What’s in a Name? Care, Compassion and Trust
ROLLA, Mo. – Heather Achterberg, 24, of Rolla, hadn’t planned to name her youngest daughter after anyone in particular. But soon after her daughter was born at Phelps Health last October, Heather knew exactly what the baby’s name was going to be, Nataley Nicole Paige Achterberg.
Heather explains how the name came together piece by piece, shaped by the nurses who were by her side: Natalie Look, BSN, RN; Amy Nicole Harris, RN; and Paige Alvarado, certified nurse midwife (CNM).
During her first delivery at Phelps Health, Heather remembers Amy stepping in to offer support when it was needed most.
“I was afraid and feeling anxious,” Heather recalled. “It was time to get my epidural and my nurse was called away. Amy came in and calmed me down. She talked me through everything and made such an impact.”
Amy continued to check on Heather for the rest of the day, taking time to pop in even after the assigned nurse had returned. At shift change, Heather was introduced to Natalie.
“Natalie was my nurse for only 2 hours,” said Heather. “But the care she gave me and my husband made such a difference, both during the delivery and afterward.”
When Heather delivered her second child, Amy and Natalie were not her nurses, but made it a priority to check in on mother and baby.
“They were just like family, coming to see how I was doing and take pictures with my baby,” Heather said. “It made me feel so special—I absolutely love them.”
With baby number three, Heather’s OB/GYN, Wes Harden, MD, FACOG, was out of the office the week she was scheduled to be induced. Dr. Harden had delivered her first two children and Heather was worried about giving birth without him. But he reassured her she'd be in good hands with Paige delivering her baby.
“I was worried at first,” she recalled. “But Paige is very calm and explains everything. She was phenomenal.”
At first, Heather says they didn’t have a name picked out. Her husband, Zach, was set on honoring Natalie. To keep the new baby’s name in line with their older children’s names, which end in -ley, they decided on Nataley.
Nicole, chosen as a family name, also became a connection to Amy.
“We didn’t realize it at first,” Heather said. “But they told us that was Amy’s middle name. It was perfect.”
When the name Paige was added, everything fell into place.
“She’s named after all of them now,” Heather exclaimed.
Heather says the care she received at Phelps Health stood out not just in individual moments, but in the way the entire team worked together to support her.
“Every nurse at Phelps Health really seems to care about you,” she said. “I absolutely love their labor and delivery team.”
Like most first-time mothers, Heather was uncertain when she came to Phelps Health to deliver her first child. She didn’t have a birth plan, and wasn’t sure about many of the decisions she was presented with. As the nurses offered advice and explained benefits and drawbacks, Heather’s trust grew. Now she can’t imagine delivering anywhere else.
“This is the only place I've delivered a baby, and I will come back,” Heather said. “Even if I moved out of town, I would come back here to Phelps Health.”
Each part of her daughter’s name—Nataley Nicole Paige—represents someone who was there to support her, guide her and help bring her daughters into the world.
And for Heather, that’s exactly what makes the name feel right.About Phelps Health
Phelps Health serves over 200,000 residents in south-central Missouri. Phelps Health is county-owned, non-tax supported and overseen by a five-member elected board. Phelps Health employs more than 1,900 people, including 100-plus providers. Phelps Health, which includes a hospital licensed for 240 patient beds, serves a six-county area, with its main campus and several clinics in Rolla, Missouri. Phelps Health also has clinics in Salem, St. James, Vienna and Waynesville, Missouri. For more information, visit phelpshealth.org.
