Loud cheers were heard in the delivery room at Mowbray Maternity Hospital as a Lavender Hill laaitie was the first baby to be born on Christmas Day in the Western Cape.
The proud mom of Zyon Hans says her newborn boy sparked a little bit of panic the day before as she started to bleed before her water broke on 24 December.
Mom Mishe Jaftha, 21, says she had a normal pregnancy but shortly after 2pm on Monday, she started experiencing contractions and bleeding.
“I was very worried and went to Retreat Day Hospital and they transferred me to Mowbray because my water didn’t break, but I was bleeding,” she explains.
“They rushed me in an ambulance and when I got to Mowbray, they checked the baby’s heartbeat and said everything was fine. I was happy because I was worried something was wrong.”
Dad Bradley Hans, 23, rushed to Mowbray and stayed with Mishe who went into delivery and eight minutes after midnight, Zyon was born weighing 3.28kg and measuring 50cm in length.
“Everyone was happy and they cheered and celebrated because he was the first baby born. They told us almost immediately and it is very exciting for us,” says Bradley.
PROUD PARENTS: Mishe Jaftha and Bradley Hans with Zyon
Mishe and Zyon were discharged from hospital later that day and he was taken home to meet his family.
“His older brother, Zayden Jaftha, three, is away on holiday and will meet his baby brother when he gets back.”
Health MEC, Dr Nomafrench Mbombo, says a total of 138 babies - 83 boys and 55 girls - were born at public health facilities throughout the Western Cape.
A minute after Zyon was born, a baby girl was also born at Mowbray Maternity Hospital.
Close on their heels was a baby boy, born at 12.10am at Tygerberg Hospital.
Two sets of male twins were born at New Somerset Hospital.
The first twins were born at 1.30am and 1.40am and the second set of twins arrived at 2.24pm and 2.27pm.
monique.duval@inl.co.za