‘We'll leave a chair for Charlie at the table this Christmas'

The battle faced by Charlie Gard’s parents to save their sick baby was one of the biggest, most heartbreaking news stories of 2017. But Connie, 35, and Chris, 36, have joy in their lives again as they look forward to spending their first Christmas with new baby Oliver

- SUSANNA GALTON

Sleepless nights, dirty nappies and endless laundry – new babies are hard work. But you won’t catch Connie Yates or Chris Gard moaning about their 16-week-old bundle of joy.

Baby Oliver Christopher Charles Matthew Gard was born in August in perfect health weighing 8lb 6oz. And after the devastating loss of first-born Charlie three years ago, the couple are finally smiling again.

“It sounds odd but we feel privileged,” says Chris. ‘We don’t take anything for granted after losing Charlie. Oliver is on the verge of laughing and making squealing noises. We treasure every precious milestone, because we didn’t get to do that with Charlie, he went into hospital when he was just eight weeks old.

“I’m quite tired, don’t get me wrong,” grins Connie. “But it’s worth every second.”

When the couple, from west London, decided to try for another child they knew there was a one in four risk of a baby having mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome, the same as Charlie had. Only after a blood test, then at the first scan – which Connie attended alone due to the pandemic restrictions – were they then assured that the baby was healthy.

“Those 11 weeks felt like 11 months,” admits Connie. Happily, Oliver safely arrived via C-section, on 5 August. He hadn’t been due for another two weeks, but Connie began having contractions while visiting Charlie’s grave, which they poignantly call his “forever bed”.