A university student celebrated the two proudest moments of her life when she collected her first class honours degree – just hours after giving birth to a baby girl.
Georgia Hollis-Whitaker, 21, was admitted to a hospital maternity ward with labour pains last Friday night (15/7).
After a few hours she was rushed into the delivery room where she gave birth to Olivia O’Callaghan, who weighed 5lb 15oz, at 12.46am on Saturday (16/7).
Despite having no sleep Georgia checked herself and her healthy baby girl out of Leicester Royal Infirmary the next morning and went home.
She then incredibly managed to make it to De Monfont University’s graduation ceremony at The Venue in Leicester for 2.30pm – just five hours later.
Georgia joined fellow students to collect her first class honours degree in Sociology as baby Olivia, who was just over 12 hours old, sat in the crowd with family members.
Today (Wed), Georgia said: “I’d been through labour, given birth and had no sleep but I really didn’t want to miss my graduation.
“And I’m so glad I didn’t. These were the two proudest moments of my life.
“She wasn’t due for another two weeks so I thought I would be pregnant on my graduation day but I’m so glad she’s here.
“She’ll be on all my graduation pictures.”
After collected her degree Georgia, who lives in Leicester, posed for graduation photos with newborn Olivia and the tot’s dad 24-year-old Jamie O’Callaghan.
She was also cheered on by her proud parents Jill, 48, and Phil, 51, and grandmother Pat, 69.
Georgia as given the sociology department’s award for outstanding achievement after managing to get a first class degree despite being pregnant for her third year.
She added: “I couldn’t believe when I found out I had got a first.
“I was pregnant for pretty much the whole of the third year and I was in the library every day from about 9am until 1am the following day.
“I did feel sick and I was really tired at times but somehow I got through it.”
