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April 30, 2020By Susan Bailey
CFP Correspondent
Baby Charlotte Spring won't be aware of the historic significance of her birth for a few years yet. But, thanks to her family and St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester, she will have a full record of April 24, 2020, the day when her siblings and grandparents came to see her for the first time, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. It took some creative planning to make it all happen.
Charlotte was born April 20. Four days later her family was able to see the newborn at the window of her mother's hospital room.
"They were on the ground floor so my daughter could come to her window, " said Cindy Hammond, the baby's grandmother. "My granddaughter, Sophia, could see her little sister for the first time and she was very excited."
"My daughter went in for a C-section on Monday the 20th and I had my granddaughter, who is 6 years old, with me at my house," said Mrs. Hammond. "Everyone was excited to see the baby, but of course we couldn't because of the virus. Everyone had to stay safe and we quarantined ourselves so we would be OK to have Sophia here at our house."
Other family members present included the baby's grandfather, Alan Hammond, and stepbrother Keaghan Spring.
Sophia wanted to do more than just see the infant, coming up with an idea to create a beautiful sign to welcome her little sister into the world.
"Everyone worked together to make the sign," said Mrs. Hammond. Sophia wanted to do that, so we helped her."
The family made arrangements with St. Vincent before coming.
"My husband didn't want to just stand there on the street without hospital permission; we didn't know what was allowed and what wasn't allowed," said Mrs. Hammond. "So he contacted the hospital and asked them if it was OK for us to do that and that's when we got a call back saying that we could."
Rhiana Sherwood, communications manager for St. Vincent Hospital, was more than happy to cooperate. Photos of the visit were taken, to be published in the hospital's newsletter.
"During these very trying times that our visitors and patients are going through, we are doing our best to help everybody that we serve," said Ms. Sherwood. "We are happy to be able to allow this family to visit each other through the window, despite our current visitor restrictions. It was really touching to be able to see it and we were very happy for them."
Charlotte Ruth Spring was able to go home with her parents in Auburn on April 24. Mrs. Hammond brought Sophia to meet her little sister in person.
"So we do have pictures of her holding her now," said Mrs. Hammond. "And she said, 'This is the best day of my life!’"
