Poppy is first baby born at Wales' new £350m hospital in Cwmbran

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PoppyImage source, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
Image caption,

Poppy Brooks received a gift of a Grange teddy bear to mark being the first baby born at the hospital

Little Poppy Brooks is a history maker as she is the first baby born at Wales' new £350m hospital.

Mother Helen Jewell gave birth to Poppy at the new Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran on Sunday, two days before the new hospital officially opens.

Poppy Dorothy Brooks, weighing 6lbs 15oz (3.1kg), was delivered by midwives Frankie and Zoe at 12:44 GMT on Sunday.

"It's been a lovely experience," said Poppy's mother Helen and father Tom Brooks.

"Every member of staff here has been really nice."

Poppy was born four days overdue and the Aneurin Bevan health board joked: "She must've been holding on so that she could be our very first Grange baby."

Image source, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
Image caption,

Poppy's parents Helen Jewell and Tom Brooks enjoyed a "lovely" experience

Image source, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
Image caption,

Parents Helen and Tom with Poppy and midwives Frankie and Zoe

The Grange hospital in the Llanfrechfa area of Cwmbran, external will, from Tuesday, become the major accident and emergency hospital for the almost 600,000 people in the old greater Gwent area.

For generations, the most seriously ill patients in that area of south-east Wales have gone to either Newport's Royal Gwent Hospital, external or Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny, external.

But the new 471-bed, 60-acre facility will house the centralised accident and emergency and intensive care departments.

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

The Grange becomes the main accident and emergency unit for the area

The hospitals in Newport and Abergavenny have been downgraded to operate alongside Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr in Ystrad Mynach, external as 24/7 minor injury units treating conditions like broken bones, minor dislocations and limb injuries, external.

Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan in Ebbw Vale is the other minor injury unit in the area but that is open between 09:00 and 19:00 on weekdays.

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