The LewisGale Regional Health System will no longer announce new year babies. This comes after recommendations from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The center encouraged hospitals to reconsider providing birth announcements to the media because of infant abduction concerns. The change impacts both LewisGale Medical Center and LewisGale Hospital Montgomery, the two LewisGale hospitals that deliver babies. Both LewisGale hospitals still found a special way to celebrate the first baby born in the new year. At LewisGale Medical Center the parents of the first baby of 2015 received a $250 gift card from the hospital. At LewisGale Hospital Montgomery the baby was given a hand knitted blanket and hat to go home in along with a diaper bag full of baby care items.
