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- More than 500 babies were born on Christmas day.
- The bundles of joy are doing well.
- One was placed in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to get stronger for a lifetime of trifle and birthday presents.
More than 500 babies were welcomed into this part of the world by midday on Christmas day, the Department of Health has announced.
Spokesperson Foster Mohale said most of the Christmas babies were born in Gauteng.
Limpopo and Mpumalanga were among the first to celebrate the new arrivals, with babies born around midnight at Voortrekker Hospital in Mokopane, and Temba Hospital in Kabokweni, outside Mbombela.
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The Eastern Cape's first baby was born at 00:01 at Sipetu Hospital in Mount Frere, while the Free State had a birth at the National District Hospital in Bloemfontein at 00:04.
In the North West, a baby boy was born at 00:50 at the JB Marks Community Health Centre. He weighed just over 1kg, so he was placed in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Potchefstroom Hospital to help him gain strength.
Two 15-year-old girls also welcomed Christmas babies, one in Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital in Umlazi outside Durban, and one in Tonga Hospital in Mpumalanga. The ages of the new dads were not provided.
"The Ministry of Health welcomes all the
babies born on Christmas day across the country, and also congratulates the
parents and healthcare professionals for the successful and safe delivery of
these bundles of joy on the same day millions of people around the world
commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ," said Mohale.
He reminded the new parents to stay up to date with their babies' immunisations, to protect their little ones against contagious but preventable diseases.
