Bridget’s Journey: Welcoming Baby Maurice with the Support of Go

For Bridget Butcher of Petersburg, Indiana, becoming a mother was a journey filled with both excitement and unknowns. As a first-time mom, she wanted to feel confident in her maternity care. Recommendations from trusted friends led her to Good Samaritan and OB/GYN Dr. Dustin Blackwell.

“I had some community members who recommended Dr. Blackwell,” Bridget shared. “They knew I was active and loved running and weightlifting, and they said, ‘Honey, if you go down the road of being a mom, maybe you should look this direction.’ He had such great reviews and it felt like a natural fit for me at that time in my life. I’m super happy with that decision. It was the perfect start to my journey with Good Samaritan.”

When it came time to prepare for delivery, Bridget and her husband Colin leaned on Good Samaritan’s perinatal services and educational programs.

“We took the all-day Prepared Childbirth class with Dawn Griggs, Perinatal Navigator at Good Samaritan, and it was fantastic,” Bridget explained. “It touched on so many different topics such as labor, delivery, breastfeeding, diapering, and infant CPR. We left that class feeling so much more prepared and confident. Dawn was such a cheerleader for us, always reminding us, ‘You can do this.’ Even our moms came back for a refresher class because it had been 30 years since they had babies.”

When the day finally arrived, Bridget says her birth experience with baby Maurice, affectionately called “Mo,” was everything she hoped it would be and more.

“Giving birth at Good Samaritan was everything I could have asked for,” Bridget said. “It was my first child and my first time experiencing all of it. The nurses, the lactation specialists, and the perinatal staff surrounded me with love and support before, during, and after. I actually kept calling the hospital the ‘hotel’ when I got home because that is how well we were taken care of.”

Even in the weeks after delivery, Bridget and Colin felt the ongoing support from the team. “We were given so much education and encouragement that made us feel confident as parents,” Bridget said. “Being new parents is the best thing we have ever done, and we could not be more grateful for how Good Samaritan supported us along the way.”

For Dawn Griggs, Perinatal Navigator at Good Samaritan, walking alongside families like Bridget’s is exactly what her role is meant to be.

“I connected with Bridget and Colin during their first pregnancy,” Dawn shared. “We did Prepared Childbirth classes, and I was available throughout for support and education. She delivered a healthy, beautiful boy named Maurice, and I have been able to stay in touch during the postpartum and newborn period. I even provided a refresher course for their mothers on updated baby safety guidelines. Truly, this is the journey of what perinatal support should be, walking with women and families during and after pregnancy and birth.”

Reflecting on her experience, Bridget encourages other parents-to-be to consider Good Samaritan for their maternity care.

“If you are looking for a place that is really going to wrap their arms around you before, during, and after, Good Samaritan is that place,” she said. “They gave us the tools and confidence to be the best parents we can be.”

Click here to learn more about childbirth, breastfeeding and CPR classes.