Maternity photo shoot turns into surprise ‘fairytale’ proposal

A first-time Lockyer Valley mum has told how her maternity photo shoot turned into a surprise marriage proposal just days before her premature baby boy was born at Mater Mothers’ Hospital.

Baby Jonah Lee Gray was born on November 30. Picture: Renae Droop/RDW Photography

Newly engaged Jovana Cakovan was on hospital bedrest for more than six weeks before little Jonah Lee Gray was born via an emergency caesarean section on November 30.

She had no idea that her planned maternity shoot within the hospital gardens would turn into a “wonderful surprise”.

Ms Cakovan’s partner Justin Gray dropped to one knee in the gardens outside the hospital entrance and proposed on November 18 – also his own birthday.

He wanted to show his partner how much he loved her and their unborn son.

New mum Jovana Cakovan with her baby Jonah Lee Gray. Picture: Renae Droop/RDW Photography

After being admitted to Mater Mothers’ Hospital on October 15, Ms Cakovan, from Regency Downs, said she was worried about missing out on a maternity shoot.

“I was really happy and excited to dress up and put makeup on for our maternity shoot,” Ms Cakovan said.

“I had no idea Justin planned to propose to me. It’s really funny because he let it slip the night before that he had to go pick up the ring.

“He covered this up by saying he meant ‘things’ and that he and his mum were talking about rings.

“I know what he is like, and he usually mixes words up anyway, so I didn’t think much of it.

“I also didn’t think he would propose to me on his birthday, so it was definitely a wonderful surprise.”

Jovana Cakovan was confined to hospital bed before her baby arrived. Picture: Contributed

Ms Cakovan said with everything she had been going through physically and mentally throughout her pregnancy, in that moment in the hospital gardens, she did not feel like she was “stuck in hospital”.

“I really felt like I was in a fairytale dream. And now I am here holding my own little Valentine,” she said.

Ms Cakovan said that at 22 weeks into her pregnancy she experienced some bleeding.

She said the morning Jonah was born, she started to haemorrhage. She was 34 weeks into her pregnancy and had been on bedrest for several weeks in hospital.

The happy couple got engaged in the gardens at the hospital. Picture: Renae Droop

“I believe I was experiencing placental abruption. I was told I lost a lot of blood when I was on the ward and during the birth of Jonah,” she said.

“I was in the Intensive Care Unit for a day-and-a-half and really wanted to see my baby.

“It was really heartbreaking that I didn’t have the pregnancy or birth experience I was hoping for. I had to go under general anaesthetic, my fiancé couldn’t be in the delivery room, and I couldn’t see my baby or hold him.

“But the moment I could see him and hold him, nothing else mattered.”

Jonah remained in the Neonatal Critical Care Unit at Mater Mothers’ for four days.

Ms Cakovan said her “little champ” remained in hospital until 13 December before being transferred to a hospital closer to home.

She thanked the multidisciplinary team at Mater Mothers’ for saving her life as well as baby Jonah’s.

“Although I felt miserable being away from home for such a long time and not being able to experience my pregnancy to the fullest, I am just so blessed that Jonah and I are safe and alive,” Ms Cakovan said.

Originally published as Maternity photo shoot turns into surprise ‘fairytale’ proposal