AN OXFORD couple had a surprise midnight arrival at their friends’ wedding in Wales, when their baby girl turned up two weeks early.

Their frantic search for a maternity ward in the middle of the night ended in A&E, with them naming their daughter after the doctor who came to their rescue.

Biomedical scientist Hanna Pardo wasn’t due to give birth for another fortnight when she and husband Ian went to the party in Gower on Saturday.

After enjoying the reception they got back to their Swansea hotel just before midnight.

Mr Pardo, who also works at a biomedical firm in Cowley, said: “At around midnight Hanna started having twinges.

“At first she thought it was Braxton Hicks [false contractions] but then realised it was more than that, and we needed to find somewhere to have the baby.”

They asked the hotel reception the way to the nearest hospital, and a misunderstanding ended with them driving eight miles past the maternity ward to an A&E department.

By the time they arrived and realised their mistake, it was too late, and Hanna had to give birth.

It was the first birth at the Morriston Hospital emergency department for two years.

Luckily, a junior doctor called Melissa Blyth was on hand to help and delivered the couple’s baby girl in just 90 minutes. She was born a healthy 6lb 6oz.

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Junior doctor Melissa Blyth holding Melissa shortly after delivering her at Morriston Hospital.

Mr Pardo said: “Melissa was one of the names we were looking at.

“The birth was not due for another two weeks so we were not 100 per cent decided. When we found out the doctor’s name it sealed the deal.”

The couple are now back at home in Kennington, with baby Melissa and their two-year-old son Tobias.

Mr Pardo added: “The hospital was fantastic. They were all willing to help, coming in and checking on us to make sure everything was okay. They treated us really well.”

Mrs Pardo, originally from Poland, said: “I don’t think anything can prepare you for a birth, but I’m a calm person in general.

“I just couldn’t believe what happened.”

She said little Melissa, now five days old, is doing “great”, and added: “She’s eating a lot and trying to open her eyes. She’s just our happy little bundle of joy.”

Mrs Pardo came to the UK in 2002, and moved to Oxford in 2007 where she met her future husband.

The couple were married at Oxford Registry Office in 2011, then had a second wedding in Poland with her fam-ily that lasted three days.

Dr Blyth, who has trained in obstetrics and gynaecology, said: “We did everything right up until the midwife arrived, and the baby was born 10 minutes later.

“It all went really smoothly. Hanna was really great – really calm and relaxed.”

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