The arrival of Daniel Thomas Worrall at the Women’s on Monday created plenty of media interest. He was our first Leap Day baby, born in the early hours of 29 February.
His proud parents are Jess and Mark Worrall.
Ms Worrall told the Herald Sun’s Grant McArthur: “My daughter was 10 days early, so we have been expecting him for weeks — he obviously just wanted the attention.
“It is a bit novel, hopefully he won’t mind too much.”
In The Age journalist Daniella Miletic spoke to Associate Professor Mark Umstad, our Director of Maternity Services, about the myth women avoid having babies on Leap Day.
He told her that for women who are being induced or are set to book a c-section near the end of February in a leap year there was a preference to avoid the 29th.
"They want their baby to have a birthday every year," he explained. "But for most women labour is spontaneous so it's only a small proportion of women that will need to be induced."
Dr Umstad said in The Age even though there was a preference to book deliveries and not to be induced on leap days, all his patients had conceded that if necessary, they would be "more than happy" to give birth on a leap day.
"Women are very sensible, if they understand it is medically necessary they will almost always agree, but when there is a choice many prefer not to."
Ms Worrall said 1 March will become the day they celebrate Daniel's birthday.