Meet one of our Promise Babies: Zaylee!

Zaylee Ida, daughter of Rachel and Gary Kleinsasser of Brandon, SD, was born 1:57 a.m., in their home, weighing 8 pounds, 4 ounces, and measuring 21 inches. She has two siblings, Soraya, 5, and Declan, 3. Her grandparents are Kenny and Frieda Gross of Blumenort, Manitoba, Canada, and Arnold and Ida Kleinsasser of Gibbon, MN.

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.

Baby Zaylee

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: Violet!

Violet Estelle, daughter of Keith and Nikelle Roghair of Sioux Center, IA, was born 3:25 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, in their home, weighing 8 pounds, 14 ounces, and measuring 22 inches. Her grandparents are David and Donna Roghair of Sioux Center and Deon and Allyssa Wynia of Sioux Center.

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.

Keith and Nikelle Roghair welcomed baby Violet
into their family on Tuesday, Sept. 5. She was
born in their home in Sioux Center, IA, with the
assistance of midwife Belinda Lassen of Promise
Community Health Center of Sioux Center.

Baby Violet

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.

Promise's August baby boom sets one-month record

by Derrick Vander Waal

SIOUX CENTER – Babies, babies and more babies.

August 2017 was the month of babies for the Promise Community Health Center midwifery team.

In total, certified nurse midwives Belinda Lassen and Pam Hulstein of Promise attended 12 home births during the baby boom. That was a one-month record for Promise. A third midwife also was on-call in case she was needed.

“August was just an incredible month,” Lassen said. “Thank you to all our families for entrusting your care to us.”

Here are some fun stats for the 12 babies:

• Eight were girls; four were boys.
• The 12 babies were born in 12 different towns. (Ironically, none of the births were in Sioux Center, where Promise is located.)
• Six babies were born in Iowa; six were born in South Dakota.
• The distance from the farthest west hometown (Vermillion, SD) to the farthest east (Spirit Lake, IA) was 129 miles; the distances from the farthest north hometown (Baltic, SD) to the farthest south (Merrill, IA) was 95 miles.
• The largest baby was 9 pounds, 8 ounces; the smallest was 7 pounds.
• The longest labor was 15 hours, 25 minutes; the shortest labor was 2 hours, 17 minutes.
• Babies were born from the first day of the month to the third to last.

Promise Community Health Center's record
12 home births for a month (August 2017)
were in 12 different towns in two states.

Here is the tally of home births:

Aug. 1: Juniper – Orange City, IA.

Aug. 4: Lydia – Merrill, IA.

Aug. 9: Kenny – Vermillion, SD.

Aug. 14: Freya – Tea, SD.

Aug. 16: Alivia – Spirit Lake, IA.

Aug. 17: Jefferson – Sioux Falls, SD.

Aug. 17: Matea – Rock Valley, IA.

Aug. 18: Waverly – Harrisburg, SD.

Aug. 23: Ivan – Sanborn, IA.

Aug. 27: Olivia – Baltic, SD.

Aug. 29: Sawyer – Boyden, IA

The families were highly appreciative of the personal care that they received from their midwives and nurses.

“Alivia’s birth was an absolute dream,” Emily Lungren said. “It was so wonderful to labor, deliver and recover in our home. From the first appointment through the delivery and aftercare, Belinda has been absolutely wonderful. She is so special to our family.”

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: Sawyer!

Sawyer Ray, son of Dillon and Kaitlyn Green of Boyden, IA, was born 1:04 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in their home, weighing 7 pounds, 14 ounces, and measuring 22 inches. He has a brother, Hudson, 2. His grandparents are Darin and Julie Green of Boyden and Dan and Laurie Ray of Okoboji.

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.

Kaitlyn Green holds her baby, Sawyer. She and her
husband, Dillon, welcomed baby Sawyer into their
family on Tuesday, Aug. 29. He was born in their
home in Boyden, IA, with the assistance of midwife
Belinda Lassen of Promise Community Health Center.

Baby Sawyer

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: Olivia!

Olivia Kate, daughter of Todd and Anna Marsceau of Baltic, SD, was born 10:17 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017, in their home, weighing 7 pounds, 12 ounces, and measuring 21 inches. She has an older brother, Keith, 22 months. Her grandparents are Dave and Sherrie Marsceau of Colman, SD, and Stan and Lana Blanton of Easley, SC.

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.

"Belinda has been very supportive throughout my pregnancy. She is an awesome midwife!" Anna said. "Having my baby at home was very positive. Recovering at home has been very comfortable."

Anna and Todd Marsceau, along with brother Keith,
welcomed baby Olivia into their family on Sunday,
Aug. 27. She was born in their home in Baltic, SD,
with the assistance of midwife Belinda Lassen of
Promise Community Health Center of Sioux Center.

Baby Olivia

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: Ivan!

Ivan James, son of Sam and Lori De Groot of Sanborn, IA, was born 10:10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 23, 2017, in their home, weighing 8 pounds, 8 ounces, and measuring 22 inches. He has a sister, Lili, 1 (2 in September). His grandparents are Vincent and Twila De Groot of Sioux Center and Art and Louise Versteeg of Clifford, Ontario, Canada.

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.

Lori De Groot holds baby Ivan. She and her
husband, Sam, welcomed Ivan into their
family on Saturday, Aug. 23. He was
born in their Sanborn, IA, home with
the assistance of midwife Belinda Lassen
of Promise Community Health Center.

Baby Ivan

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.