Peter and Sydney Colombo of Amherst with their oldest son Peter, 6, and their youngest son, John, who was born just two-and-a-half hours into the new year. Courtesy photo

MANCHESTER — Catholic Medical Center recently announced the birth of one of New Hampshire’s first babies of the new year.

Peter and Sydney Colombo of Amherst welcomed their son, John Thomas, at 2:29 a.m. on Jan. 1 at The Mom’s Place, CMC’s birthing center. John joins older siblings Peter, 6, Caleb, 3, and Maria, 1.

Sydney shared her praise for her experience at The Mom’s Place, emphasizing the environment of dignity, compassion and holistic care she felt throughout labor and delivery.

“It feels very holistic, you really make it a sacred space for birth,” she said. “You make moms feel dignified at their most undignified moments.”

Sydney, who has delivered three of her four children at CMC, expressed deep appreciation for the center’s commitment to keeping mothers and babies together whenever medically possible.

“Fortunately, none of my babies have had to go to the NICU, but knowing that moms and babies aren’t separated gives me so much comfort,” she said. “If we needed more help, knowing we wouldn’t be separated means everything to me.”

Sydney also values the spiritual support available at CMC.

“I’m Catholic too, so I love having the chapel with the Blessed Sacrament downstairs,” she said. “That’s what I hear from my peers as well — it’s about feeling safe here.”

Sydney also praised CMC’s midwifery services, describing the care team as deeply supportive.

“It feels like being surrounded by sisters, especially in those first moments,” she said. “It’s unbelievable.”

The Colombo family will soon embark on a new chapter. Peter has accepted a position with the U.S. State Department, and the family will relocate temporarily to Washington, D.C., before moving to Costa Rica for a two‒year assignment. They plan to keep their home in New Hampshire and return after the posting.

But Sydney says that if they are expecting another child while living abroad, she would not hesitate to return to CMC for delivery — a testament to the comfort and trust she feels in the care team.

CMC congratulates the Colombo family on the arrival of baby John Thomas and is honored to have been part of this joyful beginning to the new year.