85 babies born in Cape Metro on Christmas day in public health facilities

The Western Cape Government Health is proud to announce the birth of 85 babies* as reported by public health facilities throughout the Western Cape on Christmas Day 2020.

The total number reported from midnight, comprises of 43 boys and 42 girls.

The first three Christmas babies were born in close succession. The first, a baby girl, was born at 00:00 at Mowbray Maternity Hospital, weighing 2,6 kg and 48.5 cm in length to mother Jessie Mkandawiae.

The second baby was also a girl, born at 00:22 at Delft CHC (MOU) to mother Edwina Dolpha. The third baby, a boy, was born at Tygerberg Hospital to mother Wendolene Swarts, at 00:31, weighing 3.19 kg.

Two sets of twins were reported at Mowbray Maternity Hospital. The first set of twins is a boy and a girl, who were born at 10:20 and 10:50 respectively to mother Patience Musonza.

"Congratulations all new parents on the birth of their babies on this special day. I would like to wish them a lifetime of happiness. May your greatest times be spent together. I want to emphasise the importance of the first 1000 days of a child’s life. Provide your baby with a safe environment and good nutrition. Make sure their immunisations are up to date and that you play an active role in their development by talking to them, playing with them, and supporting them to reach their milestones. The Department of Health look forward to joining you on this journey," says Western Cape Minister of Health, Dr Nomafrench Mbombo.

Western Cape Government Health believes that from conception, the first thousand days of a child’s life is critical for their development. The physical, social, and brain development that takes place during this time is a once in a lifetime opportunity to build a solid foundation for health and learning and good relationships down the line. This is an important time to support your child’s development through adequate nutrition, immunisations, and by reading or talking to your child.

Western Cape Government Health congratulates the parents and staff on the safe delivery of all the new arrivals on Christmas Day. We look forward to being a part of their development journey. We also extend a sincere thank you to all our staff members, including midwives, for their hard work and dedication on this special day.

* Kindly note that the total is subject to change as more births are reported and only include babies born in the Cape Metro.