"We don't even have time to take a drink of water," said the doctor, explaining that Beijing Maternity Hospital is handling a millennium baby boom which has been under way since early December. "We are on a war footing."
The number of expectant mothers coming to his outpatient department in the Chinese capital for pre-natal treatment has risen from 130 a day to 170 since mid-December, and this is expected to continue well into January.
Many Chinese couples tried to conceive in March or April, encouraged by rumours of special prizes and benefits for babies born as the new millennium started.
One expectant mother asked a reporter from the Chinese Business Morning news last week: "I hear that a millennium baby can claim four nationalities and will be brought up by the state, is that true?"
Alas, it is not. Some hospitals plan to offer gifts to new century babies, including gold locks and computers, but others have more modest gestures in mind and no one is offering free passports. Ms Xue Guiying, head nurse at the Haidan District Maternity and Child Care Centre, said she and her colleagues would take a baby's foot print and give it to the parents as a souvenir.
Beijing hospitals have agreed that a "millennium baby" is one "born between 11.45 p.m. on December 31st and 12.15 a.m. on January 1st without any artificial help".
Using caesarean operations or injections to induce birth will not count, she said.
Chinese media reported yesterday that in the western city of Chengdu several hundred couples intend to give birth through caesarean operation.
Dr Wang was quoted as saying that women between 37 to 42 weeks pregnant could be induced or operated on and "quite a number" had asked for this to be done.
"I hope that my baby can be born when the new century is at hand and I can be a new century mother," said Ms Li (24), who got married in 1998 and had at first intended waiting several years for a child.
Chengdu maternity hospital is receiving 100 pregnant women every morning, twice the usual rate of admission.
However, most pregnant women do not want to endanger their health or that of the baby. "Nowadays people are more concerned with the health and safety of mothers and babies," said Ms Wang Qunhua, director of Dongsi Hospital maternity department.
Early this year, Chinese newspapers reported that the best day to conceive a millennium baby was Friday, April 9th. The official Health News reported "excited young couples" hurrying to get married so they could try quickly for a baby, preferably a boy. Some women were reported to have had abortions so they could time their pregnancy better.
Each day, 36,000 babies are born in China, where the population is approaching 1.3 billion. With the number significantly increasing this weekend, the directors of maternity hospitals are praying that the Y2K bug does not hit electrical or water supplies, or transport. Conversely some parents have held off having a baby at this time as January 1st falls within the Chinese Year of the Rabbit, which is not regarded as particularly auspicious.
The Year of the Dragon comes round for the first time in 12 years on February 5th, 2000, and this is the most auspicious time for a birth, as the dragon represents strength and fertility.
About 2,000 couples will be married at a public ceremony in Beijing this weekend to usher in the new century - and an expected wave of Dragon babies. As most Chinese couples are limited to one child, there is expected to be a surge of births during the year 2000 as couples try to have Dragon babies, and then a falling off in the following year to lower than normal levels.