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Flora Fadzai Sibanda, Chronicle Reporter
A TOTAL of 32 babies were born at Bulawayo’s biggest hospitals – Mpilo Central Hospital and the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) – on Christmas Day.

Regarded as a special annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, Christmas Day is observed every 25 December as a religious and cultural celebration by many Zimbabweans, and among billions of people around the world. Of the 32 babies born on Sunday, 22 were delivered at Mpilo Hospital while 10 were born at UBH with 17 of them being girls while 15 were boys.

Mpilo Hospital

Mothers who spoke to Chronicle yesterday could not hide their joy as they felt more blessed to have delivered their babies on Christmas Day, which they viewed as a double celebration for their families.

The biggest baby born at UBH weighed 4,2kg and the smallest born at Mpilo Hospital weighed 1,2kg. The mother who gave birth to the biggest child, only identified as Mrs Sibanda, said she was excited by the blessing of Christmas Day.

She said she did not expect to give birth to her daughter on such a special day and was overjoyed that it all came as a surprise.

United Bulawayo Hospital

“She is my firstborn and l have already named her Nandi. I am really happy she was born today. This is a double blessing to us as a family.

“We are going to be celebrating Christmas and her birthday on the same day,” said Mrs Sibanda.
Ms Happiness Nkomo who gave birth to a set of twins at UBH said she was happy her sons were going to share a symbolic and special birthday.

She said after losing her firstborn soon after giving birth beginning of last year, God has shown her mercy and blessed her again this time around with twins born on the same day as Christ.

At Mpilo, Mrs Nesihle Moyo said she was happy her daughter was born on Christmas Day, which is special for everyone in the world who celebrates Christ’s birth.

She said going forward Christmas will be an extra special day for her family.

“The scan had said she will be born on the 24th so l did not expect this kind of surprise. I am really happy that my daughter shares a birthday with Christ himself,” said Mrs Moyo.

Ms Siduduzile Dube, who gave birth to a boy at Mpilo said this year’s Christmas will always have a special memory in her life.

She said she had never expected to deliver on Christmas.

“I was still relaxed because the scan had given me an estimate of two weeks from now. I was surprised when l started labour,” she said.

“Nonetheless, l am happy the boy decided to be born now and this means l get to celebrate two things at once.”
For the past five years, an average of 30 babies were born on Christmas Day at Bulawayo’s two biggest hospitals.