First Christmas baby born a minute after midnight

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Sophia CoullImage source, Coull family
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Christmas Day had hardly begun when Sophia Coull arrived at a minute past midnight, pictured with parents Lenka and Russell

Scotland's first Christmas baby made her debut in the world at a minute after midnight.

Baby Sophia Coull raced into Christmas at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital, missing barely 60 seconds of the big day.

Not long afterwards, at 00:45, Oliver Fox arrived at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.

It was a busy night at Ayrshire Maternity Unit, at Crosshouse, with Leo Anderson arriving to first-time parents at Alannah and Christopher at 01:01.

A baby girl for Natalie and Karl Cairns from Stevenson arrived at 03:06.

Mila Cairns weighed in at 5lb 13oz, and is a sister to Kieran, Summer, Kayla and Jaxon.

A little girl for Hayley Quinn and Sean Crawley came next, with Cara Matilda Crawley arriving at 04:58 weighing 8lb 13oz.

In NHS Lothian, Sophie Elizabeth Bird was born at St John's Hospital to Linlithgow couple Karen and Craig Bird at 01:45.

Image source, NHS Lothian
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Mum Lisa Playfair and baby Skye Rose Irving are doing great in Livingston.

Sophie was followed closely by baby Skye Rose Irving who was born at 02:18 also at St John's Hospital weighing 7lb 2oz. Her parents Lisa Playfair and Adam Irving are from Craigshill in Livingston.

And the first baby born at NHS Lothian's Birth Centre, part of the Simpson's Centre for Reproductive Health at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, was a little boy at 05:10 weighing 8lb 8oz.

Born to parents Elohu Egwowa and Oghenekome Otame from Edinburgh, he hasn't got a name yet, but is known at the moment as Baby Otame.

Image source, NHS Lothian
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Baby Otame doesn't have an official name yet

In the Western Isles, little Leo couldn't wait for Christmas Day to surprise his mum, and neither could his dad.

His arrival at 22:00 on Christmas Eve was followed up by a marriage proposal for the new mum.

Leo helped his father Connor Maciver propose to his mum Annice Macleod via a message on his tiny vest which read "Mummy will you marry Daddy?"

Image source, NHS Western Isles
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Baby Leo

As the special arrivals were welcomed at the country's maternity hospitals, staff at Glasgow's children's hospital worked to brighten Christmas for those unable to spend it at home.

The parents of toddler River Staff-Menzies thanked staff for caring for them at the Royal Hospital for Children.

Another young patient and his parents were given a private screening of the latest Spider-Man film.

Image source, NHSGGC
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Staff at the RCH worked hard to create a festive atmosphere for River Staff-Menzies

At the Royal Hospital, 23-month-old River Staff-Menzies was unable to spend Christmas at home as she is receiving chemotherapy for a tumour.

Along with her mum Katie and dad Robert she has spent the holiday on the Schiehallion ward where staff have worked hard to bring them some festive cheer.

Robert, from Glasgow, said: "The staff have been amazing, I don't think they realise just how amazing they have been with us throughout all of this.

"Everyone has been so good... there is such a support network for us."

The team were able to arrange a Santa visit for River on an iPad. Her parents are being trained in how to administer her treatment so that hopefully she can soon return home.

Image source, NHSGGC
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The hospital's cinema meant Maxwell Shaw could enjoy a special pre-Christmas screening of the new Spider-Man film

Another young patient, six-year-old Maxwell Shaw, was able to enjoy a special screening of Spider-Man: No Way Home in the run-up to Christmas at the hospital's MediCinema along with his parents and big brother.

Dad Lee said: "It was great to get to watch Spider-Man together, we are movie buffs and it's one of the things we like to do as a family so if we hadn't been in the hospital we would have been going to see it.

"We can't thank the staff enough for putting this on for us."

Maxwell is receiving specialist leukaemia treatment at the children's hospital so were unable to be at home in Nottingham, but they were hoping to spend some time together as a family over the holiday at a flat in Glasgow provided by the charity Calum's Cabin.