Baby boy brings mom joy
THE family of Baby Arav Batohi is hoping his birth will bring blessings for them.
The baby – who was born on New Year's Day – had seemingly set high goals for himself from the time he was in his mother’s womb.
He is the first, longed-for boy to be born into his family.
He also arrived in the world 10 days early and is the first baby to be born on January 1 at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital, at 00.40am. He weighed 3kg.
His mother, Jerusha Gowtham Batohi, 30, from Unit 10 in Phoenix, said that the birth of her baby came as a surprise as she was expecting to deliver between January 12 and 17.
“Around lunchtime (on December 31), I started feeling a lot of pressure on my bladder, and I thought it was just normal pregnancy contractions, so I continued with preparing for New Year’s eve.
“However, as it came closer to 8pm, the pains continued, so at 9pm, I decided to go to the hospital,” said Batohi.
She said she and her husband of five years, Nishaan, 30, were very excited to welcome their first baby boy into the world.
They had not known the gender of the baby until the day of delivery, and they thought it would be another girl because both their families had been blessed with only girl children.
“Everyone at home was absolutely excited. After a very long time, we welcomed a boy in our family,” she said.
Batohi said that she and her husband have a 6-year-old daughter, Arianna, who will celebrate her birthday today (January 5).
“So, we will be celebrating two birthdays in the month of January from now on.”
Batohi said that her baby was well received by her father and two sisters, who she lives with.
“They are all so happy to welcome the first baby boy.”
Batohi said she had not been working since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, and with the birth of her baby, she is hopeful for new beginnings and better opportunities.
“It was difficult to get a job because of the pandemic and when I fell pregnant, it was even worse for me.
“But I am hopeful that this year it will be much better and we can work our way through,” she said.
According to the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health, 264 New Year babies were born at health-care facilities – 129 boys and 135 girls.
Nomagugu Simelane, KZN Health MEC, said: “The province’s first New Year’s baby was born at Mosvold Hospital, under Umkhanyakude District, shortly after midnight.
“Interestingly, we have a set of twin girls who were born at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital to 25-year-old mother, Ziyanda Madikizela.”