Exclusive:
Mum Harriet Knock didn’t realise what was causing her pains as she prepared Christmas dinner but there was no denying the truth once she sat down to eat
As Harriet Knock enjoyed Christmas morning with her three children last year, she had no plans to go into labour. Despite being nine months pregnant, her due date was days away so when she started to feel a few mild pains she dismissed them as ‘just Braxton Hicks’ and continued on with her festive plans.
The 26-year-old from North Devon was determined to have a magical day with fiance Luke and their children, children Freddie, six, Edward, four, Daisie, two. “I assumed that my contractions were a false alarm and thought, surely, of all days that our new baby wouldn’t pick Christmas Day to make an appearance,” she says.
“In fact, back in May last year, when I was told our due date was 28 December, I didn’t think a Christmas baby was likely as I had a feeling my fourth child would arrive early – like my third child Daisie, who was born at 39 weeks. Throughout this pregnancy I’d suffered with vomiting, nausea and exhaustion.
“I was still breastfeeding Daisie at the time and was juggling school drop-offs for my two boys. By the time I hit my third trimester, I was ready for the festive season to enjoy a break with my family.” With her deadline looming, Harriet put Christmas decorations up on November 27, ordered gifts online, made presents when her eldest children were at school and hunted down bargains for Christmas food and drinks.
When the boys broke up for the holiday, they all played board games together, went for countryside walks and cherished their time at home together. When December 25 rolled around, she watched her children open their presents and got started on Christmas dinner. But as she cooked, her pains started getting stronger and more regular, until when they finally sat down to eat, there was no denying it – Harriet’s baby was on the way.
“I spent three hours putting together a roast dinner, and just sat down,” she says. “I had a bite of turkey but another wave of excruciating pain hit me. As this was baby number four, I knew I was in full-blown labour.” Harriet took two mouthfuls of her Christmas dinner before she told her fiance Luke to take over while she ran upstairs to call the maternity unit and make arrangements for childcare.
While Luke finished his food – Harriet jokes that he panicked and practically tipped his lunch into his mouth – a friend arrived to look after the children as the couple dashed to the hospital, making it by 4pm. “By 6:40pm, I was 4cm dilated and in active labour so we were able to head downstairs to the birthing pool. By 9pm, our Christmas miracle was born, via just gas and air, weighing 8lb 2.5oz.
“He was given two hand-knitted hats – a Santa hat and a Christmas Pudding hat, as well as a wrapped up Christmas gift from the lovely staff at the hospital. “The midwife encouraged me to stay overnight but I was desperate to get home to our other little ones and my own bed. Especially as I was excited to give them the best Christmas gift of all.”
The festive celebration also helped inspire their baby’s name. “We wanted his name to reflect the special occasion. Both our mums suggested Joseph or something to do with nativity, we laughed but realised that Joey, instead of Joseph, suited him perfectly.”
They returned home with their new baby in the early hours of Boxing Day morning so that when their three other children woke up, their new baby brother was waiting to surprise them. And Harriet, who documents her life on her Instagram page finally got to eat her Christmas lunch on Boxing Day.
This year, the family will celebrate Joey’s first birthday as well as Christmas Day. They’ll celebrate Christmas until 4pm and then Joey’s birthday from 4pm Christmas Day to 4pm Boxing Day. “We’ll treat ourselves by having a roast dinner and birthday cake – all on the same day,” Harriet says.
“Joey has been the best Christmas present of our lives and I now love that we have two celebrations on the same day. Harriet and Luke are now expecting baby number five, due in 2025. “Christmas is set to get a whole lot busier!”
* For more of Harriet’s life as a stay-at-home mum of four, visit making_ahouse_ahome
