One north-east couple were blessed with the greatest gift of all on Christmas.
Their baby girl was born just past the stroke of midnight on Christmas Day becoming the first Christmas baby in Scotland.
Baby Sophia Helena Coull, born to parents Lenka, 35, and Russell, 50, was the first baby born on Christmas Day at 12.01am at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital.
The parents, who hail from Kingseat, were delighted with their newest arrival weighing in at 7lbs 2ozs.
Mrs Coull originally went into hospital as a precaution at around midnight on December 21.
Hospital staff kept her in for another 24 hours for observation and on Friday at 6am, the hospital staff decided to induce labour and 18 hours later, Sophia was born.
Mr Coull said: “Lenka did so well. The contractions from 6am when the staff burst her waters right up until the end were pretty bad.
“But the staff said it was the first time in five years that they have had someone refuse to have an epidural, up until the baby was born she was doing it naturally.”
Due to complications, Mrs Coull required an emergency c-section and at around 11.50pm the baby started to come and was brought into the world as festive music played in the background.
Mr Coull described it as “unbelievable” with hospital staff celebrating the birth occurring just after one minute into Christmas Day.
She is the first child of Russell and Lenka Coull, having spent eight years together as a couple.
Mr Coull also has a 20-year-old son so this newest arrival has been a long time coming for him.
“The emotions are overwhelming”
However, the pregnancy came as a surprise as they focused on other things.
Mrs Coull had just finished up with her HNC and was planning on taking some time off from studying and Mr Coull was working off-shore in management.
Mrs Coull had a feeling she may be pregnant and told Mr Coull who was off-shore at the time with him urging her to take a test to be sure.
The pregnancy was confirmed after Mrs Coull took three separate tests to make sure.
It came as a surprise given the couple’s busy lives with Mr Coull commenting: “It’s true what people say; when you stop thinking about trying to have a baby it just comes naturally”.
The couple knew before the birth that the baby was a girl with Mrs Coull wanting to be prepared to bring their baby girl home.
First Christmas baby born at one minute past midnight
A competition soon emerged between Grampian and Glasgow as to which hospital could lay claim to the first baby born on Christmas Day.
The first baby in Glasgow arrived at 12.45am.
With baby Sophia arriving at just one minute past midnight, she is officially the first Christmas Day baby in Scotland in 2021.
Mr Coull added: “The emotions are overwhelming. It takes a while for it to calm down. Mum and baby are doing well and we just can’t wait to get home and start our lives.”
In Highland, proud parents Lisa Mackay and Bartlomiej Przeworski welcomed a beautiful baby boy named Lucas.
Weighing in at 6lbs 2ozs, baby Lucas was an early surprise for the parents as he was due to be born in four weeks on January 22.
Lisa Mackay described him as “the best Christmas gift we could ever wish for”.