I Almost Missed My First Delivery

It’s true – I almost missed my first delivery. At the time, I was working in a clinic in north St. Paul. That afternoon, I got a call that my expectant mom was in the hospital, but staff didn’t think I needed to go to the hospital just yet so I went to see my next clinic patient. It wasn’t long after I got another call and was told to come to the hospital right away.

Arriving at the hospital, I was greeted by a very relieved and enthusiastic dad. He gave me a big handshake and said, “Matt, you made it!” Mom was in the middle of a contraction but managed a little smile, too. 

I checked mom and it was clear that once her water broke, she’d deliver very quickly. Before breaking her water, she needed an antibiotic. While the nurse was taking care of this, I ran for a quick bathroom break because in my rush to get to the hospital, I was unable to do so. No sooner did I step way and my supervising doctor called to me, ‘You need to get back in here now!” I ran back down the hall to the delivery room and realized I was about to deliver my very first baby! 

Because of how quickly the delivery progressed, there had not been time to convert the bed to delivery mode as would normally take place, so I had to improvise. I pulled on my gloves and with one knee on the bed and one foot on the ground, had mom start to push. About 30 seconds later, we had a beautiful baby girl. It was incredible! Everybody in the room was laughing and smiling and crying tears of joy. This little girl was the first child for both parents as well, so that made the moment even more memorable. 

Part of the Journey 

I was so thankful to be able to get to know the parents throughout the pregnancy and to be part of their special experience. This is the reason why I do OB. 

In medicine, we often focus on fixing or preventing problems, but in OB we do nearly the opposite. At the end of a long (and sometimes difficult) road, there is a beautiful new baby – what could be better? 

Working with families and being part of the pregnancy journey is one of the best parts of medicine. I love getting to know the parents during the pregnancy, learning how they want to approach the delivery, and ultimately, helping to bring their bundle of joy into the world. 

It’s great fun and very fulfilling to watch the progression from early pregnancy through delivery and beyond. There are few things better than being present at the birth of a new child, but it’s also incredibly fun the first time that child starts toddling around the exam room at a well-child check. I’m also glad to be able to help moms through the post-partum period, including birth control procedures like IUD and Nexplanon placements and, if the family has decided they’re done having children, I can also do a vasectomy for dad. 

My Style of OB Care 

I tend to be pretty flexible. I like to present options and let the patient choose which direction she’d like to go. I believe it’s my job to help women achieve their ideal pregnancy and delivery, as much as possible. OB care – both prenatal and during delivery – has a framework and guidelines to provide a general model of care (when to do ultrasounds, lab tests, etc.). However, within that framework, there’s quite a bit of latitude to customize the prenatal and delivery course to the preferences of my parents. It’s an area of medicine where art remains strong and serves as a great complement to science.  

OB Specialties, Certifications, and Training 

My training in residency was quite strong – I did many deliveries and many of the moms had complicated prenatal courses and/or deliveries. I have a lot of experience working with both common complications as well as the more complex before, during, and after delivery – whether with mom or baby. 

The delivery room can get quite intense on occasion. The deliveries I have been a part of have given me a considerable amount of experience working through those situations. 

Additionally, I have experience with preconception care for couples who are struggling with infertility. I have been trained in the neonatal resuscitation program, advanced life support in obstetrics, and STABLE (Sugar, Temperature, Airway, Blood pressure, Lab work, Emotional support) – these are all courses that helped prepare me to care for complex situations during labor, delivery, or soon after. Some of these circumstances include babies getting stuck in the birth canal or not breathing well after birth or moms bleeding too much.

Practicing medicine is an incredible privilege. As doctors, we get invited into some of the best and worst times of people’s lives. OB care can certainly encompass all of that and I’m thankful for the opportunity to walk alongside and help parents before, during, and after their pregnancy. 

Interested in scheduling an appointment? Call the clinic now: 218-347-1200. 

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Matthew Haugen, MD
Perham Health