Mrs. Holly Onda

As a first-time mother, Holly Onda was understandably nervous entering Gulf Coast Hospital to deliver her son. “My husband and I were excited, but we were also very anxious. From the beginning, the nurses were so kind and talked us through the entire process. I appreciated that they shared information easily, without ever making me feel like I was incapable of understanding it.”

Despite feeling prepped, when Holly’s labor began that morning, panic started to set in while she waited for her epidural. “I turned to a labor and delivery nurse — a woman I’d never met before — and told her ‘I can’t do this.’ She told me, ‘You can do it, you will do it, and everything’s going to be alright.’ Her kindness, reassurance and confidence made me brave, and I knew she was right.”

After that, Holly received her epidural and, less than eight hours later, her son, Wesley, was born. “Holding him in my arms was such a relief. I was so grateful to my doctor and nurses for everything they did during his delivery. They knew exactly what kind of support me, my husband, my child and even my mom needed in those hours — and they provided it with expertise and compassion.”

While Holly recovered in the hospital, her nurses took time to educate her and her husband on what to expect when they brought Wesley home. Now almost a year old, he’s a happy, healthy and “rambunctious” little boy. “Becoming a parent is a wonderful and scary thing. The expert care I received at Gulf Coast Hospital made this experience better than I thought possible. The doctors and nurses that interact with moms and babies every day are truly a special kind of angel — I’ll never forget what they did for my family.”