“When I met with the midwives for the first time, I knew it was the right decision for me,” Samantha says. “They were extremely welcoming at the beginning and approachable through the entire process.”

 Every woman’s hopes for childbirth are different and our certified nurse midwives understand that. They encourage women to make choices unique to their own needs. Samantha decided to rotate through each midwife at her prenatal appointments, so she’d be comfortable with whoever would be on shift when she went into labor. 

 “The midwife group made us feel like family,” Samantha’s husband, Denny says, “and we looked forward to each appointment with them.” 

Samantha also decided not to have a birth plan and simply follow her instincts. 

“I didn’t want to set any expectations for myself and have the chance at getting disappointed or discouraged if things deviated from the plan,” she says. “The only thing I cared about was getting him here safe.”

A small surprise

Samantha’s contractions started late in the night. Once she knew they were the real deal, she called The Birthplace at Fairview Southdale Hospital and they transferred her to one of her midwives, Lynnsie Schramm. Samantha checked in with Lynnsie every couple of hours. After about four hours, she made her way to the hospital.

Samantha was comforted by Lynnsie’s preparations and presence: “Lynnsie made sure that my room was all ready to go, so it was an extremely simple process when I got to the hospital.”

“She also stayed with me through the majority of my labor,” Samantha says. “She made sure I was comfortable and explained that everything that was happening was normal. Having Lynnsie around took a huge weight off my shoulders.” 

Then shortly after Samantha’s water broke, the baby’s heart rate dropped. Lynnsie had one of the nurses call a doctor, just in case anything went wrong that was out of her scope of practice. 

“Lynnsie acted within seconds and stayed very calm. She helped me move around to different positions and reassured me that everything would be okay,” Samantha says. “Not once did I feel like she was incapable of handing the situation. I felt very safe.” 

Unforgettable moment

Moments before Samantha was about to give birth, her husband, Denny, joked that he was ready to deliver his son. He was taken by surprise when Lynnsie told him he could help.

“She was with me every step of the way,” Denny says. “It was a very special experience, and I’m glad I took her up on that offer.”
Lynnsie says her favorite part was seeing Denny and Samantha work together as a team.

“I loved how excited Denny was when he got to catch his own son,” Lynnsie says. “It was amazing to see the three of them meet each other. I knew that they were always going to love Zain more than anything, and his birth would always be special. But it was great that I could help in creating those first moments of them becoming a family of three.” 

Samantha calls Lynnsie and the other midwives miracle makers.

“I always knew what was going on, because Lynnsie explained everything so thoroughly throughout the whole process, which brought a sense of ease and comfort,” Samantha says. “I never felt alone or scared.”

To find your own miracle maker, choose one of these midwives or doctors and book a tour at The Birthplace.