Confidence When It Counts Most: A Birth Story at QCH

For first-time parents, pregnancy and birth can come with a mix of excitement, questions, and understandable anxiety. For Luka and Gabriella, their experience welcoming their son, Vigo, at Queensway Carleton Hospital (QCH) on October 22, 2025, was defined by compassion and a team that showed up for them at every step. From the first worried phone call to post-discharge care, they felt reassured. As first-time parents, they describe the experience as emotional and life changing.

During pregnancy, Gabriella had some concerns about fetal movement. When she called and came in, Nurse Cindy reassured her and affirmed that coming in was the right decision. That support made a lasting impression. “They never made me feel like I was worrying too much,” Gabriella shared. “They made it clear that coming in was always the right decision, even when everything turned out to be okay.”

An ‘All Hands-on Deck’ Moment

One of the most powerful moments for Luka came during active labour. As Gabriella began pushing, the delivery room quickly filled with nurses and physicians with an all-hands-on-deck approach focused entirely on supporting her and ensuring a safe delivery.

“There was a whole cheer squad around her,” Luka recalled. “Everyone was offering encouragement and reassurance. You could see how motivating it was.” They gave special thanks to Nurse Jasmine, and obstetrician Dr. McKinnon, whose calm leadership and encouragement stood out throughout the delivery.

The team briefly considered a C-section due to the baby’s occiput posterior position. Despite the situation, Gabriella and Luka said they never felt alarmed. Dr. McKinnon encouraged Gabriella to push, and after two hours, she successfully delivered. Dr. McKinnon told them, “You have restored my faith in first-time pushers.”

Supported Beyond Delivery

The family stayed an extra night due to feeding challenges. The postpartum nurses guided Gabriella through feedings, helping build confidence as a first-time parent. The team also provided helpful postpartum resources. “Dr. Prehogan wanted to make sure I felt comfortable and prepared walking out those doors,” Gabriella said. Gabriella’s obstetrician, Dr. Lal even came by their room to say hi and congratulate them, which they found really special.

One week later, Gabriella was concerned that her episiotomy stitches had begun to come out. When she called her obstetrician Dr. Lal, her response was immediate, ‘I’ll take you right away’. “That meant everything,” Gabriella said.

The couple also appreciated the involvement of multiple physicians, including Dr. McKinnon, Dr. Thorne and Dr. Shepherd.

A Message for First-Time Parents

When asked what they would say to other first-time parents considering QCH, Luka and Gabriella didn’t hesitate.

“You go in with anxiety and may feel like you’ll never have enough information,” they said. “QCH completely defied that. The team was always there—during pregnancy, delivery, and even postpartum. The system takes care of you, and it’s done right.”

Their experience, they said, lived up to QCH’s reputation.

“You won’t regret it.”