A YOUNG couple said the arrival of their first child was their own 'Christmas miracle'.

Support worker Emily McLeavy, 26, and Dean Shaw, 23, had an extra reason to celebrate when little Ivy Sylvie Lena Shaw was born at 7.35pm on Christmas Day.

The Barrow couple were not expecting a Christmas day birth as their daughter was due to be born on December 18.

But Miss Mcleavy said it made Christmas so much more special for both her, her partner, and the rest of their families.

She said: £It is amazing for Christmas to be that much more special now.”

Miss McLeavy explained how the couple originally went in to Furness General Hospital on December 22.

The baby was not for moving so they were sent home on Christmas Eve.

But then her waters broke.

“We were hoping for a normal Christmas but this makes it even more special," she added.

When Ivy was born, she weighed 6lb 9oz.

Miss McLeavy added: “Since leaving hospital it has been brilliant. It couldn’t have gone better.

“My family were all over the moon about the Christmas birth, especially my mum and dad and my brother.

“They were all so excited when they met Ivy for the first time.”

Mr Shaw, who works as a waiter, said it was “brilliant” how everything turned out.

“Ivy is our little Christmas miracle,” he said.

He explained how some family had predicted a Christmas birth.

He said: “It started out as a joke, but the closer it got to Christmas, the more likely it became.

“Then when it got past the 18th, we thought this really could happen.”

Talking about their first few days of parenthood, he said: “It’s going fantastically.

“All of the family love Ivy and we’re so happy.”

After all of the Christmas excitement, the couple are planning a quiet new year.

Mr Shaw said: “We’re hoping for a relaxed new year. We want to get Ivy settled and let her meet family and friends.”