FAMILIES celebrated the New Year with their new additions, with one baby announcing she was ready just 15 minutes into 2019.

Mum-of-three girls Kelly Jessem, 31, and her partner Craig Blandeford, 47, from Rayleigh, were worried when their unborn child’s heartbeat kept dropping and a special monitor was placed on the baby’s head to keep an eye on it, but everything turned out well.

Kelly, said: “My waters broke at 12.15am on January 1 and when we left for hospital, the baby’s heart beat had to be monitored for the rest of my time in labour.

“I was then transferred to the delivery suite just to get ready and I had a catheter and IV in case I needed a caesarean section.

“Luckily, everything worked out fine and Charlotte Ann came naturally.

“The midwives were really good and have been very supportive.

“Charlotte Anne weighed 5lbs 7oz and she came early. My due date was January 9.

“We are all really happy and my other two girls Bethany, 12, and Chloe, six, are so excited.”

Amelia Mills, 27, from Southend, had a late arrival with her baby boy who was due on Christmas Day.

Amelia and her partner, Oz, welcomed their fourth boy, along with Logan, 13 months, Kaiden, five, and their half brother, Kenzie, nine.

The parents have had a difficult year with Amelia losing her father to cancer back in February, and her partner lost his grandad in March and his brother on Boxing Day.

The baby was named Benjamin after his late uncle.

Amelia said: “It has been a mental year losing my dad then Oz’s grandad all while being pregnant, then Oz lost his brother.

“We were expecting Benjamin on Christmas Day. My last two were two weeks late so I’m not surprised Benjamin was also late. I had a really quick labour this time around though.

“We went to Southend Hospital at 7pm and I was already 9cm dilated.

“He was born at 8.35pm, so it was very fast and a shock.”