KZN MEC Nomagugu Simelane and Home Affairs Deputy Minister Njabulo Nzuza welcoming Christmas babies at KwaDukuza Hospital. Picture: Supplied.
Durban – A total of 1,414 babies were born in South Africa on Christmas Day.
These babies were mostly boys at 746, followed by girls at 668.
In a statement, Department of Health spokesperson Foster Mohale said that more baby boys were born on Christmas Day in 2022.
“The Department of Health congratulates all the parents of 1,414 babies born on Christmas Day this year, which consists of 746 males and 668 females and wishes them a long and healthy journey of life.
ALSO READ: Over 500 Christmas babies born across the country
“The province of Gauteng accounts for 30% of the total number of babies born on this special day across the countries, and this translates into 432 babies,” Mohale said.
“The number also consists of a set of triplets safely delivered at Middleburg Hospital in Mpumalanga by a 33-year-old mother. Amongst the teenage mothers, including a 13-year-old mother who delivered a healthy baby from a health facility in Buffalo City in the Eastern Cape.”
Mohale reminded all mothers and caregivers that the first 100 days after a baby is born, also known as the newborn stage, is an important time for the baby's earliest developmental milestones.
He said that good nutrition is also important for mothers and children's health. Hence, it is recommended that mothers should exclusively breastfeed their babies for at least the first six months to achieve the child's optimal growth, development and health.
He also said that it was for that reason that the department, in collaboration with a number of stakeholders, including the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (Unicef) and Ilifa Labantwana, have embarked on child health programmes and campaigns such as Side-by-Side and MomConnect to support mothers and caregivers to secure an equal start for all children living in South Africa, through universal access to quality early childhood development.
Mohale further reminded mothers to ensure that their babies are registered for birth certificates with Home Affairs before they leave the health facility or within days after birth.
In KwaZulu-Natal, 99 babies were born on Christmas Day: 53 boys and 46 girls, including twins born at Emmaus Hospital, near Winterton.
The youngest mother was a 15-year-old who gave birth at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital in uMlazi.
There were two 17-year-old women who gave birth in Manguzi and three 18-year-old mothers in other parts of the province.
Daily News