RIVER VALLEY (KFSM) – Two hospitals in Fort Smith and Van Buren will no longer publicize the first baby born in the new year “as a safety measure,” a representative with the Sparks Regional Medical Center in Fort Smith and Summit Medical Center in Van Buren says.
The representative said the hospitals made the decision because of the risk of abduction or identity theft. They sought guidance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in the decision, they said.
“The birth of a baby is a joyous event, and we know there is always interest in the first baby of the new year, but our first obligation is to the safety and privacy of our patients,” according to a statement released by the hospitals.
The first baby of the new year in each area or hospital is often publicized by local hospitals, with special rewards sometimes included. A representative with Sparks said although the hospital is not publicizing the first baby of the new year, the family received a gift basket full of essentials from the Sparks Auxiliary.
Mercy Medical Center in Rogers has teamed up with Huggies to give a year’s supply of diapers to the hospital’s first baby born in 2015. The supply may save at least $600 in the baby’s first year, a representative for Mercy said.
