Nashauna Drummond, Staff Reporter
AT LEFT: Jacqueline Morris (right), 35 years old,became the proud mother of a baby boy weighing 2.92 kilograms on Christmas Day 2003, at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital. Maria Pinchin (left) president of the Latin American women's club hands over packages of baby products to Ms. Morris and other new mothers while Clelia Barreto de Hunter (centre) from the club admires the child. In background is Aracelis Anedu.
AT CENTER: Kim Edwards (left), 25 years old, cradles her new-born baby girl after she arrived in the world Christmas Day in 2003. The birth took place at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital. The baby, who weighed 3.25 kilograms, is also being admired by Clelia Barreto de Hunter (centre) and Maria Pinchin President of the Latin American Women's Club.
AT RIGHT: Nekeisha Gyscott, 22 years old, smiles with her baby boy who was born on Christmas Day 2003 at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital, weighing 3.36 kilograms. The baby is being admired by Maria Pinchin (centre) of the Latin American Women's Club and Clelia Barreto Hunter (right). - IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
BEHIND ALL the excitement and fanfare that comes with babies whot are born on December 25, are the midwives without whom the births would be impossible. At a time for family and togetherness, they are on call to make sure that a family is expanded and made happy.
AT NUTHALL Memorial Hospital, Sister Ann Wheatle, a registered nurse, midwife and assistant matron, has been doing exactly that for 38 years. She told Flair that Christmas is usually a busy period and between mid-December and January, they deliver anywhere from 20-30 babies.
Last year, the hospital delivered two babies on Christmas Day.
Sister Wheatle said her family is very understanding. "My family works in the emergency services with my husband being a retired commissioner of police. We organise ourselves and we have a very understanding matron who works most Christmas Days."
A HOME AWAY FROM HOME
She explained that the ward is run by senior persons and they organise so that some are off on Christmas day and the others on New Year's day to give the staff a break. She notes that having worked at the hospital for so long makes it a home away from home.
The sentiment of having an understanding family also rings true for ward sister Nadine Anderson-Lawerence at Victoria Jubilee Hospital. "You need a family that understands and realises the type of job you are doing is an essential service and you're an advocate for the patient so you have to be there for them."
EXCITING PERIOD
For the 13 years that she has worked at Victoria Jubilee, Christmas has always been a very exciting period on the ward. "Everyone is anxious to see who's going to be the first baby to be born at 12:01 or 1:00 a.m. Everyone is anxiously waiting to see who is going to be the mother. Sometimes we have three mothers in active labour. They are very elated when they know that they are the first. They may be in pain but they are still elated." However this year Ms. Anderson will not be working on Christmas day so she will be home to share the joys of the season with her family.
