Dresden, 25.10.2024. Little Liam Horacio is the 1,000th baby to be born at St. Joseph-Stift in Dresden in 2024. The boy was born on October 24, weighed 3,430 grams at birth and was 53 centimetres tall. Mother and child are doing well and are enjoying the first few days together in the maternity ward of the "Baby-Friendly Maternity Clinic" at St. Joseph-Stift.
The hospital team, represented by head midwife Eva-Maria Bittner, senior physician Dr. Silke Tacke and Dr. Claudia Großer, congratulated the new parents Ana Garcia and Dorian Knötig. Ana Garcia, who was born in Argentina, and her partner have lived in Dresden for ten years. Liam Horacio is the first child for both of them.
The couple deliberately chose St. Joseph-Stift as their place of birth after visiting other clinics in Dresden. The family atmosphere and the friendly, supportive staff, combined with modern, inviting rooms, won them over. They had originally considered giving birth in a birthing center, but opted for the safe, medical setting of a clinic.
According to Ana Garcia, the support of the team was particularly important, and the presence of her mother in the delivery room also enriched the experience. Although there were language barriers, the caring support made the moment special.
Among this year's 1,000 births at St. Joseph-Stift, there was one twin birth, meaning that the 1,000 babies resulted from 999 births. A total of 492 girls and 508 boys were born, and the month with the highest number of births was September with 126 newborns. A special milestone is also imminent: the clinic is expecting its 100th water birth soon, a birthing method that has a long tradition here. Around 10 percent of all newborns are born in the birthing tub every year - a remarkable rate for Saxony and nationwide.
Senior physician Dr. Silke Tacke points to the changes in birth figures. "The drop in births after reunification has become increasingly apparent in recent years. The newborns of that time are today's generation of parents, who are smaller in number. In addition, there are current crises that are unsettling many couples and often lead to a postponement or even abandonment of the desire to have children." According to Tacke, the clinic will continue to face this challenge in the coming years. "Our family-oriented obstetrics with a baby-friendly concept, 1:1 care during the birth and a wide range of courses appeal particularly to parents who value individual care."
Germany has recorded falling birth rates since 2017. Dresden, and St. Joseph-Stift in particular, successfully bucked this trend until 2022. But since last year, birth rates have been falling here too. An increase in mothers from other countries has not yet been able to compensate for this decline. Despite the declining birth rate, St. Joseph-Stift was the hospital with the second-highest number of births in Dresden last year.
St. Joseph-Stift Hospital has been certified as a "Baby-friendly maternity clinic" by the WHO and UNICEF since 2011. This stands for modern obstetric care in which the bond between parents and child and breastfeeding are promoted from the very beginning. In addition to information evenings and birth preparation courses, the offer also includes courses specifically for siblings, expectant fathers and advice on the correct way to carry babies. A two-day birth preparation course in English is another part of the comprehensive offer.
The St. Joseph-Stift continues to focus on individual care and a safe environment for parents and newborns - and has been very well received by expectant families.
