'A Surreal Moment': Mercy Hospital Welcomes First Baby At New Women's Center

The new Love Family Women's Center opened its doors at 7 a.m. Sunday morning, Mercy staff pulled off a seamless transition into the new building where they delivered their first baby just two hours later.

"We have been talking about April 7th for quite some time," said Dr. Tori O'Daniel, Chair of Mercy's OBGYN Department. "We've been talking about what this building can be and should be really for the last 10 and a half years."

She says the future is bright for women's care in Oklahoma.

"It's honestly a little bit of a surreal moment," Dr. O’Daniel said. "I'm really excited to see what this building will allow us to do."

Just after 9 a.m. Sunday, Mercy's staff hit the ground running.

"Immediately we had people coming into our OBED and we had our first c-section by 9 a.m. this morning," said Mercy’s labor and delivery nurse manager Carol Chambless.

Nurse Manager Carol Chambless was in the room as new parents Logan and Lauren welcomed their daughter Lois into the world.

"It was great, and it went well," Chambless said.

It was a special moment for the family and Mercy's staff.

Dr. Gary Strebel delivered the first baby at Mercy 50 years ago and on Sunday he assisted his daughter, Dr. Jennifer Strebel, in delivering baby Lois.

"That really was like a little piece of history coming forward," Chambless said.

A legacy that's sure to continue with the advancements in the new Women’s Center.

"There's space in here for us to grow into," O’Daniel said. "We can do simulations and education classes really for anyone who is interested in doing them."

But for now, day one went off without a hitch.

"Our staff was really ready and prepared, and our nursing staff did a great job," O’Daniel said.

With 15 delivery rooms, 47 post-partum rooms, and a host of additional services, the Love Family Women's Center aims to revolutionize women's care in Oklahoma.