'Cradle of Shanghai' stays busy by delivering babies

Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital is called the "cradle of Shanghai", because one sixth of children born in the city are delivered here. It is the hospital with the largest number of newborn babies.

Medical staff are busy with pregnant women and families are happy to welcome new members every day.

Medical staff serve pregnant women and babies

Xu Chenying, head nurse of the delivery room of the hospital's west branch, said delivering a baby is no longer as scary and painful as people see in the movies thanks to a various pain-relief measures.

"At the delivery room, we closely follow each pregnant woman and the fetus' condition and introduce medical measures like epidural and psychological guidance to help relieve their pain and anxiety," said Xu, who has been a midwife for about 18 years.

"I use my professional skills and care to help and serve each pregnant woman and their babies, trying to make the delivery experience as good and comfortable as possible," she said, while checking and calming a pregnant woman with a big fetus, a likely pointer to higher risk and pain during the delivery process.

Credit: Jiang Xiaowei / SHINE

Yin Xuelei is a doctor in the hospital's neonatology department. Newborn babies, who are born premature, have low weight and other problems, are kept in her department until they are healthy enough.

"The majority of newborn babies here are premature ones. They are little angels arriving ahead of schedule," Yin said. "I check each baby every day and give instructions in line with their individual condition. We want to tell anxious parents that as their babies are hospitalized all doctors and nurses are their temporary parents and we love each of them. Each baby is cared for and treated properly."

Credit: Jiang Xiaowei / SHINE

Young couple with a new member

Yu Wenzhu and Wu Jun just had a lovely baby boy on December 26. The 4,060-gram baby was the champion of weight on the day.

"He is also the champion of crying on the entire floor. When he cries, babies in other rooms also cry,"said Wu, with a sleepy but happy face. "It is our first baby. I even dare not to hold him when he was born. He is so tiny and so soft that I am afraid I will hurt him if I hold him."

The couple expressed their gratitude to the hospital and medical staff, who have given them strong support and help during the hospitalization. Due to COVID-19, each pregnant woman is only allowed to have one family member as escort. So, the young father has to do all changing and caring stuff by himself.

"I am learning. Only after having my own baby, I feel like an adult. It is a sense of responsibility," Wu added.

Yu said the entire process of pregnancy and child birth was smooth.

"We will be discharged tomorrow. It is magical that we arrived here as two and leave as three," she said. "The baby is the best gift I have received in 2021 and my new year wish is that he stays healthy."

Credit: Jiang Xiaowei / SHINE