Coincidental Nativity connection for two New Forest babies born on Christmas Day to Lyndhurst and Lymington parents

TWO New Forest babies born on Christmas Day were given the names Mary and Joseph.

Felicity Evelyn Mary Platt and Joseph (Joe) Matthew Brown each arrived to their respective proud parents at Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton about a week away from their due dates.

Rachel Platt (38) and her husband Alistair (45) were finishing their evening meal at their Lyndhurst home on Christmas Eve when she went into a quick labour.

Alistair drove her to the hospital where Felicity emerged into the world at 12.05am, weighing in at 7lb 14oz.

Having not been due until New Year’s Day, the early arrival was a surprise.

Calling it “a Christmas miracle”, Rachel quipped: “She obviously didn’t want to miss out on her first Christmas Day. I was also keen to get home for my turkey!

“I think she’s just perfect and she’s slotted into the family beautifully.”

The parents were home in time to open presents with four-year-old daughter Isabel, who immediately took to her new sibling.

The couple praised the “absolutely fantastic” care provided by hospital staff, including midwives Joanne and Tilly.

The coincidental Christmas story connection came about as Mary was the name of one of Alistair’s grandmothers. Evelyn was the name of one of Rachel’s grandmothers.

Brockenhurst Primary School teacher Rachel added: “It was an ongoing joke at the school that it was going to be a Nativity baby!”

Alistair, a lead developer at the Office for National Statistics, said: “It’s amazing to have a baby born on Christmas Day.

“It’s a birthday we’ll never be able to forget.”

Joseph made his imminent arrival known as Lymington parents Katie (36) and Andy (42) finished their Christmas lunch.

“We’d just managed to finish Christmas dinner and I thought, ‘no I can’t have any pudding, I’ll call it a day there’,” Southampton General Hospital nurse Katie joked.

Andy, a nursery practitioner at Tops Day Nurseries, drove her to hospital, where she gave birth at 8.07pm.

Joseph tipped the scales at 10lb 10oz.

“He’s the best present ever,” Katie continued.

“It was not planned to be a Christmas baby, but it’s excellent and [his three-year-old brother] Eddie is delighted.”

Having been kept in hospital for two nights, Katie brought Joseph home last Wednesday morning.

She praised the “fantastic” hospital staff, including the Broadlands midwife unit, along with the couple’s family.

“There were 16 people at home on Boxing Day. They all chipped in and looked after Eddie while we were at the hospital,” Katie said.

Their Nativity connection was also a quirk of timing as Joseph was one of Katie’s mum’s favourite names.

She added: “We’re delighted. It will be a good story to tell. We’re a family legend now.”