{"id":665088,"date":"2025-12-31T17:09:17","date_gmt":"2025-12-31T17:09:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/665088\/"},"modified":"2025-12-31T17:09:17","modified_gmt":"2025-12-31T17:09:17","slug":"christmas-baby-arrives-six-days-early-and-everyone-is-in-awe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/665088\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas baby arrives six days early and &#8216;everyone is in awe&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Louie Speakman was due on New Year&#8217;s Eve, but arrived just an hour-and-a-half into Christmas Day<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_Louie-Speakman-with-dad-Alfie-Speakman-and-mum-Ella-Leatham-Born-Christmas-Day-in-Liverpool-2512.j.jpeg\" alt=\"Baby Louie Speakman with dad Alfie Speakman and mum Ella Leatham. Born Christmas Day in Liverpool.\" loading=\"eager\"  \/>Baby Louie Speakman with dad Alfie Speakman and mum Ella Leatham. Born Christmas Day in Liverpool.(Image: Alfie Speakman)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">A family received &#8220;the best Christmas present&#8221; as their first son arrived six days early. Little Louie Speakman was due to be born on New Year&#8217;s Eve, but mum Ella Leatham, 21, went into labour early on Christmas Eve.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Ella, from <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/all-about\/old-swan\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\">Old Swan<\/a>, and partner Alfie Speakman, 21, rushed to the <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/all-about\/liverpool-womens-hospital\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\">Liverpool Women&#8217;s Hospital<\/a>, where Louie was delivered just an hour and thirty minutes into Christmas Day, weighing 9lbs. Dad Alfie, a pharmaceutical delivery driver, said: &#8220;We&#8217;re still over the moon. It doesn&#8217;t feel real.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Alfie, originally from <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/all-about\/st-helens\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\">St Helens<\/a>, added: &#8220;I hope he grows up to be a little heartbreaker. He\u2019s gorgeous, and he&#8217;s a little chunk.&#8221; Mum Ella, who works as a reservations agent at the Pullman Liverpool hotel at King&#8217;s Dock, said: &#8220;He&#8217;s amazing. We couldn&#8217;t have had a better Christmas present. Everyone is in awe of him.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1767200953_869_0_Louie-Speakman-with-dad-Alfie-Speakman-and-mum-Ella-Leatham-Born-Christmas-Day-in-Liverpool-2512.j.jpeg\" alt=\"Ella Leatham with baby Louie, born Christmas Day at Liverpool Women's Hospital. \" loading=\"lazy\"  \/>Ella Leatham with baby Louie, born Christmas Day at Liverpool Women&#8217;s Hospital. (Image: Alfie Speakman)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The<a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/ \" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\"> ECHO<\/a> visited<a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/all-about\/arrowe-park-hospital\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\"> Arrowe Park<\/a> and the <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/all-about\/liverpool-womens-hospital\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\">Women&#8217;s<\/a> hospitals on Christmas Day and <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/news\/liverpool-news\/gallery\/adorable-photos-first-christmas-day-33121813\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\">met with several new parents who welcomed their little ones that morning<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Baby Reggie Bolton arrived to mum Lois Baker, 21, and dad Harvey Bolton, 20, from Bidston, at Arrowe Park at 2.07am. First-time mum Lois went into labour early on <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/all-about\/christmas\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\">Christmas Eve<\/a>, three days ahead of her due date. Despite having just two hours of sleep, Lois said: &#8220;It&#8217;s the best present I ever could have had. No-one will ever beat this present.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1767200954_454_0_Louie-Speakman-with-dad-Alfie-Speakman-and-mum-Ella-Leatham-Born-Christmas-Day-in-Liverpool-2512.j.jpeg\" alt=\"Dad Alfie Speakman with baby Louie, born Christmas Day at Liverpool Women's Hospital. \" loading=\"lazy\"  \/>Dad Alfie Speakman with baby Louie, born Christmas Day at Liverpool Women&#8217;s Hospital. (Image: Alfie Speakman)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Little Serenne Calder was born at Liverpool Women&#8217;s Hospital at 5.39am to parents Ant Calder, 42, and student nurse Keileigh Gough, 38, from Old Swan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Reuben Evans arrived at <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/all-about\/arrowe-park-hospital\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\">Arrowe Park Hospital<\/a> to parents Mill Hickin, 23, and Hayden Evans, 26, from <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/all-about\/birkenhead\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\">Birkenhead<\/a>, at 4.52am. He was days early, and the pair had joked about their little one arriving on Christmas Day, but &#8220;never thought it would happen,&#8221; mum Mill said.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_Louie-Speakman-with-dad-Alfie-Speakman-and-mum-Ella-Leatham-Born-Christmas-Day-in-Liverpool-2512.j.webp\" alt=\"Louie Speakman, born at Liverpool Women's Hospital on Christmas Day 2025.\" loading=\"lazy\"  \/>Louie Speakman, born at Liverpool Women&#8217;s Hospital on Christmas Day 2025.(Image: Alfie Speakman)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">But she went into labour early on Christmas Eve, with the couple arriving at the hospital that evening. Mill said: &#8220;It&#8217;s all worth it to see his little face on Christmas Day.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Wagon driver Hayden said: &#8220;We&#8217;re over the moon. It&#8217;s the best Christmas present ever.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1767200957_164_0_Louie-Speakman-with-dad-Alfie-Speakman-and-mum-Ella-Leatham-Born-Christmas-Day-in-Liverpool-2512.j.jpeg\" alt=\"Baby Louie Speakman, born Christmas Day at Liverpool Women's Hospital. \" loading=\"lazy\"  \/>Baby Louie Speakman, born Christmas Day at Liverpool Women&#8217;s Hospital. (Image: Alfie Speakman)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Jadie-Leigh Duggan arrived to mum Jade Duggan, from Birkenhead, at Arrowe Park Hospital at 4am weighing 5lbs 13oz. &#8220;It&#8217;s an amazing feeling,&#8221; said Jade, 24.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Louie Speakman was due on New Year&#8217;s Eve, but arrived just an hour-and-a-half into Christmas DayBaby Louie Speakman&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":665089,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8815],"tags":[748,35745,393,4884,179,71995,38296,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-665088","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-liverpool","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-christmas","10":"tag-england","11":"tag-great-britain","12":"tag-liverpool","13":"tag-liverpool-womens-hospital","14":"tag-old-swan","15":"tag-uk","16":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115815289172756662","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/665088","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=665088"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/665088\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/665089"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=665088"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=665088"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=665088"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}