A HAPPY couple were celebrating "the best Christmas present" of all today, after their first child was born on Christmas Day
The proud parents, Hibs masseur Roddy Riley and wife Jennifer, spent Christmas morning at the Simpson's maternity Unit of the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary with their new son Lucas.
And it turned out to be one of the busiest Christmases ever at the ma
ternity ward, with 11 babies born on Christmas morning.
Little baby Lucas was the first of them – although he had been expected 12 days earlier.
He was finally delivered by a Caesarian section at 12.58am on Christmas morning, ending a difficult three-day labour for mum Jennifer, 22, a dance teacher.
Despite the problems, both mother and child were doing well.
Lucas weighed 8lb 4oz and while Mrs Riley was exhausted and in a little pain, she was clearly delighted as she cradled her sleeping son.
The couple, from Portobello, have been married for just over a year and half, and this is their first child.
Proud father Roddy, 27, admitted that the birth had been harder than expected but said the baby boy was "the best Christmas present we could have wished for".
"It didn't exactly go according to plan," he said. "The labour lasted three days and we're just glad everything has gone well.
"We knew he was going to be a boy and I was trying to persuade Jennifer to call him Spartacus.
"Unfortunately, she overruled me."
Mr Riley said several of the players he knew through his work at Hibs had texted their best wishes as soon a they heard the good news.
Scotland star Steven Fletcher, winger Alan O'Brien and Rangers player Kevin Thomson were among the well-wishers, although the first on the phone to congratulate the happy couple was Hearts physio Alan Robson.
"It was really nice of the guys to wish us all the best, it means a lot," said Mr Riley.
And when asked if he would be able to take a few more days off to relax at home with his family, he admitted: "I'll need to give Mixu a call and see what we can sort out."
As well as family, one of the couple's first visitors was Lord Provost George Grubb, who presented the couple with a silver City of Edinburgh quaich and a bouquet of flowers, as well as passing on his best wishes.
"It's lovely to come and meet the couple, and we just wish them all the best," he said.
Lucas turned out to be the first of many babies born at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, on a busy day for staff.
Christmas morning saw the arrival of seven boys and four girls at the Simpson's Maternity unit.
David Farquharson, the clinical director of women's services in the Lothians, admitted it was an unusually high number of births for Christmas.
"We deliver around 7000 babies a year and there are busy times and quiet times, but this is very busy for Christmas day," he said.
Over at St John's Hospital in West Lothian, it was a much quieter Christmas, with the first baby a boy born to proud parents Amanda and Peter Lyons.
The boy, who has not been named, arrived at 5.28am and weighed 8lb 14oz.
