Thirty-five babies. Just 38 hours. And September’s traditional baby rush has only just arrived.
“It never gets old for us,” nursing and midwifery director Marg Wendt said after an extraordinary baby boom swept through Logan Hospital.
The hospital’s maternity team welcomed 24 newborns within the first 24 hours before the tally climbed to an incredible 35 births in 38 hours.
That is roughly one new baby every 65 minutes.
Ms Wendt said it was privilege to see and be a part of each newborn’s arrival.
Logan Hospital delivers and cares for more than 4000 babies every year.
A figure of 4000 births annually works out to about 11 babies a day. During the recent surge, staff delivered 24 babies in a single day.
Midwives, doctors, neonatal nurses, administration staff, allied health workers and support crews all played their part as the babies kept coming.
But the August rush could be a sign of even busier times ahead.
Ms Wendt said March and September had historically been the hospital’s busiest birthing months.
With September here, another influx of tiny Logan locals could soon follow.
The wider trend is unmistakable: as Logan attracts more young families, the hospital is seeing more babies born throughout the year.
Ms Wendt said the growing community would mean welcoming more midwives and doctors, alongside opportunities for students and graduates entering the profession.
The maternity leader knows better than most what those moments mean.
Earlier this year, she marked 40 years working in nursing and midwifery.
“I’ve been so lucky,” she said while reflecting on a career spent supporting families through “the most important moments in their lives”.
Much of that career was spent in Logan, where she helped establish the hospital’s lactation and community midwifery services.
She has also spoken about the importance of creating opportunities for others as a new generation of nurses and midwives comes through.
Those future recruits might want to be ready.
If August can produce 35 babies in 38 hours, Logan’s maternity team could have its hands very full during September.
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