Employees of the airport’s Fire and Ice jewelry store are being credited with assisting the mother during the unexpected labor and delivery. According to reports, a concerned traveler told employees of the Fire and Ice store, located in BWI’s Concourse D, that a woman seemed to be in labor in a nearby restroom. Fire and Ice employees quickly investigated and called the airport’s emergency line at 2:20 p.m., with the baby boy’s birth occurring very shortly thereafter. The airport’s Fire and Ice store manager, Margette Ward, and a Maryland Transportation Authority police officer who responded to the emergency call, assisted the anonymous woman (whose identity has not been made public) as she gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

Emergency officials transported the woman and her newborn son 6 miles to the Baltimore Washington Medical Center in Glen Burnie, Maryland where, according to a hospital spokesperson, they are recovering well and are both healthy. The mother is declining interview requests at this time, and has asked for her identity to remain confidential due to privacy concerns.

Many airlines do not allow women in the third trimester of their pregnancy to fly. Concerns over the health and safety of the mother and her unborn child, in addition to the possibility of a woman going into labor while airborne, have lead many airlines to draft such policies recommending against women taking part in air travel in their 7th, 8th and 9th months of pregnancy. However, hospital officials have declined to share how far along the woman was in her pregnancy when she gave birth in a restroom at Baltimore’s Thurgood Marshall International Airport (BWI).

The expectant mother arrived in Baltimore’s Concourse D on an inbound flight. Airport spokespeople have have not stated whether she is a resident of the Baltimore area or was on a layover at the Thurgood Marshall International Airport. At this time, it is unclear where the woman’s inbound flight had originated before it landed in BWI’s Concourse D. Concourse D currently serves US Airways, United Airlines, JetBlue Airlines, Cape Air, and Continental Airlines.

Please Read On…

Kids who go to bed early and get up early are less likely to become obese than those who do not, according to an Australian study released Friday.

Children who went to bed late and got up late were 1.5 times more likely to become obese than those who went to bed early and got up early, researchers from the University of South Australia found.

Kids who stayed up late were also almost twice as likely to be physically inactive and 2.9 times more likely to sit in front of the TV or play video games for more hours than guidelines recommend.

It Makes Sense

The researchers concluded that mornings were more conducive to physical activity than nights, as kids were often distracted with prime-time TV and other sedentary activities in the evening. Sound familiar? If we’re going to turn this childhood-obesity problem around, we need parents to care enough about the well-being of their kids to step up their parenting when it comes to nutrition and physical activity.

Make It A Family Affair

“It” is healthy eating and exercise. You’re in control of what your kids (newborn to teens, at least) eat and, to a great extent, how they spend their time.  Involve your kids in meal preparation; let them help you find healthy recipes they think they’d like. Engage them in the kitchen and talk about good nutrition. Remind them of the consequences of poor eating habits (but not at the expense of others who are dealing with the problem), encourage them to try new, healthy options for snacks. Take walks as a family in the evenings. Hold games and relay races for kids in your neighborhood; get other parents to participate in organizing. Not only will you know what your kids are up to in the afternoons and evenings, you’ll also know the activity is good for them! Resistant kids? What a surprise. Just remind yourself who’s the parent…

Starting from Birth

In an earlier post, I offered this recommendation from recent British government studies:

For babies who can’t walk yet, the government says physical activity should be encouraged from birth, including infants playing on their stomach and swimming sessions with their parents.

That gets babies moving, and Corner Stork is here to help in the “sleep” department (not that newborns don’t get plenty of sleep!) You’ll find lots of adorable sleep-time layette sets among our Baby Clothes, including the ultra-adorable “Big Dreamzzz” Baby MD (a great Halloween costume, too!) Get your children into good sleeping, eating and exercise habits, and, throughout their lives, they’ll require fewer MD visits! Happy Hump Day!

Why the Lie?

Did Beyonce and Jay-Z think people wouldn’t be over-the-moon happy for them if they announced her pregnancy when she didn’t have much to show for it? Does drama have to be added to every celebrity’s life to keep them in the headlines? Wouldn’t the headline “Beyonce is Pregnant!” become overshadowed by the headline that reads, “Beyonce Fakes Baby Bump!”? In today’s world, when people–especially celebrities (including politicians)–are under a public microscope 24/7, why would you set yourself up for a fall (i.e. being caught in a lie, no matter how harmless)? The only reason I can muster is the old adage, “Bad publicity is better than no publicity at all.”

I Still Don’t Get It

Since when does Beyonce have trouble getting positive publicity? Even with no belly showing, her fans would have been thrilled to learn she’s going to be a mother.  For me, this whole charade reinforces the sad truth about today’s technology- and social media-driven world–we can no longer believe anything we see or hear in the media. Photoshop, film and TV technology (which produces some extraordinary movies for which we willingly suspend our disbelief), lie upon lie and audience manipulation from once-credible news agencies and, of course, the empty promises of politicians have created a world where nothing we see or hear can be trusted.

The Truth About Reality Shows

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I think you probably already know this. They’re scripted. The fights, the drama, all the issues–scripted for the most part.  Otherwise, you wouldn’t watch.  Even some of the drama on shows like “American Idol” and “Dancing With the Stars” is contrived to make “reality” more interesting to the viewers. Will that stop me from watching “American Idol” or “Dancing With the Stars”? Of course not.  I just ignore the drama and take the heartbreaking back stories for what I know they’re worth.

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Back to Beyonce

As with anything I see or hear in the media, I have no idea if the story of her bogus baby bump is true. And in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t really matter to me one way or the other. We all believe what we want to believe, nothing more. Nothing less. Here’s something I do believe…

Beyonce and Jay-Z’’s baby will be a media darling. Even if she did attempt to fake us out, we’re tickled blue that she’s having a baby boy, and he’ll be showered with baby boy gifts! If you’re a fan and want to get “little Z” a gift, choose something sensational from The Corner Stork, one of the best online baby gift sites around! And that’s the truth!

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We’re thrilled to announce that the winner of our 6th Anniversary $66 Giveaway is Rita! Congratulations, Rita! I’ll be in touch with you today to tell you how to access your gift certificate! Thanks so much to everyone who entered!

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Eva Ottosson of Nottingham, England, waved goodbye to her baby-bearing years a while ago. Her daughter, Sara, cannot have children because of a serious birth defect that left her without a womb. Long story short, they’re about to do the first human womb transplant ever! Mom Eva is giving her daughter her womb so she can have a baby.

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IF IT WORKS, IT’S HUGE!

This surgery, which will be performed in Sweden, has never been done on humans before. Experimental womb transplants  have been done successfully on mice, who carried and gave birth to babies via transplanted wombs.  If this transplant is successful, women everywhere will owe Eva and her daughter a debt of gratitude for their courage.

I, for one, am hoping with all my heart that the surgery works. Sara will know the complete joy of being pregnant and having a baby. She’ll have a totally different perspective on picking baby clothes, decorating a nursery, preparing for the future.  Good luck to Eva and Sara! We’re pulling for you!

I’ll keep you posted on what happens as soon as I know something.

Meanwhile, read the whole story here: http://tinyurl.com/44bfcnp

This just announced…Fisher Price is recalling quite a number of their toys and baby products for safety reasons.  Complaints of injuries sustained during use prompted the action.  Although CornerStork does not carry any of these baby gifts, we still want to keep our customers informed.  Here’s a list of the tricycles, toys and high chairs in question:

7 million Fisher-Price Trikes and Tough Trikes toddler tricycles that have a protruding ignition key in the console, which a child can sit on or strike causing injury and even genital bleeding.

1 million Healthy Care, Easy Clean and Close to Me High Chairs after seven children reported falling on the pegs on the back of the high chair used to store the tray.

2.8 million Baby Playzone Crawl & Cruise Playground toys, Baby Playzone Crawl & Slide Arcade toys, Baby Gymtastics Play Wall toys, Ocean Wonders Kick & Crawl Aquarium toys, 1-2-3 Tetherball toys and Bat & Score Goal toys because the inflation valve can come off and pose a choking hazard to children (more than 50 reports of the valves coming off the balls were made.)

For more information, visit the company’s website at http://www.service.mattel.com or http://www.cpsc.gov for the dates of sale, model numbers and instructions for repair or replacement of the recalled products.

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How to Foster Hip Baby Fashion

Save the day with a unique baby gift that’s sweetness and style wrapped in a smile! “Lollipop Loungewear,” brand-new and beautiful from Baby Aspen, is a brightly colored, three-piece layette set for the newborn jet set. The snappy hues are the perfect stimulation for contemplation, and the top-and-bottom style gives baby a break from that long parade of onesies.

What’s more, you don’t need to gift-wrap “Lollipop Loungewear.” The adorable lollipop gift presentation stands on its own, and besides, it would be awful tough to wrap with the lollipop stick tearing through the paper every time you try to wrap it. I’m hoping this is the first of a long line of “Lollipop Loungewear” from Baby Aspen—my sweet tooth is screaming with joy just thinking about all the “flavor” combinations still out there!

For those of you who are still ramping up your social media language skills, here’s a translation:

Hi! How are you? Question for you. Are you over the top when it comes to instant messaging, Facebook and Twitter? In my opinion, face-to-face interaction is as easy as 1-2-3 compared to this. Know what I mean? I feel like an idiot wrapped in a moron. But if this is your thing, may the force be with you.

And a powerful force it is. So powerful, in fact, that social media permeates every aspect of our lives—including the world of baby gifts and baby clothes. We just don’t tweet and FB to show you what’s hot in baby fashion. Today, the medium is truly the message. You just have to be a kid to understand most of it.

The younger, the better.  That’s why these two baby bodysuits are a big hit! I have a niece who’s not even two years old, and she’s already going to town on her mom’s iPhone. She has a long way to go to memorize all the text-messaging and chat abbreviations (there are hundreds!), but I’m fairly confident she’ll get there way before I do. Meanwhile, I highly recommend this stylish social media-plugging attire for the nOOb* in your life! BBS!

* Newbie!

Infantino Baby Slings
You may remember hearing about this. On March 24, Infantino  recalled 1 million SlingRider and Wendy Bellissimo baby slings due to a suffocation risk. There were three infant deaths associated with these baby slings, which prompted an advisory to stop using these slings immediately for infants under 4 months old. In fact, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC) has warned of baby-sling danger, regardless of the brand.  Don Mays of Consumer Reports says that the potential hazards of putting small babies—especially newborns—into bag-style slings arise because, “A very young infant’s head will be folded forward. That cuts off the airway, and they essentially suffocate. Another problem could be if the baby’s head could be nestled up against the carrier’s body.”
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Gund Baby Books
In April, about 15,000 Gund board books were recalled because the styrofoam filling in the book binding can detach, posing a choking hazard. The miniature board books measure about 4″ x 7″ and have a rattle handle. The three book styles included in the recall are: Animals (059174), Numbers (059175) and Colors (059176). They were sold separately and as a 3-book set. You’ll find the item number  on the back of the book. Don’t buy them. Moms, stop using these books  immediately and contact Gund at 800-436-3726 or their Web site for a replacement product.

Fork & Spoon Sets
About 127,000 Scooby Doo, Tweety and Batman plastic fork and spoon sets sold at Dollar Tree and Deals stores have been recalled because the middle fork tines can detach, creating a choking hazard. Don’t use the these utensils. Instead, return them to a Dollar Tree or Deals store for a refund.

Baby Bracelets and Pacifier Clips
Baby jewelry is a popular newborn gift, but make sure the quality is top-notch. Nine-hundred baby bracelets and pacifier clips were recalled in April by Allreds because the jewelry and clips contain high levels of lead, resulting in at least one child being treated for elevated lead levels. The bracelets and pacifier clips have plastic beads and a metal clasp. Moms, don’t use the jewelry and call 866-695-3551 for a replacement product.

Plush Books
At the end of last year, Simon & Schuster recalled about 142,000 plush “Monday the Bullfrog” books because the plastic eye on the frog can come off, posing a choking hazard. “Monday” is a plush bullfrog with a board book inside its mouth, where the identifying number ISBN 10: 1416912312 or 13: 9781416912316 is also printed. Call 800-732-9531 or visit Simon & Schuster’s Web site for a free replacement product.

Just about every new Mom — and sometimes even pregnant ladies — knows the struggle of juggling mommy, wife, work, church, social responsibilities and everything else at one time.  With so much to keep up with, it’s no wonder she does something completely spacey or is sometimes forgetful, like driving a mile down the road with a cup of coffee on the roof of the car.

Well, we may not be able to do anything about the coffee on the car, but we might can help with some of the baby-related stuff you have to remember.  Thanks to the helpful folks at Voxiva, there is a free text-messaging service designed for expectant parents.  This Washington-based, health-messaging business has partnered with the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition and other companies and nonprofit agencies, including 16 telcoms that  donated their networks, to provide the a text alert service to remind Mom to take her vitamins, get an exam, etc.

Here’s How It Works!

Simply send a one-word text message consisting of the word BABY (or BEBE for Spanish) to 511-411.  At the prompt, enter your baby’s due date and your ZIP code. That’s all it takes to start receiving these helpful little reminders.  “It’s like carrying around your own personal pediatrician, reminding you to take your vitamins or to go for your ultrasound, from the time you sign up until about a year after your delivery,” says Warren Buckleitner of the New York Times.  How cool is that?!

How We Can Help

Corner Stork Baby Gifts might not be able to tell you when your next doctor’s appointment is due, but we sure can tell you when to get those adorable baby shower favors–NOW!

Well, not exactly, but at least about month prior to your baby shower.  To save time and money, we offer a great selection of favors to match just about any theme and can ship them right to your door with ease.  How’s that for an alert?!