It was a New Year's Day never to forget for proud parents - many of whom became mums and dads for the first time.

While Norfolk's hospitals were stretched to the limit dealing with cases of flu and other seasonal admissions, delivery suite staff also had their hands full - helping to deliver dozens of bundles of joy.

Bas Rutjens, 33, and his wife Marieke De Ponti, 31, from Quayside, near Tombland, Norwich, became proud parents for the first time when their daughter Lisa Olivia Feline arrived at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

Lisa, who weighed about 7lbs, arrived less than an hour into New Year's Day at 12.56am.

Mrs De Ponti said: 'She wanted to be a baby from the New Year. It's quite special that she was born on New Year's Day. It started at about 9am on New Year's Eve. I had to have a cesearean as she didn't want to come out. The contractions and everything were horrible but you get something really nice back, so you forget about it. The people in the hospital have been absolutely fantastic.'

Mr Rutjens, a scientist at the John Innes Centre, said they would never be able to forget the day of the birth as the couple actually met each other on New Year's Eve 14 years ago.

He said: 'We met in the Netherlands where we lived. Our parents came and spent New Year's Eve in our house being very nervous. It's a New Year we won't forget.'

Another happy couple at the N&N were Stephen Canham, 28, and his fiancee Gemma Ames, 24, from Long Stratton, who were delighted at the safe arrival of their first child, Maisy-Louise, who was born at 7.40am on New Year's Day weighing 6lb 10oz.

It meant a double celebration for the family as Miss Ames' grandmother Jean was also born on New Year's Day.

Miss Ames, who had been in hospital for two days before the birth, said: 'It's been tiring, emotional and brilliant. I had to be induced so it was a little bit more difficult than a normal labour.

'The staff have been really good. Everyone was keeping me up to date with what I needed to do. It just got to the point where she was not in the correct position and I had to go to theatre.

'It was also my nanny's birthday so it's actually a nice birthday present for her.'

The couple did not know what they were having prior to Maisy-Louise's arrival but had a feeling it might be a girl.

Mr Canham, an engineer who has been with Miss Ames for six years, said: 'It's been crazy really, I don't know how to describe it. I'm so tired -it really takes it out of you. It was just so emotional.'

Sharon Shay, 23, from Banham, was surprised to give birth to her second son Kye at the N&N on New Year's Day because he was due on December 21.

Miss Shay, who has a two-and-a-half year-old son called Tyler, was due to be induced yesterday<2> which meant she told her partner Kevin, 28. to go out on New Year's Eve and have a good time.

That meant it was her mother Rita who was with her when she gave birth to Kye, who weighed 7lb 3oz, at 4.13am on New Year's Day.

She said: 'I was 11 days over and was going to be induced on Sunday so I told Kevin to go out and have a good time and celebrate because we didn't expect the baby to come.

'He came on the one day I didn't want him to come on. My mum was with me but I rang him and he was over the moon.'

Meanwhile Trudy Kemp, 41, and her partner James, 43, from Sprowston, near Norwich, might have just missed out on having a New Year's Day baby but they hope it will mean their son Hugo is still entitled to the �250 Child Trust Fund money.

The initiative was introduced by the former government but was scrapped by the coalition government as part of its wide-ranging cuts programme.

Hugo was born at 11.20pm on New Year's Eve weighing 6lb 11oz making him one of the last to be born in 2010.

Miss Kemp said: 'He was due on January 15 and I think he's come in as one of the last of the old year - I think he was determined to get that �250 for his piggy bank.'

Miss Kemp, a pilates instructor, underwent a hypno-pregnancy whereby she put herself in a trance-like state and used the power of the mind to control breathing and pain.

She added: 'I'm just elated and delighted and very pleased. All the midwifery staff from the surgery to the nurses and staff here at the hospital are brilliant. It's been brilliant all of it.'