delivered/gave birth

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1
  1. She delivered a pair of healthy twins after a short labor.
  2. My wife delivered a baby yesterday.
  3. My wife gave birth to a child yesterday.
    Please correct the above.
    Thanks.
2

1/2 although not strictly incorrect are ambiguous. Normally we speak about the doctor/nurse/midwife, etc. doing the ‘delivery’. The mother ‘gives birth’.

3

Beeesneees,

  1. My family doctor delivered a pair of healthy twins for my wife after a short labor.
  2. My family doctor delivered a baby for my wife yesterday.
    Please correct the above sentences.
    Thanks.
4

‘for my wife’ sounds odd here. I would use ‘to my wife’ where the meaning of ‘to’ indicates a relationship between things (in this case your wife and the baby/babies) rather than indicates ‘on behalf of’.

5 
Hi,

The underlined phrase seems rather formal to me. In everyday English, can we use the following:

 My wife [i]had[/i] a child yesterday. Or could you give a better alternative?

Thanks.
6

All Allifathima’s sentences are quite formal. Your alternative is fine.

7

Beeesneees,
Can I say as below:
‘She was delivered of a healthy boy.’?
Thanks.

8

Absolutely not.

9

Beeesneees,
"Sita’s baby arrived just after midnight.’
Does this sentence mean that Sita gave birth to a baby just after midnight?
Please comment.
Thanks.

10

Yes, if that is what the context dictates.
It is possible that it could also mean the baby had been elsewhere and was brought back at that time, but that is a highly unlikely situation.

11

I have seen my doctor-friends write: The lady was delivered of a male/female child.

12

Of course you have.

13 
Hello Beeesneees,

What did you mean by saying that: is it non-standard English?

Thanks.

14

No. A reply to the contrary would only suggest ignorance.