It's raining babies

SPECIAL DELIVERY: Newborns Noah Prior, Kaoss Gibbons, Marley Chant, Beau Jesse Probett and Mavric Bowser. Photo: John Gass TWE010212baby11

TWEED was visited by a flock of storks last month, with 159 babies delivered at the Tweed Hospital, setting a new record for the midwifery unit.

The baby boom comes as no surprise to the hospital's midwives, who have noticed a steady increase in births over the past few years.

The Daily News visited the Tweed Hospital midwifery unit this week and met the Tweed's newest little residents.

New mother Vanessa Mackie brought her son Noah Prior into the world just as the month ended.

"Noah is my first so it's very exciting," she said.

Midwifery unit manager Margaret Watherston said she had watched the birth rate climb for years, but January had been the busiest month so far.

"Over the month of January births had fluctuated between four and seven births each day and there wasn't one day when a baby had not been born, so we have had a busy time," Ms Watherston said.

But the unit is always well equipped to handle an influx of expectant mothers, according to the Tweed Hospital's assistant director of nursing Wendy Howell.

She said midwives were naturally dedicated to their work and didn't mind staying back a few hours to bring new life into the world.

"We are very lucky to have a dedicated complement of casual, temporary and permanent midwifery staff who love their work," Ms Howell said.

"When we are experiencing an influx of mums, our staff are usually very flexible with their rosters and are often available to help with extra shifts or staying back for a few hours."

She said the Tweed Hospital was fortunate to have a group of trained midwives who were multi-skilled and able to work in all areas of the women's care unit, labour ward, post-natal, antenatal and the special care nursery.

The hospital is averaging about 130 babies born each month and has experi- enced a consistent 8-10% rise in births since 2000.

By the end of this financial year the Tweed Hospital expects to have delivered in the vicinity of 1600 babies with 912 births as of February 1.

DID YOU KNOW?

Tweed Hospital averages 130 births each month and 1600 per year