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    Jan74Kelly Faircloth
    1/02/15 5:50pm

    Wait, are babies born right after midnight more desirable than other babies?

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      IwaswonderofwondersJan74
      1/02/15 5:52pm

      They're fresh.

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      Jan74Iwaswonderofwonders
      1/02/15 5:53pm

      I hadn't thought of that. You wouldn't want a stale 2014 baby.

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    BetterLateThanPregnant!Kelly Faircloth
    1/02/15 5:31pm

    Whoa, people are more terrible than I thought.

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      Queen of BithyniaBetterLateThanPregnant!
      1/02/15 5:41pm

      Which people? Kidnappings by strangers from hospitals are not totally unheard of, but they're extremely rare, hugely out of proportion to the degree of security that maternity wards often employ.

      The fact that hospital staff are fearful of a terrible thing happening doesn't mean it's likely to happen.

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      Jan74Queen of Bithynia
      1/02/15 5:51pm

      Also, if a kidnapper did break in, how would they know exactly which babies were born right after midnight, as opposed to the ones born right before it?

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    Dexter MacGyverKelly Faircloth
    1/02/15 5:34pm

    Richmond resident and recent VCU Medical Center patient here—there was a "security breach" a few weeks ago when an employee donated a bunch of CDs with patients medical records/other information on them to a children's art program. Nothing happened and nothing will probably happen, but that's probably why they're withholding the names (vs. there being an actual threat of kidnapping).

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      pibberDexter MacGyver
      1/02/15 5:51pm

      Out of curiosity, what did the person think they were donating? Music?

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      Gnomi Malonepibber
      1/02/15 6:25pm

      The one thing that all children desire. CDs with over 50,000 hours of AOL, free for 45 days.

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    Stephan ZielinskiKelly Faircloth
    1/02/15 6:03pm

    Somewhat to my surprise, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children DOES say something about hospitals announcing New Year births. However, it's part of a general set of guidelines telling hospitals to shut their yaps about their patients, full stop. It's paragraph 3-2-13 on page 20 of For health care professionals: Guidelines on prevention of and response to infant abductions.

    Be aware, if the health care facility's public relations department still releases birth announcements to the news media or social media, no home address or other unique information should be divulged to put the infant and family at risk after discharge. Note: The same holds true for a patient in your facility who gives birth under circumstances such as the first baby of the New Year and Mother's Day. Also facilities should obtain parental consent before publishing an announcement in the newspaper or online.

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      Set Fire to the Room--do it now (fiends NOT friends)Stephan Zielinski
      1/02/15 9:09pm

      "Please pretend to adhere to the barest standards required by HIPAA."

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    It was a Mud Shark, not a Red SnapperKelly Faircloth
    1/02/15 6:08pm

    How will knowing a baby's name (and age) help a scammer steal their identity any more than looking up info at random at the DMV, etc? I seem to be missing something.

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      Gnomi MaloneIt was a Mud Shark, not a Red Snapper
      1/02/15 6:39pm

      I don't know, because if that's all it takes you could just roll in there and ask for a Liam born on January 1st. They'd probably hand you, like, seven babies.

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      PoppyColfaxIt was a Mud Shark, not a Red Snapper
      1/03/15 12:52pm

      I think it's because most medical centers use name and DOB to access records. So anyone could have access to those kids' medical records, since they know name, DOB, and where the records are. And I would guess that if that's where they were born, they'll probably also continue being seen in the same system. You also kinda would know where they live.

      It actually really surprises me how many places, even things that are supposed to be secure, use DOB for login/verification.

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    ziggybloodlustKelly Faircloth
    1/02/15 5:37pm

    Are people even asking them to name the babies? That seems like a weird thing for people to care about...

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      KK4Bamaziggybloodlust
      1/02/15 5:45pm

      Probably not but obviously hospitals have been issuing the information. A local hospital in my city issued a statement yesterday to the news naming the first baby born in 2015 at their hospital.

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      ziggybloodlustKK4Bama
      1/02/15 5:47pm

      Yes, I've seen these sorts of announcements—I just mean it doesn't really seem like the kind of thing the general public is asking for or is interested in.

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    theonlygreyinthevillageKelly Faircloth
    1/02/15 5:49pm

    These stock photo newborns are giant!

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      It was a Mud Shark, not a Red Snappertheonlygreyinthevillage
      1/02/15 6:10pm

      Babies don't look like babies on camera. You have to use horses. Or else, tape a bunch of cats together.

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