The number of new arrivals is expected to peak in January and February but remain high throughout the first half of the year after many couples decided that during a pandemic lockdown was a good time to start a family.

The increase is not only in couples conceiving naturally, but in those seeking IVF which has surprised experts.

Obstetrics and Gynaecology Ballarat director Dr Russell Dalton said Ballarat Health Services was currently averaging around 150 babies a month, compared to 110 to 120 in regular months, while his Obstetrics and Gynaecology Ballarat expects to deliver around 560 babies this year compared to 460 last year.

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Earlier this month at BHS, Dr Dalton alone completed 10 caesarean deliveries and five natural births in one weekend and he said there were plenty of other new babies born over the same weekend.

St John of God Hospital Ballarat confirmed they were expecting an increase in baby deliveries over January and February of about 20 per cent based on last year's figures.

A BHS spokesperson said demand on maternity services was likely to continue well in to the new year, and the service had plans in place to manage the increase in demand.

"Lockdown and isolation has probably caused people to refocus on family, and on relationships and what they want in life ... which has probably been a bit of a driver in the increase," Dr Dalton said.

"We thought services like IVF would drop in this uncertain time amid concerns people have about the future of kids and security, but IVF has significantly increased as well and is probably running at least 15 to 20 per cent higher.

"I think probably people are thinking about the different aspects, what do they want in life.

"There's nothing like a baby to bring a bit of joy to a family."

And being unable to go on holiday, Dr Dalton said people were instead putting that money towards a baby.

The baby boom is putting extra pressure on maternity services across the two hospitals but Dr Dalton said they were coping well.

In times of very high demand, Ballarat Health can book patient rooms at SJOG, and vice versa, but there have been instances of this so far in the current boom of births.

Little Nellie Valma Rix will forever be one of the oldest of the COVID babies, having been conceived at the start of the pandemic and born seven weeks ago.

Mum Tiarne Keighrey said far from being stressful, being pregnant during COVID lockdowns and restrictions was relaxing.

"The only sad thing was that I have family in Melbourne I couldn't see while pregnant, including my twin brother, but other than that I loved being pregnant in COVID.

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"Work wasn't as stressful, we weren't going out on the weekend, and it was really relaxing."

But she was shocked at the number of friends and colleagues who are now also pregnant with babies conceived during the uncertain times of COVID, including her best friend.

"There are so many that we've been able to make our own mothers group out of people we know who have had a baby recently. It's been an interesting time but I'm definitely not alone."

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