Mel left hospital with Phoenix and her dancer husband Jimmy Gulzar less than 24 hours after giving birth.

Mel B and Victoria Adams have worked through their pregnancies

Her publicist Alan Edwards said: "Mother and baby are well and I think she's gone home so soon because she's a fit girl who would have got bored just sitting around - she'd want to be off and running."

He said Mel was feeding the baby and having a quiet family meal before going to bed.

"Her mum is helping and she's just resting really," he said. "I think that's the order of the day."

"It's going to be a quiet evening, that's what she told me but you never know with Mel - she might be out clubbing later," he added.

In good form

Mel, Jimmy and baby left the exclusive Portland Hospital for Women and Children by a back exit just before noon.

They then headed back home to Little Marlow, Buckinghamshire.

A hospital spokeswoman said the family were "in good form".

Pheonix Chi was born on Friday night three weeks' prematurely.

Dad Jimmy Gulzar is delighted with a "beautiful daughter"

Mel B, 23, and her dancer husband Jimmy Gulzar celebrated the arrival with the three other Spice Girls.

The proud father announced the news an hour after the birth, which happened at 6.42pm on Friday evening.

Smooth birth

He said: "I am very happy to announce that I have a beautiful daughter."

"The birth went just smooth and she sends you all her love," he said.

The other three Spices issued a joint statement saying: "We are really proud of Melanie - it was true girl power. We are all Spice aunties now."

Sporty Spice, Mel C, added as she left the hospital: "She's beautiful, I am very proud."

She shouted "girl power" to the photographers and well-wishers gathered outside.

Alan Edwards, spokesman for Mel B, explained to reporters that Phoenix meant fire and Chi meant aura. Phoenix Chi was a mixture of both her mother and father, he added.

He said he did not know why the couple had chosen the name but he believed it was a "unisex name which could be applied to either a male or a female".