Jenny Bishop of White Hall, mother of the first baby born at Passavant Area Hospital, did not envision becoming pregnant in 2020. But her baby girl, born Jan. 4, 2021, is everything Bishop imagined she would be.
“She was a little unexpected. I didn’t intend to become pregnant in the middle of [the COVID-19 pandemic],” said Bishop, who gave birth to Juniper Opal Riggs at 3:31 p.m. on Jan. 4.
Juniper’s father is Jacob Riggs of White Hall. “I was hoping for a girl,” Bishop said, “and that she’d look a little like me, and have [Jacob’s] hair and the Riggs nose and my eyes and my chin, and she does. She looks just how I thought she would.”
Juniper was born weighing 5 pounds, 10 ounces and measuring 18 ½ inches long. She has one sibling, Jason Vernon Riggs, 4.
“For the longest time, I’ve just thought, if I were to ever have a baby girl, I wanted to name her Juniper,” said Bishop, describing how she decided on her daughter’s name. “And, the name has to start with a ‘J’. That was something [Jacob and] I agreed on.”
Juniper’s brother, Jason, is excited to meet his sister, Bishop said. “When I was pregnant, he would kiss my belly and say, ‘I’m kissing your sister!’ We’d remind him, ‘She’s your sister!’ He’s practiced putting a diaper on a stuffed animal. I think he’s excited to love on her.”
Passavant Area Hospital Family Maternity Suites staff presented the family with a gift basket that included diapers and clothing for the baby, a blanket, a stuffed toy, a rubber duck and a book.