Little Max makes late arrival on Boxing Day at Hartlepool hospital for proud East Durham couple

Little Max William Sutton made his grand entrance on Boxing Day morning – five days later than he was expected.

"He was fashionably late,” says proud mum Daisha Farry, 25.

His arrival was even more special as Max is her and partner Adam Sutton’s first child.

Daisha, a civil servant from Peterlee, gave birth to Max at the University Hospital of Hartlepool at 11.45am on Monday.

He weighed in at a healthy seven pounds two ounces.

Daisha said: “He was due on the 21st. I had wanted him to be born in time for Christmas then as it got closer I was glad he was late and that I had my Christmas dinner.”

She praised the maternity team at the midwife-led Rowan Suite who were on hand to help her throughout the eight-hour labour.

"I couldn’t fault them, they were absolutely fantastic,” she said. “At first the concern was I was going to end up at North Tees Hospital so I’m absolutely over the moon I could stay in Hartlepool.

"Up until 6.30 the labour was quite slow then rapidly went quite quickly and he was born at 11.45.”

Daisha added: “With Max being my first child it makes it massively special.”

Mum and baby were back home within a day and enjoying the attention and well-wishes of family and friends.

But Max has taken a relaxed start to life so far.

"He’s quite chilled but he’s starting to open his eyes more,” said Daisha.

The Rowan Suite is Hartlepool hospital’s revamped birthing centre which opened in late 2020.

Based within the Maternity Hub it has a team of highly qualified midwives and offers continuity of care pathway for women considered to be low-risk.

It is part of an action plan by hospital managers at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust to improve maternity services in Hartlepool and address concerns from politicians and residents about the large fall there had been in the number of Hartlepool births in recent years.

Last summer, parents who gave birth at the new centre came together for a celebration in Ward Jackson Park.