Leap day newborns treated to frog outfits

Leap day comes but once every four years. This time several hospitals across the country were ready for the quadrennial occasion with special outfits for their newborns.

Osceola Regional Medical Center, Kissimmee, Fla.; St. Clair Hospital, Pittsburgh; St. Francis Hospital-Memphis (Tenn.); SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital-St. Louis; and the Woman’s Hospital of Texas, Houston, all found a way to costume their little bundles in frog finery.

Osceola Regional greeted five babies Feb. 29, dressing them in outfits crocheted by the president of the hospital’s auxiliary.

At SSM Health St. Mary’s, the total count was “lucky number seven,” said Kanna Rook, communications consultant at the hospital.

They were adorned with frog hats and frog blankets, knitted by members of Mightiest Mamas, a not-for-profit that offers support to NICU moms at the hospital. “Their moms received goodie bags as well,” Rook said.

This year marked St. Clair Hospital’s second time dressing up leap day babies, with one special newborn arriving that day. But the hospital decided to give each baby born the last week of February an outfit. “The parents loved the experience. It makes the joy of welcoming a newborn extra special,” said Marianne Olschesky, community outreach and marketing specialist.

St. Francis Hospital-Memphis was another first-timer for the leap day festivities, with one birth that day. The hospital has a tradition of outfitting newborns for holidays. “They have donned baby animal costumes for Halloween, turkey costumes for Thanksgiving and Christmas leg warmers and hats. It has become a fun ritual for staff and parents,” said Valerie Burrow, a hospital spokeswoman.