The Greatest Gift for the Holiday: Women Gave It to Themselves

Mothers of five or more celebrate new babies on International Women's Day

On the eve of International Women's Day, a group of women celebrated the holiday in the most meaningful way—by becoming mothers. And for each of them, this is far from their first child: their families already include five or more children. Following a heartwarming tradition, staff at the perinatal center congratulated the new mothers and presented them with sets of baby textiles. According to doctors, the infants are in good health and remain under medical supervision.

"All the children of these large families are doing well—they are feeding, gaining weight, and no abnormalities have been detected," said Nurzhas Bazarbay, a neonatologist at the Pavlodar Regional Perinatal Center. "They are currently under observation, and we will soon begin preparing them for discharge."

A Remarkable Story from the Maternity Ward

One of the most extraordinary stories comes from 38-year-old Zhuldyz, a veterinarian from the village of Kenzheköl. Just before the holiday, she became a mother for the eleventh time. Her large family now includes six boys and five girls—her eldest daughter is 20, while her youngest is just one year old. Her newborn son, Zhan, was born weighing 3.4 kilograms.

Zhuldyz admits that the greatest challenge in a large family isn't financial hardship but ensuring each child receives enough attention.

"The most important thing is to raise and nurture them—that's what I believe," she says. "Any woman can give birth, but you need to have the strength for it. If Allah gives us so many children, it means we are ready for it. All our children are wanted. Some people may avoid having many children because they fear financial difficulties, but my husband and I both work. We don't receive social assistance because our income exceeds the threshold. Of course, we don't just sit at home. I, for example, never took maternity leave."

Mai gul's Seventh Child

Mai gul, another mother at the perinatal center, has just welcomed her seventh child—a daughter. After discharge, she and her newborn will return home to the village of Chigirinovka in the Shcherbakty District, where her husband and older children are eagerly awaiting them.

"Every child brings their own kind of joy, whether boys or girls," she shares. "I'm happy to have both sons and daughters. I'm also glad I gave birth here—this is a wonderful hospital. I'm a homemaker, and my husband works as a truck driver."

The new mothers expressed their gratitude to the doctors and medical staff for their care and attention. They also wished all women the joy of experiencing motherhood.

A Note on Births This Year

In the first two months of this year alone, 799 babies were born at the perinatal center, including eight sets of twins.