A BALLARAT baby has entered the world in the limelight.
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It was a warm and fuzzy day for Greg and Nicole Mahony, who became the proud parents of Jack Alexander Mahony a few strokes after midnight on Thursday.
But little did they know, their new baby boy was to be born on the same day St John of God Health Care delivered its 10,000th baby nationwide for the calendar year.
Mrs Mahony said young Jack was due on January 5 and was surprised by the early arrival.
“I thought ‘ohh here we go, it’ll be the first baby of the New Year or Christmas Day’,” she said.
But Jack couldn’t escape the spotlight and chose to come out on the same day as St John of God’s milestone.
Proud big sister Georgia, 6, said she would write a letter to Santa on Jack’s behalf.
“Jack would want baby toys, a rattle and a dummy,” she said.
The increase of births at St John of God Health Care, which has 16 hospitals across Australia, mirrors the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s findings that the national birth rate is increasing.
St John of God Hospital nursing director Maria Noonan said there had been 550 births at the Ballarat hospital in the last financial year – the highest in the hospital’s history.
“It’s something we want to celebrate. It’s in line with our values and we are supporting the whole community,” she said.
“We’ve had more births in Ballarat in recent times, we are so lucky. It’s celebrating the women and the kids.”