Queen's Platinum Jubilee: Lancing couple has Jubilee Day surprise with the early arrival of their baby daughter
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Samuel Smith, 26, and Lauren White, 27, had originally been planning to go to a street party, as the baby was not due until June 18, but just after midnight on Jubilee Day – June 2, the anniversary of the Queen's Coronation – Lauren's waters broke.
Lauren said: "The pains were getting stronger and stronger but when I called triage, they didn't think I was properly in labour."
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Hide AdThings moved fast, however, and when the couple got to Worthing Hospital, the midwives found she was already 7cm dilated.
Lauren said: "They said it would be a couple of hours but 20 minutes later, she was here. They had to catch her. The official time they have put on the form for labour is seven minutes."
Eloise Rose Smith was 6lb 2oz when she was born. Although she was allowed home, a follow up health check on Friday showed she had a serious case of jaundice and had to be readmitted to hospital for phototherapy.
Lauren said her levels were just below intensive care but after two days under the lamp, she was much improved.
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Hide AdLauren added: "It was really tough, not being able to hold her. I still can't believe she's already a week old. She changes every day. Her facial expressions are so hilarious."
Although Eloise Rose was born early, Samuel and Lauren may have had some inkling, as at the baby shower, Lauren wrote down the correct birth date and Samuel guessed the correct weight.
Lauren said: "I am a real lover of the royal family and we were going to have a street party but it got cancelled. We couldn't call her Elizabeth because we already have one in the family."