Families celebrated at Redlands Community Hospital’s Oh Baby Day!

If you’ve had a little one born at Redlands Community Hospital over the last two decades, the birth certificate has been personally signed by hospital President and CEO James R. Holmes.

With about 2,200 to 2,400 babies born a year, which is almost 200 babies a month, “that’s a lot of signatures, but it’s a special honor,” he says.

“I feel like I’m part of the family, and that’s what today is about, celebrating family.”

Holmes, along with hospital staff and nurses did just that during Oh Baby Day! Saturday, an event welcoming families with babies born at the hospital.

Nearly 3,000 showed to mark the event, which was the largest turnout in a few years, organizers said.

Among those celebrating included Redlands Police officer Chris Mead and his wife, Revay. Their youngest, Connor, 3, was born in 2013.

And the family has a longstanding generation at RCH.

Revay was also born at the hospital, along with her brother and mother.

“We’re definitely a Redlands family,” she said.

Saturday’s celebration marked the hospital’s 75th Oh Baby Day! event along with the 30th anniversary of the neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU, a special nursery for babies born prematurely or have other medical problems requiring special needs.

The day’s festivities included activities, food, games and a group photo that will be canvassed and displayed in the hospital’s “Hall of History.” Families in attendance received a special commemorative photo to celebrate their place of birth.

Baby Day began May 12, 1929 two months after Redlands Community Hospital opened and is now held every five years.