New Year’s bring babies galore

MBOMBELA – The provincial spokesman for the Department of Health, Dumisani Malamule, confirmed that so far the province has recorded 42 babies, 25 females and 17 males, at the time of going to press.

“The statistics will probably change as the day progresses,” he said. Mediclinic registered four babies and Rob Ferreira seven as of 15:00.

Sr Liana Wolhuter of Mediclinic stated that they had no complications with any of the births and that all the babies are healthy. She pointed out that two of the mothers quite coincidently share the same birth dates with their newborns. “Mediclinic also treated the New Year’s mothers with gifts, courtesy of the management at the medical facility,” she said.

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Dane Groenewald and Felicity Mkhatshwa are both first-time anxious mothers who feel a little nervous to take their babies home.

“I am going home tomorrow and although I am a little bit scared, I will receive help from my mother with my baby boy,” Mkhatshwa said.

Groenewald labelled her firstborn daughter as a miracle and explained that no words can describe the incredible feeling of being a mother.

“I am fearful for the unknown, but my husband is luckily a hands-on guy,” she said.

Malamule disclosed that out of the seven babies born at Rob Ferreira four were female and three male. “Ward Councillor Kenneth Mkhonto also visited the babies and handed over presents to the mothers’ delight,” he said.

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Nurse Thembi Khoza revealed that only one baby was taken to high care in the postnatal maternity ward at Rob Ferreira.

“This is due to the mother having high blood pressure. We are keeping her in the labour ward for another 24 hours, until it is safe to discharge her to postnatal. The baby only weighs 1,97 kilograms due to the premature birth of the baby brought on by the mothers condition,” she said.