Wake County boom - 35 births a day

You can almost feel the population growing in Wake County and North Carolina. The rapid growth is fueled by people moving to the area and a surge in new births - up to 35 each day.

According to the report, "nearly 13,000 babies were born last year to Wake residents -- an average of about 35 a day". This adds greatly to the pressure for new schools, health care, day care and other services. The report also notes that "Wake's birth rate ranked third in the nation among fast-growing counties over 500,000, according to the latest census data from July 2006".

News and Observer
July 29, 2007
Todd Silberman, Staff Writer

Baby boom: 35 births in Wake each day
A boom in births,13,000 a year, is a big part of the surge in Wake County population. Hospitals, day-care centers, schools and pediatrics practices strain to keep up.

For every two people who move to Wake County, another arrives as the ultimate newcomer -- a newborn.

In all, nearly 13,000 babies were born last year to Wake residents -- an average of about 35 a day. No other Triangle county averages more than a dozen births daily.

"It's been tough to keep up with," said Deb Friberg, chief operating officer of WakeMed, which includes two of the three hospitals in the county where babies are delivered.

"The demand for services has grown much faster than we expected," Friberg said. "We expected increases in births of 2 to 3 percent a year. What we've seen instead is 5 to 6 percent growth."

It's not uncommon for either WakeMed Raleigh Campus or Rex Hospital to see the arrival of more than 20 babies in a day -- enough from one maternity ward to fill a future kindergarten class.

Long before those children reach school age, their numbers are being felt. Parents are often left scrambling for day care unless they reserve a spot at least a year in advance. Pediatricians' offices are jammed. Read more...