”

  • A Christmas feature on the midwives at Dorset County Hospital is on pages 14 and 15 of today's Echo