heightened emotions

birth plan and shared their plans with Lindsay’s doctor, Jordan Coauette, MD.

More commonly known as “natural birth,” low-intervention births use the following tools and techniques to manage the discomfort of labor:

• Lamaze skills with a focus on relaxed breathing

• Use of water, baths or showers

• Yoga

• Partner/nurse coaching

• Doula support

• Massage

• Movement during labor such as walking, rocking or swaying

• Pressure points

• Positive distractions such as music, saying mantras or inspiring verses an experience of a lifetime

The Kinnicks’ preparation paid off; when Lindsay’s labor began she found comfort being at home, she took baths to soothe the contractions and was able to remain home until the contractions were a few minutes apart.

low-intervention birth can enhance mom-baby connection

Not only were mom and baby safe but Kayla described the atmosphere as “calm and peaceful.” Lindsay agrees, “The experience was even better than planned, it was such a delight to meet Jack for the first time. I was part of the experience, and emotionally there and present in the moment. The recovery was really quick.”

Matt says they were still prepared to ask for medication if it came down to it, but: “We made it through.”

Lindsay agrees. “It’s kind of like running a marathon. Labor still hurts! But once you get through it, it’s such a deep sense of accomplishment.”

With Lindsay’s hard work, Matt’s excellent coaching and the Sanford Family Birth Center’s support it really was an “experience of a lifetime”.

After 18 years away from the FM area [living first in Los Angeles and later Manhattan], Jim Spielman decided it was time to move back Along with wife Melissa and daughters, Bella [6] and Ivy [4], the Spielman family call West Fargo home and don’t plan on leaving anytime soon This Minnesota native and MSUM graduate credits his strong work ethic to his parents To make sure a then 8-year-old Jim didn’t spend his summer “sloughing off,” his “very German” father put him to work in the family animal-nutrition business In the summers to follow this young entrepreneur found his own work selling sweet corn from his grandmother’s garden, mowing lawns, sweeping floors—you name it—he did it! At the age of 12 Jim landed a job with a large, family farming/national transportation operation working summers and weekends during the school year until he was 20-years-old Always ready for a challenge and having never lost his entrepreneurial spirit, Jim is now Managing Partner for The Oak Street Group, a Pittsburgh-based investment bank/business consulting firm he co-founded with a former colleague from Wall Street