[fenwick16]

This article surprised me. The number of births in the HRM seems to have increased significantly. I was starting to believe all the dire forecasts about the population shrinking in the future. Now if the Halifax area can just do more to provide jobs and quality of life in order to keep the younger generation in the Halifax area.

(Just as a note, I am all for responsible population growth. I don't want to see the world become over-populated; to achieve a stable population, the birth rate should only equal the death rate. Unfortunately over-population has become a problem in developing poorer countries as opposed to the major industrialized countries. I would much rather see a sustainable birth rate in Nova Scotia and see Halifax grow by attracting ex-Nova Scotians and immigrants from other countries. Such a policy doesn't go against sustainable population growth. Instead people are just moving from one location to another.)

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia...lifax-iwk.html

Baby boom hits Halifax hospital
Last Updated: Thursday, April 8, 2010 | 8:54 AM AT Comments17Recommend23
CBC News
Matthew was born three days ago. The IWK Health Centre in Halifax expects up to 5,000 babies this year. Matthew was born three days ago. The IWK Health Centre in Halifax expects up to 5,000 babies this year. (CBC)

One of the biggest hospitals in the Maritimes is bracing for a baby boom.

Officials at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax expect between 4,900 and 5,000 babies will be born at the hospital this year — the most since the early 1990s.

That would be 130 more babies than last year.

"Lots of babies, lots of moms. It's extremely busy," said Ann McCabe, director of health for women and newborns.

McCabe said the number of births has gone up about eight per cent since 2006-07. The trend can be attributed to a population shift in Halifax, medical advances and older mothers.

At 40, Cheryl Megeney just gave birth to her first child, Matthew. She fits right in with the other moms.

"Throughout my prenatal care, I heard a lot that that's the norm now. Most people are 40 and over, or a lot are 40 and over with their first child," said Megeney, from Oakfield, just outside Halifax.
Simple reasons

Megeney hopes to have a second child. She said there's a simple reason why she's starting a family now.

"I met the father of my children four years, or five years, ago. That's why I'm 40 having my first child, I guess," she said.

McCabe said more young families are living in Halifax than five years ago. In addition, because of medical improvements, more women with health conditions can give birth.

The IWK, which is the children's hospital for the Maritimes, is seeing more complex cases, McCabe added.

"Mothers can have babies now that perhaps five or 10 years ago they couldn't because of their medical condition," she said, citing obesity as an example.

McCabe said the hospital has the staff and the room to handle all of the births. The IWK turned some offices into patient rooms a few years ago. Besides, McCabe said, staff are used to emergencies.

"We might move nurses from one area to another. But we're used to that. We can have a very, very quiet day and then the next day it can be mayhem," she said.

During these busy times, mothers may have to wait a bit longer in the birth unit for a bed or stay in a room on another floor, McCabe added.

The hospital discharges some mothers and babies after six hours, depending on their health. McCabe said there is no plan to speed that up.

She said the birth rate would have to go up another five or 10 per cent before another birth unit is needed.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia...#ixzz0kWySBzGV