Little Finlay in no rush to be first Mile End baby born on New Year’s Day

Phew... it's tiring arriving on New Year's Day. Picture: St Thomas's Trust (Image: St Thomas's NHS Trust)

The little mite came in weighing less than 7lb after his mum Yubing Zhu was rushed from her home in Mile End to St Thomas's Hospital on the South Bank.

"We were at a New Year's Eve party and I knew by 11pm that he was coming," Yubing recalled. "But I wanted to stay for the countdown.

"I was having contractions while Craig David was on TV, so I danced through them - it was nice to be distracted."

The 31-year-old went through a smooth birth using techniques she and partner Kenneth had learnt through hypnobirthing at home in Mile End. They got to the hospital by Westminster Bridge at 8.30am.

Proud mum Yubing Zhu and dad Kenneth Ko with their 6lb 6oz New Year bundle of joy. Picture: St Thomas's Trust (Image: St Thomas's NHS Trust)

"I went straight to the birthing pool," she added. "I had paracetamol and gas and air—and two hours later Finlay arrived."

Proud dad Kenneth, 32, signed with relief that the baby didn't make a dash for it on New Year's Eve. He said: "All the roads were blocked and there was a lot of traffic the night before because of the fireworks, so I was glad he waited till New Year's Day. It's been an amazing start to the year."

Finlay is the couple's first baby, arriving at 10.42am and weighing 6lb 6oz.

It was a busy day at the hospital with 17 babies, eight boys and nine girls arriving between 1.54am and 11.42pm. New Year's Eve was even busier for midwives with 20 babies on the last day of the old year.