Meet one of our Promise Babies: Kervin!

Kervin, son of Leonard Jr. and Renee Decker of rural Canton, SD, was born 12:22 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 6, in his home, weighing 8 pounds, 8 ounces, and measuring 22 inches. He has three siblings, Kayden, 6; Kirsten, 5; and Keanna, 2.

Certified nurse midwife Pam Hulstein of Promise Community Health Center in Sioux Center, IA, provided the prenatal care for the family throughout the pregnancy and attended the home birth. Nurse Kari Ney also assisted with the birth.

Renee has had home births with midwives for all of her children, but she especially appreciated the experience this time with the midwife team from Promise.

"They had a more hands-on approach," she said. "They helped out throughout labor. I liked that. I liked the way that they worked with me."

Leonard Jr. and Renee Decker welcomed baby
Kervin into their family on Sunday, Nov. 6. He
was born in their home in rural Canton, SD,
with the assistance of midwife Pam Hulstein
of Promise Community Health Center.

Baby Kervin

Promise Community Health Center of Sioux Center is the only Federally Qualified Health Center serving the far northwest corner of Iowa — and beyond. To learn more about Promise's midwifery team and prenatal services, visit www.promisechc.org/services/prenatal.aspx. For more tips and advice on various topics from Promise's midwifery team and baby announcements, visit promisechcmidwives.blogspot.com.

Meet one of our Promise Babies: Norah!

Norah Grace, daughter of Tim and Janel McFarland of Spencer, IA, was born 5:16 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, in her home, weighing 9 pounds, 3 ounces, and measuring 23 inches. She has two siblings, Aubrey, 5, and William, 1.

Certified nurse midwife Belinda Lassen of Promise Community Health Center in Sioux Center, IA, provided the prenatal care for the family throughout the pregnancy and attended the home birth. Nurse Kari Ney also assisted with the birth.

It was Janel's second home-birth experience under the guidance of Belinda.

"I feel blessed that home birth was an option for me and that we have that option in northwest Iowa," Janel said. "I couldn't have asked for better care. Belinda and Kari are wonderful to work with. I couldn't have asked for a better birth experience with both Norah and William. It was a huge blessing for us."

Janel McFarland holds her baby, Norah.
She and her husband, Tim, welcomed baby
Norah into their family on Saturday, Dec. 31.
She was born in their Spencer home with the
assistance of midwife Belinda Lassen of Promise
Community Health Center of Sioux Center.

Baby Norah

Promise Community Health Center of Sioux Center is the only Federally Qualified Health Center serving the far northwest corner of Iowa — and beyond. To learn more about Promise's midwifery team and prenatal services, visit www.promisechc.org/services/prenatal.aspx. For more tips and advice on various topics from Promise's midwifery team and baby announcements, visit promisechcmidwives.blogspot.com.

Meet one of our Promise Babies: Shane!

Shane Phillip, son of Kevin and Miriam Decker of rural Canton, SD, was born 11:58 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 29, in his home, weighing 7 pounds, 10 ounces, and measuring 20 1/2 inches. He has four siblings, Benjamin, 7; Nevaeh, 5; Jaina, 3, and Evangeline, 2.

Certified nurse midwife Pam Hulstein of Promise Community Health Center in Sioux Center, IA, provided the prenatal care for the family throughout the pregnancy and attended the home birth.

Kevin and Miriam Decker welcomed baby Shane into
their family on Thursday, Dec. 29. He was born in
their home in rural Canton, SD, with the assistance
of midwife Pam Hulstein of Promise Community
Health Center of Sioux Center.

Baby Shane

Promise Community Health Center of Sioux Center is the only Federally Qualified Health Center serving the far northwest corner of Iowa — and beyond. To learn more about Promise's midwifery team and prenatal services, visit www.promisechc.org/services/prenatal.aspx. For more tips and advice on various topics from Promise's midwifery team and baby announcements, visit promisechcmidwives.blogspot.com.

Happy New Year from Promise's midwifery team!

Happy New Year from the Promise Community Health Center midwives!

Our 2016 was a busy, exciting year! We are thrilled to continue to grow and provide a wonderful midwifery model of health care for our community.

We want to thank the 158 women who chose Promise for their prenatal care in 2016. Of these, 46 women (29 percent) selected the home-birth option. That was a 44 percent increase from 2015. We thank these incredible families for allowing us to be a part of their birthing experience!

We want to challenge you in 2017: If you have never experienced midwife care, make this the year you discover the difference! You matter, and your desires are important to us! In addition to prenatal and initial infant care, we offer well-woman exams, pre-conception counseling, fertility counseling and peri-menopausal care.

We offer a heartfelt thank you to all those who have stepped out of the traditional care box and experienced what midwifery care has to offer. Thank you to those who have chosen Promise’s midwives for their care in 2016. We look forward to the next year!

Promise’s Midwifery Team:

Belinda Lassen, certified nurse midwife

Pam Hulstein, certified nurse midwife

Kari Ney, registered nurse

Erica Robertson, registered nurse

Ruth Hernandez, clinical assistant/interpreter

Promise Community Health Center of Sioux Center is the only Federally Qualified Health Center serving the far northwest corner of Iowa — and beyond. To learn more about Promise's midwifery team and prenatal services, visit www.promisechc.org/services/prenatal.aspx. For more tips and advice on various topics from Promise's midwifery team and baby announcements, visit promisechcmidwives.blogspot.com.

Meet one of our Promise Babies: Knox!

Knox Parkhur, son of Jeremy and Ivy Bigge of Yankton, SD, was born 12:04 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, in his home, weighing 7 pounds, 8 ounces, and measuring 22 inches. He has an older sister, Avi, 2.

Certified nurse midwife Pam Hulstein of Promise Community Health Center in Sioux Center, IA, provided the prenatal care for the family throughout the pregnancy and attended the home birth.

It was Ivy's first home-birth experience.

"It was awesome. That's the one word I have to describe it," Ivy said. "It was such a good delivery. It was everything that we had wanted."

Ivy and Jeremy Bigge welcomed baby Knox
into their family. He was born in their home
in Yankton, SD, with the assistance of midwife
Pam Hulstein of Promise Community Health
Center of Sioux Center.

Baby Knox

Promise Community Health Center of Sioux Center is the only Federally Qualified Health Center serving the far northwest corner of Iowa — and beyond. To learn more about Promise's midwifery team and prenatal services, visit www.promisechc.org/services/prenatal.aspx. For more tips and advice on various topics from Promise's midwifery team and baby announcements, visit promisechcmidwives.blogspot.com.

Meet one of our Promise Babies: William!

William David, son of Christopher and Naomi Widman of Sioux City, IA, was born 7:18 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2, in his home, weighing 8 pounds and measuring 21.25 inches. He is the couple's first child.

Certified nurse midwife Belinda Lassen of Promise Community Health Center in Sioux Center provided the prenatal care for the family during the pregnancy. Certified nurse midwife Pam Hulstein and nurse Kari Ney of Promise assisted with the home birth.

"Working with the midwives was fantastic. They were very knowledgeable, very comforting," Naomi said. "The home birth was a phenomenal experience. Having Kari and Pam there and being in our own element, being comfortable and being able to move about was more comforting than being confined to a hospital room. It was all so natural."

Naomi Widman holds her baby, William.
She and her husband, Christopher,
welcomed baby William into their
family on Sunday, Oct. 2. He was
born in their Sioux City home with
the assistance of midwife Pam Hulstein
of Promise Community Health Center.

Baby William

Promise Community Health Center of Sioux Center is the only Federally Qualified Health Center serving the far northwest corner of Iowa — and beyond. To learn more about Promise's midwifery team and prenatal services, visit www.promisechc.org/services/prenatal.aspx. For more tips and advice on various topics from Promise's midwifery team and baby announcements, visit promisechcmidwives.blogspot.com.

Meet one of our Promise Babies: Isaac!

Isaac Michael, son of Mike and Amanda De Koster of Orange City, IA, was born 3:18 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 27, in his home, weighing 7 pounds, 10 ounces, and measuring 21 inches. He has four brothers, Malachi, 8; Titus, 7; Josiah, 4; and Jordan, 2.

Certified nurse midwife Belinda Lassen of Promise Community Health Center in Sioux Center provided the prenatal care for the family, as she has in the past, and attended the home birth. Nurse Kari Ney also assisted.

This was the family's second home birth.

"From our experience, both home birth experiences were as relaxing as they can be," Amanda said. "It's just overall a good experience with Belinda and Kari."

Amanda De Koster holds her baby, Isaac.
She and her husband, Mike, and four
other sons welcomed baby Isaac into
their family on Sunday, Nov. 27. He was
born in their Orange City home with the
assistance of midwife Belinda Lassen of
Promise Community Health Center.

Baby Isaac

Promise Community Health Center of Sioux Center is the only Federally Qualified Health Center serving the far northwest corner of Iowa — and beyond. To learn more about Promise's midwifery team and prenatal services, visit www.promisechc.org/services/prenatal.aspx. For more tips and advice on various topics from Promise's midwifery team and baby announcements, visit promisechcmidwives.blogspot.com.