One doctor's inspirational welcome speech to a new baby has gone viral, and the new parents say their obstetrician is worth every bit of love he's getting online.
For Soneasha and George Baker, the birth of their baby boy in December marked a moment of great joy after a heartbreaking miscarriage.
What prompted Giannis George Baker's birth to go viral on Instagram and TikTok, though, was a gesture from the Bakers' OB-GYN, Dr. Richard Bridgewater.
Soon after delivering Giannis into the world, Bridgewaer recorded a video for the newborn (and his parents), speaking about the love that had kept him safe and brought him into the world. Going one step further, he sang "Happy Birthday."
"I want to introduce you to yourself. Look how handsome you are," Bridgewater says in the video, as he positions little Giannis, all pink and new, before the camera. "So today is your birthday, December 8."
"I want you to look at these beautiful people here. That's your mother, and that's your father. They're the foundation to your whole life. But you need to know that your mother sacrificed so much to have you," he continues. "So on days like this, we celebrate by singing Happy Birthday. Ready?"
Then, Soneasha Baker, George Baker, and Dr. Bridgewater all join in singing the classic tune.
"I was crying," Soneasha Baker tells TODAY.com in an interview about the video featuring Dr. Bridgewater and her son. "It was significant."
It's not just the Bakers who think Bridgewater is exceptional. Their post received thousands of comments.
"He was my doctor! I can confirm he does this to all the babies he delivers!" one user commented.
"That is my OB-GYN, and he definitely does this; he did it for me when I delivered my son," one user replied.
"He delivered my nephew, and my god, the words he spoke had the whole room in tears," another wrote. "God bless him cause that was 7 years ago. Heart is pure."
For the Bakers, Dr. Bridgewater's competent, patient-centered approach meant everything after they'd endured a loss at 18 weeks in 2023.
"My previous OB wasn't as caring; he made it seem like a loss was normal at that far," Soneasha Baker explains. "Something just told me I needed to find another provider."
The Bakers turned to Bridgewater on a friend's recommendation and knew they were in the right hands from their first appointment.
"He was very reassuring," Soneasha Baker says. "He let me know that that's not normal. He made me feel heard. He said, 'I'm gonna figure it out. We're gonna figure it out. We're gonna get you this rainbow baby.' And that's what he did."
As is common after a pregnancy loss, the expectant parents had a lot of anxiety. Bridgewater was right there with them.
"He knew I was very insecure about my pregnancy. I was very scared. He reassured me, 'It's real. Baby has a heartbeat. It's a baby here. You're OK. We're gonna get through this,'" she says.
Bridgewater worked closely with a perinatologist and made sure that Soneasha and George both could feel comfortable asking him questions.
"He even asked me, did I have any questions," George says. "That was something different for me because doctors focus on the mom and the baby, and, you know, Dad is just kind of just sitting there ... Dr. Bridgewater made me feel very involved."
The couple also recalls the profound way Bridgewater showed up for them on the day of delivery. After hours of labor into the early morning hours, Soneasha Baker was stuck at nine centimeters for over an hour. "He stayed there, waited. Majority of the doctors would have gone home," she says.
At 4:24 a.m., the couple welcomed their baby boy. Still, Bridgewater didn't run to the next patient or head home for some rest, like most other doctors might.
"After the baby is born, they're out the door. That's it. They're out," Soneasha recalls. "He waited around. It was not expected at all. He needs to do, like, a convention for other providers, teaching compassion."
Both parents credit Bridgwater for elevating the bar of expectations for new parents.
"Find an OB that's patient. Find an OB where time is not important to them. Because a lot of OBs in our country today, time is important," Soneasha Baker says. "Find an OB that listens to you, that's patient with you, and makes you feel heard. If you don't feel important to that OB, if you just feel like a number or a check to that OB, find another one. Keep looking until you find someone that moves you. When you do find that OB that moves you, you will know that this is the one."