SA’s Christmas babies: KZN records first birth, Limpopo notes youngest mother

South Africa’s state hospitals saw more than 800 mothers bring their children into the world on Christmas Day.

At least 366 boys and 287 girls were born on 25 December 2024 by lunchtime.

To ensure the mothers were given adequate post-partum guidance, mothers had the option to register for a programme that provides regular healthcare information.

KZN registered first Christmas baby

Osindisweni Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) was the scene of the county’s first Christmas baby, delivered just after the stroke of midnight.

Nkhensani Hospital in Limpopo, Standerton Hospital in Mpumalanga and Madwaleni Hospital in the Eastern Cape followed with a birth in the first few minutes of the new calendar day.

Six sets of twins had been recorded nationwide by lunchtime on Christmas Day.

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Seshego Hospital outside Polokwane saw one of the youngest mothers: a 13-year-old. Other teen mothers include three 15-year-olds in KZN and a 16-year-old in Klerksdorp.

“This safe arrival of these babies would not have been possible without hard work and dedication by healthcare workers — especially the midwives — who are the backbone of the health system,” stated the Department of Health.

Christmas babies per province

As of Wednesday afternoon, each province’s tally was:

• Gauteng: 393 — 209 boys and 184 girls
• Eastern Cape: 104 — 57 boys and 47 girls
• North West: 102 — 56 boys and 46 girls
• Limpopo: 84 — 44 boys and 40 girls
• KwaZulu-Natal: 47 — 21 boys and 26 girls
• Mpumalanga: 34 — 20 boys and 14 girls
• Northern Cape: 30 —14 boys and 16 girls
• Free State: 24 — 15 boys and 9 girls
• Western Cape: 18 — 8 boys and 10 girls

The final number of newborns in South Africa, including those born on Christmas evening, had not been announced by Thursday morning.

MomConnect programme

The department urged all new mothers to immediately begin the rigorous monitoring of the developmental journey of their child.   

“The first 1 000 days of a child’s life are important because they lay the foundation for their physical, emotional, and academic development,” stated the department.

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To assist new mothers, they were given the option to join the MomConnect programme, which is a free text-based support project.

The message-based instructions guide mothers with newborn care, breastfeeding, immunisation, and appointment reminders.

“The department will walk side by side with the new mothers as they embark on this incredible journey of motherhood,” the department stated.

“This includes ensuring their babies are up to date with immunisation to protect them against vaccine-preventable childhood diseases such as measles and polio,” it concluded.

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