INLSA
Ntombifuthi Nzuzas baby boy may have arrived before his time, but he picked a good day to do it. The premature baby, who has not been named yet, was born on Christmas Day. Picture: Shelley Kjonstad
Sinegugu Ndlovu
AT 39cm long and weighing 1.63kg, Ntombifuthi Nzuza’s baby came into the world on Christmas Day.
The boy, whose parents have not named him yet, was born prematurely at Durban’s King Edward VIII Hospital at 32 weeks.
Looking fragile, the baby, who is in a stable condition, is currently receiving care at the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit.
Nzuza, of KwaMaphumulo, near KwaDukuza, now the proud mother of two, described the birth of her son as bitter-sweet.
“I’m worried that he was born before his time, but I’m happy. I cried tears of joy when I held him in my arms for the first time. I haven’t named him yet; I’m hoping his father will help me with that.
“My wish for him is that he becomes an educated man with a good intellect. I also wish for him not to forget me as his mother,” she said.
Health Department spokesman Chris Maxon said about 30 babies had been born in the province between midnight on Christmas Eve and 6am on Christmas Day. The first was a 2.8kg boy born at Pietermaritzburg’s Northdale Hospital at 12.01am. A minute later, a 3.6kg girl was born at Durban’s Addington Hospital, followed by a girl weighing 3.2kg at Newcastle hospital at 12.05am.
During his visit at Umlazi’s Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital on Christmas Day, Health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo expressed concern at the high number of teenagers giving birth.
He was speaking after a 15-year-old gave birth at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Phoenix, and a 17-year-old at GJ Crookes Hospital, Scottburgh. Dhlomo said the department had put up billboards throughout KZN to warn against the dangers of teenage pregnancy.
“We are warning young girls that having sexual relations with older men results in pregnancy and Aids. Last year, while visiting GJ Crookes Hospital on Christmas Day, I met a 16-year-old mother. This cannot be accepted as normal, as these are high-risk pregnancies that threaten the lives of the teenage mother and/or the newborn baby,” he said.
