NewsNation’s Morning in America anchor Markie Martin gave birth to a baby girl, Us Weekly can exclusively reveal.
Martin, 34, and her husband, Chris McClain, delivered their first child, daughter Parsons Grey McClain, on Saturday, May 11, at 8:50 PM CT. Parsons was 6 pounds, 14 ounces and 19 inches long.
The name Parsons is a tribute to Martin’s mother’s maiden name, while Grey honors her cherished memories of Camp Greystone, as well as the special bond between Chris and his father through their favorite song, “Fields of Gray,” and a nod to Chris’ late grandfather, Ray.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome our daughter, Parsons, into the world and bring her home! Both mom and baby are happy and healthy – and we’re celebrating this joyful moment as a new family of three with our loved ones,” the couple exclusively told Us Weekly in a joint statement.
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Before Parsons’ birth, Martin frequently took to social media in anticipation of her first child.
“To our daughter , the reporter wrote via Instagram on Friday, May 10, alongside a black and white photo of herself posing with her baby bump in a flowing white dress. “Your dreams are mine, too. Go and chase them, my wild child.”
Earlier this month, Martin shared a snap via Instagram on the day of her last Morning in America show ahead of Parsons’ birth.
“My original plan was to work until Girlfriend arrives next weekend, but after listening to my body and doctor I’ve decided today was my last show for a few months,” Martin captioned the post alongside a photo of her NewsNation team. “This final stretch is so very exciting, but brutally exhausting … And a 1:30am alarm clock to anchor three hours of network news on top of it will go down as the most challenging thing I’ve done to date. And the most proud I’ve ever been.
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She continued: I’ve given all I can give. Time for a few days of rest, deep cleaning, and time with my husband before our entire world turns technicolor. This crew (a fraction of who should be in this photo!) The best. They are the dream team, and I’m blessed to call them friends and colleagues. They make me better than I am, and I’ll miss them terribly. See you all again on air later this summer! But for now, “I gotta go see about a girl.”
Martin first shared the news in December 2023, surprising her colleagues during the “Ask the Doctors” segment.
“This is the worst kept secret of all time,” she said at the time. “I feel like this has been the hardest, worst kept secret, but I am so excited to finally share because I’ve been standing up straight and sucking in for 18 weeks now. I tried!”