Beloit Health System Family and Friends Await Baby's Arrival by Hosting a COVID Friendly Outdoor Lobby

BELOIT, WI. — Proud new parents, Devin Huffman and Timothy Joseph, T.J. Huffman welcomed their first child, baby girl, Wren Lee Huffman. Born 7lbs, 5oz and 19.5,” Wren arrived at 3:39 pm on August 19 in the newest wing of the recently renovated Packard Family Care Center. Proud new Mom, Devin, is a teacher at Hackett Elementary School, and Dad, T.J., is a City of Beloit Firefighter. T.J.’s two sisters work for BHS as both a CT Tech and RN in the Family Care Center.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing visitor restrictions, the Huffman’s family and friends created a way to set up an outdoor waiting room on the hospital campus lawn overlooking the window where Devin and T.J. were located. Eagerly arriving baby’s arrival, family and friends spent the day watching the window where a pink or blue poster board would be displayed announcing baby’s gender.

“We tested out the windows to figure out which one would allow our sign to be most visible. Then, we let friends and family know the exact location,” commented T.J. It was a small gathering in the beginning. Grandparents had spent the night overnight in their cars in the parking lot, and more friends and family joined by the hour, socially distanced in lawn chairs waiting together in support.

“At first, I had a hard time knowing I would not be able to have visitors. My mother has been an OB/GYN nurse for over 31 years, and I always imagined that she would be by my side. My mom assured me everything was going to be ok, and that she would still be with me,” commented Devin. Using technology, family was successful in keeping in touch every step of the way. “As soon as Wren arrived, we conducted a mass ZOOM call for everyone in the lawn, we opened up the blinds and could share our joy in real-time. We could see everyone’s faces and reactions. We were elated, it was very special. For those who were not here, we placed individual face time calls and connected to share the news.” Beloit Health System congratulates the Huffman family and wish them the very best!

During this national health crisis, safety measures and diligent precautions remain top priority.

About Beloit Health System

Beloit Health System is an independent community health system serving northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. We offer world-class facilities and services to improve the overall health of the communities we serve with cornerstones for quality, engagement, integrity, and patient satisfaction.

For more information, please contact Megan Goggin, Manager of Marketing and Community Relations at 608.363.5714 or email mgoggin@beloithealthsystem.org.