62-year-old delivers a baby boy

London: Cuddling her newborn son with her husband by her side, this is Britain’s oldest mother — Patti Farrant, aged 62. She controversially gave birth to the baby, known as JJ, after having IVF treatment abroad using a donated egg so she could fulfil her 60-year-old husband John’s dream of becoming a father.

With her ‘perfect’ baby boy sleeping peacefully in her arms, Patricia Farrant spoke of her joy after becoming Britain’s oldest mother at the age of 62.

She gave birth to 6lbs 10ozs ‘JJ’ in a trouble-free elective caesarean on Wednesday morning with her 60-year-old husband John by her side.

Farrant said she was “overjoyed” with her beautiful new son, adding, “Seeing him for the first time was beyond words. I had some apprehensions before the birth, but it all went very smoothly. JJ is absolutely beautiful, a perfect small person.

“He has a very agreeable personality and it’s a privilege to welcome him to the family. He’s very laid-back and we’re enchanted by his presence. The whole thing has a dream-like quality and we’re very much looking forward to taking him home.”

Farrant, who has three grown-up children from a previous marriage, paid £10,000 (Rs 8,48,913) for IVF treatment using a donor egg at a clinic in the former Soviet Union.

The couple had to be treated abroad because fertility clinics in Britain will not help women over 55, and their treatment was supervised by controversial Italian fertility expert Professor Severino Antinori.

John, a hugely proud first-time father, said, “When I first held him I was simply awestruck. I thought ‘Here he is after all this waiting and we’ll be together forever because I’m his daddy’. I feel a huge sense of responsibility and tremendous love for him.”

“Despite admitting that he had never wanted to have children before he married Patti, John added, “By some amazing miracle I am a father. I feel completely different and that life will never be the same again.”

Baby Farrant, who has been nicknamed JJ until his parents settle on a name, was born under the care of the NHS at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

Farrant, a child psychiatrist known professionally as Dr Patricia Rashbrook, has made a speedy recovery from the birth and is able to breast-feed her son, who has a healthy appetite.

She and her husband hope to take JJ home to Lewes, East Sussex, early next week.

Source: http://www.mumbaimirror.com/nmirror/mmpaper.asp?sectid=5&articleid=78200623383960978200623382693

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