The stork donned its Christmas hat on Tuesday, delivering 275 bouncing babies at public hospitals and clinics in the Eastern Cape.
Of the 117 boys and 158 girls, 43 babies were born in Nelson Mandela Bay – 23 girls and 20 boys.
OR Tambo District saw the highest number of Christmas deliveries, with 85 babies – 50 girls and 35 boys.
While 35 babies were born through caesarean section, 240 were through normal delivery, according to the provincial health department.
Marie-Louise van Tonder, who gave birth at the private Life St George’s Hospital in Port Elizabeth, said while baby Skyler arrived two weeks early, she “had a feeling” her bundle of joy would be born on Christmas Day.
“I predicted she would come on the 25th [of December], even though she was only due on January 11,” Van Tonder said.
Skyler’s dad, Shawn van Tonder, said Marie-Louise had cramps from about 2am on Christmas morning but they still managed to have some breakfast before heading to the hospital.
“She got up and I was still sleeping. She waited for me to wake up and then we had something to eat,” Shawn said.
“We were very chilled.
“We came in at about 9.15am and then Skyler was born at 1.12pm,” he said.
“It feels awesome. We are all just so happy everything went well and that she’s healthy.”
Kayden Pillay, who was also born at Life St George’s Hospital, arrived earlier on Christmas Day, making his entrance at 7.30am.
His mom, Kaylene de la Harpe, said she was very surprised by his December arrival because he was only due on January 15.
“I went into labour at about 3am and we got here just after 4am. We are very exited and overjoyed [about] our Christmas baby,” she said.
While Life St George’s Hospital had a total of three deliveries, the number is not included in the provincial public healthcare centres’ tally.
Eastern Cape health MEC Helen Sauls-August congratulated the health professionals who were involved in the successful delivery of the Christmas babies across public health facilities in the province.
“We commend the effort put in by health personnel to make sure that delivery of babies is successful at public health facilities.
“We also congratulate parents on the birth of the new babies,” Sauls-August said.
Two sets of twins were born at the Frontier Hospital in Komani.