Family celebrates the birth of first baby boy in five generations.
The Berrimans had long hoped for a boy to break up the 86-year-long line of girls it had produced.
So when Demi Berriman, 27, found out last year that her first-born was to be a boy she was thrilled.
The pregnancy, however, was difficult. At the 12-week scan, Demi was told her child had gastroschisis – a birth defect where the intestines are outside the body.
She was told the baby would need an emergency operation as soon as he was born.
Arnie Ellis arrived two months prematurely on 14 June with severe health problems and battled sepsis.
Demi was initially told that her son might not live for more than 24 hours.
Following a three-hour operation, the newborn – who weighed less than 3lbs – spent his first two months in hospital.
Fortunately, he pulled through, and little Arnie, whose name means ‘strength’ or ‘power’, was able to join his family for a photoshoot organised by his mum.
Demi added: ‘It was amazing when they took him off the life support machine and he started breathing for himself. We couldn’t wait to see his big blue eyes open again.’
Beryl Vaus, 86, Janice Berriman, 65, Donna Berriman, 43 and Demi Berriman, all posed together to welcome their newest addition to the family.
It has since turned out that, had their older relatives put a £1 bet on the birth of one boy following 10 girls, they could have won a whopping £20,000.
Gran Donna said: ‘We absolutely loved it when he was born.
‘We were so excited – I honestly thought Demi was going to have a girl but I was wrong.’
Demi, from Pontefract, West Yorkshire, added: ‘Everybody is in awe of him, we’re just so lucky to have him – we’re all obsessed with him.’
