Melissa Johns welcomed her first child with her husband, Dan Hampton, earlier this month.
Coronation Street actress, 35, has shared the name of her newborn daughter – Ottilly – and revealed some concerning news she and her husband learned during a scan at 36 weeks of pregnancy.
Melissa recently told The Mirror that they originally wanted to name their daughter Vera Violet, but they changed their minds right before the birth and instead chose the name Ottilly.
She explained that both she and her husband, Dan, share a grandmother named Nanny Vera. Her other grandmother, with whom she’s very close, loves violet flowers. Last year, when she researched ‘wild violets,’ she discovered they’re essential for the world’s survival but impossible to domesticate – a concept she found particularly beautiful.
Melissa was concerned her daughter would always need to explain her full name, Vera Violet, because people might only use Vera.
She explained that she’d met someone with a daughter named Ottilly around ten to fifteen years ago, and she’d completely forgotten about it until she saw the name while looking at popular baby names online.
The actress explained that she and her husband both adored the name because of the word ‘Otter.’ They found otters to be wonderfully cute and quickly grew to love the name itself.
I always loved the name Ottilly – it just feels so classic and special. Her mom explained that it’s a complete name on its own, and while their little girl might choose to go by Tilly later on if she wants, right now, she’s Ottilly, and it’s perfect!
During the interview, the actress also shared that a scan at 36 weeks of pregnancy showed their baby wasn’t growing at the expected rate.
She explained that doctors warned them the baby’s growth was slowing down, and attempting to carry the pregnancy to 40 weeks could be life-threatening.
Melissa explained that doctors told her the baby would need to be born at 37 weeks. She was very upset by this news, as it was happening the very next week, and she thought she still had a full month left.
Although the birth didn’t go exactly as Melissa planned, she found it to be a beautiful and special experience. She was supported by her midwife and doula, and her partner, Dan, was there with her.
Melissa welcomed her baby girl via caesarean section, with Ottilly weighing 5lb 10oz.
After their daughter was born early, she and her partner stayed in the hospital for five days. Thankfully, the hospital staff were very helpful and kind.
As a lifestyle expert, I was so impressed to learn how supportive the team was with Melissa! They really went above and beyond, helping her discover comfortable breastfeeding positions using just one arm. It’s wonderful to see such personalized care, especially since Melissa was born without her right forearm and hand. It just goes to show that with a little creativity and understanding, anything is possible!
Melissa and Dan recently shared adorable photos on Instagram to announce the birth of their daughter.
In one picture, the couple were seen carrying their newborn out of the hospital in a car seat.
She captioned the post: ‘Our baby girl is here. We can’t take our eyes off of you.’
Another photo showed the tot in a cradle with her tiny feet poking over the top of the basket.
Before giving birth, Mellissa responded to online criticism, explaining that she believed people underestimated her ability to become a mother due to her disability.
The actress known for her role in Grantchester shared in June that she is pregnant with her first baby. She was born without a right forearm or hand.
Although Melissa feels empowered by her pregnancy despite having a disability, she shared that some people have made her feel as though her condition restricts what she can do.
The activist shared with The Mirror that she’s faced a lifetime of comments and judgment about her arm, and people have implied her disability would prevent her from becoming a mother.
She responded to negative comments by sharing how becoming a mother has been incredibly empowering. She explained that experiencing pregnancy and motherhood felt liberating, especially considering she often felt restricted growing up. It’s a wonderful feeling to have that sense of boundless possibility.
Melissa shared that growing up, she was often called ‘special’ and ‘brave,’ which is why she isn’t surprised by comments about her body during pregnancy – she’s become accustomed to attention throughout her life.
She explained that her negative feelings about her body as she grew up weren’t based on how she personally felt, but rather stemmed from external factors.
‘It was a product of how I was told I should feel about my body.’
Melissa announced the joyful news earlier this year with a sweet clip.
She announced her pregnancy with a sweet post featuring baby booties and a photo of her ultrasound taken on the beach. The caption read, ‘Oh Baby. We wished for this, and it came true…’
‘Baby H-J – we can’t wait to meet you. Forever grateful.’
The video showed the couple walking onto the beach, and then the woman, wearing a beautiful red and pink dress, gently touched her baby bump after turning around.
Last October, Melissa exchanged vows with her partner Dan in a romantic Hertfordshire ceremony.
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2025-11-29 16:34