When Dr. Lindsay Haugen entered medical school at Cooper Medical School at Rowan University in Camden, New Jersey, she was interested in family medicine and OB/GYN. She ended up choosing and completing her residency in family medicine at United Family Medicine in St. Paul because she liked working with all kinds of patients.
However, she did want to specialize in women’s health, especially delivering babies, so she followed that up with a fellowship at Essentia Health – St. Mary’s in Duluth, concentrating on cesarean sections and OB care. Dr. Haugen says, “I spent six months on the labor and delivery floor and did about 150 C-sections and was present for around 200 or more vaginal deliveries”.
Dr. Haugen brought that experience with her and recently performed her first C-section delivery here at Perham Health. Mom Stephanie Lutz and newborn Maddison couldn’t be happier with Dr. Haugen and the care they receive at Perham Health. Stephanie’s pregnancy was somewhat high-risk as she had delivered twins previously and was going to deliver her third child in a repeat C-section, so she debated between having her delivery at Perham Health or a larger hospital.
She felt comfortable with Dr. Haugen right away. Stephanie says of Dr. Haugen, “She has a very calm and comfortable presence. She spends a lot of time with you to explain things, answer questions, and go over different options.” Stephanie feels lucky that Dr. Haugen is her family’s primary care provider and performed her C-section. “She’s just been amazing, and I am happy I moved here and found her. Having somebody that you can trust and knows you is important to me. She knows my twins, Jax and Olivia, and she knows Maddison. I swear she is like part of the family. I would recommend her to anybody.”
Dr. Haugen tries to make the C-sections as family-centered as possible. She offers to pull the drape down if the patient or their support person wants to watch the baby being delivered. She also provides delayed cord clamping, skin-to-skin, and breastfeeding in the room while the procedure is finishing. Patients can even choose the music they want to play during the delivery.
Before delivery, Dr. Haugen and Stephanie had several conversations about what Stephanie wanted. The support staff and nursing teams were updated and knew what to expect. On the day of the delivery, the procedure started at 7:00 a.m. Dr. Jaimie Deraney, a Sanford OB-GYN, assisted.
Dr. Haugen says, “On the morning of the delivery, everyone was relaxed and very calm, and the delivery went really well. Stephanie’s sister was there. The baby did wonderfully. I couldn’t be happier about how things went.” 
The opportunity to provide continuous care to patients and a wide range of services drew Dr. Haugen to family medicine, and her specialized training in OB and C-sections allowed her to extend that care. Dr. Haugen says, “My practice is open to anybody, which is why I love family medicine. I obviously did extra training, so I do want to see women and do obstetrics and pediatrics, but I love seeing everyone, including the elderly.”
As for the obstetrics side of care, Dr. Haugen says, “Everyone has different goals and wants from their experience with their provider. I like to get to know my patients, have conversations, and not assume what they want for their care. I want to give them what they are looking for in that process. My training taught me to trust in birth and the power of a woman’s body to deliver a healthy baby. I can bring a blend of a hands-off approach while still being skilled in the spectrum of critical care, whether that is an instrument-assisted birth or a C-section.”
As for working in Perham and the smaller atmosphere, Dr. Haugen says, “I think building relationships with patients is extremely important. It is a huge piece of why a smaller community like Perham is an excellent fit for me.
Stephanie Lutz couldn’t agree more. She appreciated the friendly community atmosphere at Perham Health. When I go for my appointments and checkups, all the nurses know Maddison and me. Everyone is very friendly.”
Dr. Haugen reciprocates that appreciation. “I am so grateful to Stephanie and my other patients who trust me and are willing to take a chance on a newer provider. I feel very, very lucky to be able to walk alongside people during their life.”
Lindsay Haugen, MD
About Perham Health
Perham Health is a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital with three primary care clinics, a 96-bed nursing home, home health care agency, adult day services, memory care assisted living, and senior housing. The medical staff consists of 24 physicians, a nurse midwife, 14 advance practice clinicians, and three chiropractors. Visit perhamhealth.org to learn more.
Great to see Dr. Haugen’s successful first C-section! Congratulations to the whole team for their hard work and dedication!