Lisa’s success story

After more than two years of trying to have a baby and just 30 minutes before the I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis. Lisa gave birth to Oscar at The Birthplace at University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview. While holding a beautiful newborn in her arms, Lisa and her husband watched television footage of the tragic bridge collapse. 

During delivery, baby Oscar’s shoulder got caught on his mother’s pelvis, pressing his chest which made it difficult for him to breathe. Located just down the hall from The Birthplace, The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) team was immediately available to provide Oscar with treatment that quickly allowed him to be returned to his mother. All specialists and staff at University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital are trained to provide neonates with the proper treatment if needed, during a delivery,

Because of the community emergency and traffic congestion, Oscar had to wait until the next day to meet the rest of his family. “Reflecting back, it was OK, because The Birthplace staff made us feel comfortable, cared for, and not alone,” says Lisa. “I would highly recommend University of Minnesota Medical Center."

University of Minnesota Medical Centers offers many services and amenities, accommodating all types of delivery.

• Involvement of a Professional Certified Midwife, a registered nurse who has completed an advanced course of study and provides care to women during pregnancy and through labor and delivery
• Involvement of doulas, experienced labor companions who provide continuous emotional support and assistance before, during, and after birth
• Comfort measures like bathrooms equipped with bathtubs and birthing balls
• portable telemetry monitoring used to measure a baby's heart rate and contraction pattern, but allows the mother who requires continuous monitoring to walk around during labor
• Breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact is promoted as soon as possible, after birth
• Lactation assistance
• State-of-the-art medical necessities, like the NICU team, if needed