Hexham MP Guy Opperman and his wife Flora Coleman Opperman have welcomed a baby son to their family.
Christopher Coleman Opperman was born last week at in London under the care of medics from the Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital NHS Trust. Mr Opperman announced the birth on social media on Saturday - and said the baby will be known as Kitto.
Kitto's birth comes two years on from tragedy, when Guy and Flora lost newborn twins Rafe and Teddy during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in June 2020. The Hexham MP referenced this in his announcement, saying Kitto would "always be our third child".
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In a post on Twitter, Mr Opperman shared pictures of himself and Flora with baby Kitto and said: "Welcoming Christopher Coleman Opperman, who has been called Kitto for many months, to this wonderful world. Know that you will always be loved little man.
"Massive thanks to [Guy's and St Thomas' NHS], after a long journey to this place, and a long week in hospital. Huge thanks to all the team from IVF to delivery. Mum and babe doing fine.
"Kitto will always be our third child. Sadly our twin boys did not make it, being born too soon for this world. They are loved, and never forgotten but, for now, we celebrate a long journey to parenting."
After the deaths of Rafe and Teddy, the family raised more than £28,000 for charity Sands - which supports those going through baby loss - in memory of their twins. Mr Opperman - who resigned but was reinstated as a pension's minister earlier this month - has spoken openly about how difficult it was to be unable to visit hospital at the time.
Back then, in July 2020, he sad: "Sadly, just over a week ago we lost our twin boys. Teddy came and went from this world quickly and quietly. He passed peacefully. Our younger twin, Rafe, was not born until Tuesday 23, but died later that day in NeoNatal ICU. Baby loss, and coping with grief, is very hard.
"Nothing we could do. Just a horrible tragedy. We emerged from hospital a week ago shell shocked. We have taken some time out to recover. I am back at work part time, but bear with me. We will come through this, but will always miss our boys."
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