Single mother Bristol Palin gives birth to her daughter Sailor Grace as her former fiancee, hero marine Dakota Meyer, confirms he is the baby's father with touching photo

Bristol Palin has given birth to a baby daughter, Sailor Grace, seven months after she called off her engagement to marine Dakota Meyer, who took to Twitter to at last confirm that he is in fact the father of Bristol's second child. 

Announcing the happy news on her Instagram account on Christmas Eve, the 25-year-old daughter of former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin revealed that she welcomed the baby on Wednesday December 23, one day before her due date.

'My sweet Sailor Grace was born yesterday, our family couldn't be more complete,' she wrote alongside a picture of herself cradling the newborn in her hospital bed. 

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Happy news: Bristol Palin gave birth to her second child, daughter Sailor Grace on December 23, sharing the news on her Instagram account on Christmas Eve, along with two images of the newborn 

Special bond: The 25-year-old single mother-of-two also shared this snap of her seven-year-old son Tripp smiling down at his newborn sister

Doting dad: Dakota Meyer confirmed that he is the father of Bristol's baby with this touching Twitter picture of newborn Sailor, taken in the hospital and posted just a few minutes after Bristol's announcement

'I couldn't be more proud': The Medal of Honor recipient expressed his joy at the birth of his daughter with a sweet image caption

Just one minute later she posted a second image of the infant, this time with her older brother Tripp, seven, which she captioned: 'My heart just doubled.' 

Meanwhile, Medal of Honor recipient Dakota, 27, shared his own precious snap of the mother with her newborn on his Twitter account, confirming after months of speculation that he is in fact Sailor's father. 

'Best Christmas present ever!!' he captioned the sweet image of the snoozing baby. 'I couldn't be more proud of this little blessing.'

Just an hour earlier, the marine has shared a touching image on his Instagram account, which featured a pair of soldiers putting a star on top of a Christmas tree while standing in front of a sunset.

He captioned the sentimental image: 'Merry Christmas to all those who cannot be with their families because they are serving our nation over seas.'

Although Bristol has never personally confirmed who fathered the newborn, she had strongly suggested that Dakota is the child's dad, writing on her personal blog in June, that she had believed she was 'heading towards' a 'bigger family' and 'more kids' during her relationship with Dakota, adding that this feeling had caused her to 'get ahead of herself' and fall pregnant. 

And earlier this year, the marine's grandmother Jean all but confirmed to Daily Mail Online that this was indeed the case. 

Parents: Bristol got engaged to marine Dakota (pictured) in March, but called off their wedding after rumors emerged that the groom had covered up a 'secret wife' he married, and then divorced at age 19

Single mother: The mom-of-two, who is pictured with son Tripp and her former fiancee, revealed just one week after calling off her wedding that she was pregnant, calling the news a 'huge disappointment' for her family

In happier times: Just like with the news of her baby's birth, Bristol used Instagram to announce her short-lived engagement to Dakota, 27

Feeling sentimental: Medal of Honor recipient Dakota shared this touching image on Instagram just an hour before Bristol made her announcement

And earlier this year, the marine's grandmother Jean all but confirmed to Daily Mail Online that this was indeed the case.

Commenting on the news of Bristol's pregnancy, she said: 'It will not be the first. I have other great-grandchildren.'

The former couple, who got engaged in March of this year, before calling off their wedding just a week before it was due to take place in May, after rumors emerged that marine Dakota has been secretly married to a woman named Cassandra Wain, whom he wed - and then soon divorced - in 2008, when he was just 19.  

Bristol's mother Sarah shared the news of the split on her Facebook page, but at the time did not give a reason for the cancellation, instead stating that the barbecue which was due to take place as part of the celebrations on May 23 would still be going ahead as planned. 

'[Bristol and Dakota] have informed loved ones that unfortunately the announced celebration planned for May 23 will not be held,' she wrote. 

'Many friends and family still look forward to getting together that day in Kentucky anyway – and the Palins and Meyers are happily looking forward to still being at "the old Kentucky home" on May 23 to celebrate life, in general!' 

Honored: Dakota received his Medal of Honor from President Barack Obama at the White House in 2011

Grandmother: Sailor Grace is the second grandchild for Bristol's mother, former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, who is pictured with her daughter in 2010

All about the bump: Bristol documented much of her pregnancy on Instagram, sharing numerous images of her growing belly, including this snap, which was shared just five days before her due date

Family ties: Bristol already has one child, a son, Tripp, with her ex-boyfriend Levi Johnston

At the time, Bristol insisted to media outlets that she had been aware of the marriage, but would not confirm whether or not it was the reason for the breakdown of her relationship with Dakota.

When the Alaskan first shared her pregnancy news with the world in June, she referred to it as a 'huge disappointment' to her friends and family.

On her personal blog, she wrote: 'I know this has been, and will be, a huge disappointment to my family, to my close friends, and to many of you. 

But it seems she has since made peace with having a second child out of wedlock. Indeed, shortly after sharing the news, she took to her blog again to explain her statement in greater detail.

'I do not regret this baby,' she wrote. 'This baby is not a disappointment and I cannot wait to be a mom times two...

'Life moves on no matter what. So no matter how you feel, you get up, get dressed, show up, and never give up. When life gets tough, there is no other option but to get tougher.'

After her son Tripp was born, Bristol claimed publicly that she'd never have premarital sex again. She partnered with the Candie's Foundation to promote abstinence.

She told Good Morning America: 'I’m not going to have sex until I’m married. I can guarantee it.'

Bristol gave birth to her son with high school boyfriend Levi Johnston in 2008 while her mother, Sarah, was campaigning as Senator John McCain's running mate in the presidential election.