Parents of swapped babies speak out

Two mothers handed the wrong babies in a hospital mix-up in the Czech Republic have spoken out about their ordeal ahead of their children's birthdays this weekend.

Nikolka Broza and Verunka Cermac were loved and cared for by the wrong parents for ten months before they were reunited with their real families in October this year.

The mothers, who share the same first name, were unknowingly caring for each other's children.

The mistake came to light when Libor Broza and Jaroslava Trojanova, the adults caring for Nikolka, opted for a DNA test after relatives said the child didn't look like them. They were forced to swap babies with Jaroslava and Jan Cermac.

The girls were born 18 minutes apart and the parents believe medical staff at the Trebic hospital accidentally swapped them. The mothers are now preparing to celebrate their children's birthdays on Sunday.

Jaraslava Cermac, Nikolka's natural mother, said: "I feel awful. I have Nikolka here and I love her but I'm thinking about Verunka the whole day wondering what she is doing right now.

"I knew Nikolka was ours. She looks like us but there was no special feeling towards her. It was like I was holding my sister's baby."

Jaraslava Trojanova, Verunka's natural mother, said: "Right now the other family have made me quite angry because of the sudden and quick exchange. "I thought up to the last minute I would not give Verunka away. She is my little baby girl and I did not know the other."