Determined baby waits till Leap Day

ZAC van der Merwe, one of two babies born at Life St George’s Hospital yesterday, seemed determined to make his arrival on Leap Day.

Already days overdue by Thursday, doctors had tried to induce his birth three times but Zac waited patiently until just after 10am yesterday, weighing in at 4.8kg and leaving his family not quite decided on when to celebrate his birthday in non-leap years.

“We will just have his birthday on whatever day is closest to the weekend,” his mother, Leanne, said, laughing.

Zac was initially due on February 20.

“We came to the hospital for an induction on Thursday. Nothing happened. We were back here on Saturday at 9. Nothing happened. Leanne went into labour at midnight on Sunday night. It was like he was determined to be born on Leap Day,” dad Leslie said.

The other Leap Day baby born at Life St George’s, Mcina Mngenela, weighed 2.7kg and was born just after 7am through a C-section.

Her dad, Thulane Mngenela, said they were from Mount Frere but he worked in Port Elizabeth. “She was a full-term baby. I am just happy she is healthy,” he said.

East London prepared for a bumper crop of leaplings yesterday.

By late afternoon Life Healthcare’s regional manager Border-Kei and Port Elizabeth, Bruce Janssens, said there had been four births already and five more were expected later last night.

“While the birth of every little life is special to us, we especially welcome these babies who will forever celebrate an unusual birth date! We wish their families all the very best with their extraordinary bundles,” Janssens said.

At Life Mercantile Hospital in Port Elizabeth one boy was born.

Netcare Greenacres Hospital spokeswoman Adele Kennedy said one baby was born at their hospital at about 2pm yesterday.

Eastern Cape Health Department spokesman Siyanda Manana said 19 babies were born at Dora Nginza Hospital, three babies at Uitenhage Provincial Hospital, one at Laetitia Bam, three at Sanford Clinic, three at West End clinic, one at Kwazakhele clinic and one at the Motherwell Community Health Centre.