Leap day babies surprise their proud parents
OLIVEDALE – Netcare Olivedale Hospital welcomed six babies on 29 February.
A leap year occurs every four years and has 366 days opposed to a common year. Babies who are born on a leap day have the challenge of deciding when to celebrate their birthday.
Netcare Olivedale Hospital welcomed six babies on 29 February, three girls and three boys. A couple was fortunate enough to give birth to twins who were a boy and a girl.
Anette and Christa Swanepoel who welcomed twins Danika and Luan said that the twins were born a week early. The couple who are also nurses at Netcare Olivedale Hospital has decided to celebrate their twin’s birthday on 28 February.
“I did not really think about my babies being born on a leap day. I was just happy to finally give birth,” said Anette.
Proud parents Nicolette Oodendaal and Marc White said that it is amazing to have a baby born on 29 February. “I’m just glad she missed my birthday which is on 28 February,” joked White.
They have decided to celebrate baby Mia White’s birthday on 28 February and the following day so that their daughter does not feel like she is missing out.
Lerato and Mangaliso Cebekulu welcomed their second son, baby Zamokuhle Cebekulu, who was born at 7.47am and weighed 3.66 kg. “Our son being born on a leap day will not affect anything. He was supposed to be born on 7 March but we guess the baby was ready to come out. We still need to decide when we will celebrate his birthday,” Mangaliso explained.
