Matthew McConaughey Plants an Idea

We’re always interested in what they name the baby, who gives them what baby gifts and how quickly Mom sheds the 3.6 pounds she gained during the pregnancy. But Matthew McConaughey caught us all off guard when he said he and his new son Levi’s mother, Camila Alves, were going to plant Levi’s placenta under a tree. They got the idea from an Australian Aboriginal tradition, in which all the placentas of a tribe are planted beneath a great tree that grew taller and stronger than those around it. While the idea might sound a bit bizarre at first, the practice is really beautifully symbolic. A placenta tree will always be the same age as your baby, will shade your baby as your baby grows and become a permanent reminder of your baby’s life on this earth.

Planting Your Placenta Tree

The first step is easy. Be sure to ask your obstetrician to save your baby’s placenta. You can plant the placenta a few days after baby’s birth, or you can freeze it and plant it when your baby is old enough to help you pick out a tree and plant it. All you need to plant the placenta is a shovel and a new tree or bush.

• If you’ve frozen the placenta, defrost it in a large bowl in the refrigerator.

• Buy a tree or bush that will do well in your climate.

• Dig a hole for the tree or bush with plenty of room for the root ball.

• Place the placenta into the bottom of the hole and cover it with a few inches of dirt.

• Place the tree or bush in the hole over the placenta and refill the hole with dirt.

• Give it some water for a bit of nourishment.

• To protect your new tree or bush from digging dogs, you might want to put a small fence around the tree for a few weeks or a few months.

• Enjoy watching your baby and your tree grow and grow! That’s all there is to it!

 More Growing Ideas!

 Corner Stork Baby Gifts also has some gorgeous growth charts that help Mom and Dad keep tabs on baby’s day-by-day development. The “Forever Baby” Growth Chart for girls (left) comes with the growth chart, booties, wrist rattle, soft toy and keepsake photo album. The “Future Jock” Growth Chart for boys (right) also has a bib with sport balls, and a cotton outfit with matching cap. And you’ll always have Corner Stork’s cheering section in spirit, saying “Grow, Baby, Grow!”

To those of you I wrongly accused, please accept my sincere apology. The rumors don’t start with you–they start with the stars themselves, or their publicity machines to be exact. The rumors, the photos, everything begins as an opportunity for publicists to exploit their clients with the goal of inflating their stardom and popularity.

His Seed Isn’t The Only Thing That’s Planted

According to Mosnar Communications, Inc. in Atlanta, GA, “stars have an excellent opportunity to turn pregnancy rumors into positive publicity coverage.” The reason, and this makes sense, is that most fans can relate to pregnancy and are fascinated to learn that their favorite celebrities are expecting. The coverage, they say, can lead to higher stardom ranking and Hollywood list ranking. “In Hollywood, pregnancy is a huge event…using public relations to communicate with the public about pregnancy allows stars to stay fresh in the minds and thoughts of fans.”

So now we know how the baby-bump rumors really get started. And again, I apologize for ragging on the fans. The publicists lead the fans to “water,” and the fans drink willingly, waiting anxiously for their favorite celeb’s “water” to break. And now that I know the phenomenal effect that pregnancy has on a female celebrity’s career, I can’t help but wonder if some of these pregnancies are not just planned, but calculated to revive flagging popularity.

 A C-Section, A Nanny–What’s So Hard?

Before you drop by to swat me viciously with your People magazine, I clearly said “some of these pregnancies.” It’s irresponsible to generalize about the actions of any group of people, but when the simple (and pleasurable!) act of getting pregnant can have such a profound effect on both career and income, it’s not a stretch to believe that at least a few of these ego-driven divas see pregnancy as a “can’t miss” publicity stunt–even for the stars who are married!

Out here in the real world, women get pregnant because 1) they’re married and ready to start a family, 2) they’re not married, but they want children and are financially able to raise them, 3) they’re not married, not ready to start a family and not responsible enough to use protection or 4) they want as many children as possible so they can manipulate the welfare system. Among Hollywood celebrities, the first three apply, but here’s their 4) they’re in need of a nine-month boost in popularity, which they play for all it’s worth until, boom, A Star Is Born…

If you disagree with me, please let me know. I have a sneaking suspicion I won’t get one comment from any of you!

I have no problem with them adopting children who need good homes. I think it’s wonderful. They probably have enough money to adopt all the orphaned kids in Africa. I say, “Go for it, you guys.”

And not only are the pregnancy rumors flying, some people suspect she may be having twins. Again, I think it’s lovely. They want a large family. More power to them.

Here’s what I don’t get…

It’s also been reported that Angelina is going to raise money for charity by selling confirmation of her pregnancy to the highest media bidder. OK. So didn’t she just confirm that she’s pregnant by offering the confirmation in the first place? That’s one reason not to bid for the info. And if a media giant spends zillions for the confirmation, and she confirms that she’s NOT pregnant, how P.O.ed is that media giant going to be? I supposed they could take the high road and be content in knowing that the zillions they paid for non-information is going to a good cause. Can’t wait to see what happens with this one.

Meanwhile, if it’s true that she is pregnant with twins, and all you Branjelina fans are already contemplating the baby gift you should send, I have three great ideas from Corner Stork that will have you covered whether she has two boys, two girls or one of each. If she has twin girls, send her the precious, pink Twins Deluxe Welcome Wagon for Girls. It’s loaded with plush toys, towels, brushes and combs, bathrobes, pacifiers and more. The Twins Deluxe Welcome Wagon for Boys has the same great stuff in blue, along with a couple of baseball caps. Of course, she could have a boy and a girl, so you’ll want to send Angelina the Twins Celestial Basket, overflowing with blankets, booties, bibs, plush bears and much more!

Since they named their first biological child Shiloh, I do hope they’ll consider the names Antietam and Gettysburg for these next two. Whatever the outcome, I wish them well. It’s refreshing to see celebrities put their money where their mouth is.