June was a very unusual month at Calvert Memorial Hospital. Sure, there were 30 days - the same as always. But then a baby boom swept through the Family Birth Center. First, came Emily and Caleb, followed by Meadow and Aidan, who were later joined by Skylar and Brody.

And one hour before midnight on June 30, Ashley Nicole weighed in at six pounds 15 ounces. She was greeted by first-time parents Jennifer and Richard Sweeney of Chesapeake Beach and set a new record for CMH - 100 deliveries in one month. In all, 103 babies were delivered including three sets of twins.

Normally, the hospital averages about 70 births per month, according to CMH Vice President Susan Dohony, who oversees the Family Birth Center. "The staff did a phenomenal job," she said," assisting each other and working extra hours voluntarily. They were very proactive to ensure that everyone's experience was as positive as possible and that medical priorities were promptly addressed."

For her part, Ashley Nicole is settling in just fine. "She's a good baby," says Jennifer. "She sleeps three to four hours at a time," and then adds with a laugh, "but mostly during the day."

The first-time mom is feeling good, too. "The biggest challenge is getting enough sleep," she said, "or just finding time to take a shower."

Who does Ashley look like? "Well, she has her daddy's hair and face shape," says Jennifer, "but she has my chin and nose." Named by Richard, Ashley has his mom's middle name.

Is she a daddy's girl? "The first thing he does when he comes home is spend time with Ashley," says Jennifer. "We change and feed the baby together. It's family time." She adds, "He's definitely a proud daddy. He calls her his princess or doodle-bug."

Jennifer has lived in Calvert for 20 years. Her family moved here from Prince George's County when she was six years old. Her parents, Linda and Ted Jones, still live in Owings. Her husband, Richard, moved here three years ago when they got married. He works locally at Calvert Trash. His parents, Robert and Shirley Sweeney, are close by in Upper Marlboro.

Jennifer says the delivery was "fairly smooth." She was induced at 10:35 p.m. and Dr. Michelle Johnson delivered Ashley Nicole at 10:56 p.m. "She's very caring and compassionate," says Jennifer.

She also complimented the staff on their helpfulness. "There were many positives," says Jennifer. "Most importantly, if I had a question or needed something, the nurses came in right away." She also likes the web nursery that lets her out-of-state relatives see Ashley Nicole's photo.

For families choosing to have their baby at Calvert Memorial, the hospital has created a special kit to help make the process a little bit easier. To request a free copy, call the Women's Health Resource Line at 410-414-4569. This fall, CMH will offer a three-part series called "Thinking of Having a Baby?"