The majority of the mothers indicated that they would celebrate the baby’s birthdays on February 28 and would have a huge celebration on their fourth birthday
OVERJOYED city mothers laughed and joked on Saturday as they thought about on which date they would celebrate the birthdays of their newborn leap-year babies.
The Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital in Kimberley had nine babies born on February 29, 2020, of which five were boys and four were girls.
The majority of the mothers indicated that they would celebrate the baby’s birthdays on February 28 and would have a huge celebration on their fourth birthday.
Goitsemang Makoloi from Pampierstad said her family teased her when she told them that her daughter, Tebatso, was born on the 29th.
“I called my family to inform them that my baby had been born and they all laughed at me. They made fun of me, saying we should disregard all the other years and only celebrate my baby’s birthday every leap year. They said that my child would only start attending school years after her peers,” said Makoloi.
Another proud mother, Keitumetse Thobega from Postmasburg, said her husband had been hoping that their child, Kago, would be born on the 29th.
“I was overdue and my labour was induced. My husband told me that he was praying that our child should be born on the last day of February. I did not think it was funny but he thought it would be ‘cool’. I delivered my baby at 4.50pm on February 29. Since my husband got his wish, we now need to figure out whether we will celebrate our baby’s birthdays on February 28 or March 1,” said Thobega.
The mothers indicated that although their babies arrived on an unusual date, they were elated that they were healthy. “There are so many myths about children being born on leap day. Some claim that babies would be born with extra limbs or eyes. None of those myths are true as all the babies look perfectly healthy and fully equipped with 10 toes and 10 fingers,” they laughed.
