It looks like Madonna's picked a pediatrician for little Lourdes Maria. None other than Paul Fleiss, baby doctor to the stars and father of convicted Hollywood madam Heidi, will care for the infant.
Dr. Fleiss was the first person to tell reporters that Madonna had given birth yesterday, shortly before the official announcement. And he has confirmed that he will also care for the babe. Fleiss, who works at Los Angeles' Good Samaritan Hospital--scene of one of the most-publicized births since Bethlehem's manger--has also doctored the children of other celebrities, including Harrison Ford.
Fleiss served nine months of house arrest after he pled guilty to tax-evasion charges related to Heidi's brothel business. Heidi is currently being treated for crystal-meth addiction at an L.A. rehab center.
Meanwhile, a small army of press remains camped outside the hospital hoping for some new angle to the story. According to one freelance photog, there is already a bounty on the baby. The first paparazzi to deliver an authentic, exclusive pic of Lourdes Maria can expect a paycheck around $350,000. There is some uncertainty, however, if Madonna and child are still at Good Samaritan.
For those of you keeping track at home, Lourdes is a small French town where St. Bernadette saw a vision of the first Madonna and pilgrims come to take the healing water (for more information, you can, believe it or not, visit its Website). Apparently, the Material Mom had a change of heart when it came to monikers--Madonna originally said she wanted to name the child Lola. By the way, the correct pronunciation of the baby's name is LOR-dis (unlike the town in France, which is LUURD). Bet the other kids will end up calling her Lola.
Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon was born yesterday at 4:01 p.m. PT by Caesarean section after three hours of labor. According to an official statement, child, mother and father, Cuban-born Carlos Leon, are all doing fine.
And now, says Madonna's spokeswoman, "there will absolutely be no further information or statements."