Chicago obgyn/re?

[missymod]

I would appreciate it if anybody can point me toward a thread or some recs for a Chicago ob/re. Or is there some website that gives ratings? I just don't know where to look.

Thank you.

ETA: Ready to cry -- or scream! I really hate the big practice I go to. I just got off the phone and I can't seem to get anywhere with my doc. It drives me up the wall that I just want to discuss options and figure out what is going on with my body (fertility-wise), and she's so busy I can't even talk to her. Can't a girl get some answers?

[rere]

I had a homebirth but had some wierdness twards the end of my pregnancy and decided to meet with an OB just in case.Her name is Dr.Hubka .She has a small practice with privileges at St. Francis I believe.She was great.Very supportive.

ETA:She even called my house after she knew our baby would have been born just to say "Hi and glad I didn't need her because that meant I had the homebirth I wanted".I couldn't believe a Dr. was calling my house just to wish me well.

[coobabysmom]

Sounds awful...

Have you seen this thread about Dr. Morris? Maybe bump it up for more info.
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=867096

2 friends and I swear by acupuncture to help with fertility. If you want recs let me know.

[missymod]

Thanks for recs... I'm thinking about IVF 1. Would prefer to try a regular obgyn first, though.
Any pointers greatly appreciated!

[monkeyscience]

I've seen Dr. Kamjeet Murthy as a gynecologist, but not as an OB. I really, really like her. She's not rushed, she listens to me, and she explains things well when I ask questions. She's downtown, at Michigan and Chicago. Her practice's website is http://www.womenobgyn.net/doctors.php. It is a fairly large practice, but I've been pleased with my experiences there. Just my two cents'!

[missymod]

I have seen Dr. Murthy for a gyne checkup. I agree, she was very nice. But she is in the same practice (the Women's Group of NW) as my current doctor, and frankly I'm a little tired of the whole thing. Pap smears are one thing. But for obstetrics, it's just too big and impersonal for me. I'm tired of leaving that place feeling like I'm just a symptom-to-be-corrected.

I found a thread from '04 with some good suggestions, including Swedish Covenant. I've seen them praised numerous times and I think it might be where I need to go.

Thank you to everyone for the great suggestions -- I will keep all of them in consideration!

[monkeyscience]

Originally Posted by missymod

I have seen Dr. Murthy for a gyne checkup. I agree, she was very nice. But she is in the same practice (the Women's Group of NW) as my current doctor, and frankly I'm a little tired of the whole thing. Pap smears are one thing. But for obstetrics, it's just too big and impersonal for me. I'm tired of leaving that place feeling like I'm just a symptom-to-be-corrected.

LOL... somehow, I had a feeling that you might have been going to the same practice, but I thought I'd offer my experience, since you hadn't gotten many replies. I agree, though, that obstetrics is different than gyn care, and I don't know if I'd see Dr. Murthy for that. I'd have to talk to her more. (It's a moot point, anyway, since I recently moved away from Chicago.) Did you know she's pregnant? I was in there in February, and she had quite a baby bump! I didn't find out when she was due, though.

Anyway, I hope you can find an OB you're comfortable with! Good luck with the Swedish Covenant group!

[mommy2naomi]

I used to go the OBs at Swedish Covenant and those docs are WAY overworked. If you think you're going to a place that will treat you like a person instead of a file, that's not been my experience. I would never go back there.

[HollyRhea]

Second on Dr. Hubka

Dr.Hubka is very good. I've worked with her at Midwestern University before. She also used to attend homebirths in California.

[missymod]

Originally Posted by mommy2naomi

I used to go the OBs at Swedish Covenant and those docs are WAY overworked. If you think you're going to a place that will treat you like a person instead of a file, that's not been my experience. I would never go back there.

I'm okay with being a file if it will get me pregnant! (LOL)

I have a separate checklist for where to give birth or even get prenatal care. Right now I'm worried about my fertility. And as far as "traditional" hospitals go, I've heard more good than bad about SC -- I know that every woman feels differently! I'm just trying to weigh my options. I don't have any high hopes for finding the *perfect* doctor.

PM me if you have suggestions. I know that some might feel uncomfortable about "outing" doctors or dropping names. Meanwhile, the research continues on these suggestions.....

[3cuties]

I highly recommend Dr. Elizabeth Walz-Buscher:

The Women's Practice
737 North Michigan Avenue
Suite 950
Chicago, IL 60611
[phone]

She is on staff at Prentice.

[missymod]

I have an appointment with a midwife at A Woman's Place -- I kinda want to hear their take on my situation.

[3cuties]

Jewel and Jennifer are great. Also, Dr. Cherie Lechner (she is a chiro) assists in fertility. She obviously wouldn't be the main caregiver in this situation, but she is helpful.

Also, I wanted to clarify about my post concerning Dr. Buscher. I know some people are wondering -- huh? According to your siggy you are planning a homebirth.


The initial question was for an OB..... Dr. Buscher is an awesome carring and supportive OB. She supports (and in fact encourages) VBACs, she supports non-interventionist births (i.e. no ivs, no forced delivery of placenta, no post-delivery pitocin unless required, no constant EFM), she likes to work with patients that have doulas. She is also an OB, great at c-sections (I would want her to do mine if I needed one), very good at amnios, very skilled at fertility issues. She is caring, remembers patients and their concerns, and she was supportive for my desire for a homebirth. She is knowledgeable about delivering mal-positioned babies. For example, my 1st birth with her (my 2nd child) was posterior and she had me changing to hands and knees, rocking my hips, etc. all while pushing. Additionally, I pushed for over 4 hours – and she was not worried. Her practice does not do episiotomies. They don’t use forceps and vacuum unless absolutely required to get the baby out ASAP.

Downsides – she is at Prentice, so while you can get cleared for all this stuff, you will still have to navigate prentice (i.e. triaging upon checking in to L&D) and thus it makes sense to have a doula. I delivered twice at prentice, and would not return. I would not return b/c I am easily distracted and removed from my labor groove. So for me, that is not good. Another downside – she has 3 partners (all women), I don’t know their theories on birth but she promised me they would agree to all the non-intervention policies, etc. Another downside, she is extremely busy, so hard to get an appt initially (unless you are pregnant) and if you need to re-schedule – well it takes awhile. The receptionists can be pains and so can billing. But if I needed an OB or fertility specialist I would only go to her.

But since I don't need an OB for this birth -- I am not going with her.

[acp]

Just wanted to add, I've heard great things about the OBs who worked with the midwife practice I used, Northshore Associates in Obstetrics and Gynecology, up in Evanston, especially Dr. Pamela Goodwin. One friend who used her adored her, and I loved the overall practice. I know they won't treat you like a number there. However, I don't know anything about her expertise with fertility issues. But it could be worth a call? Just throwing another name out there....

[missymod]

Life seems to move in slow motion when you want a baby. (Come on, body, keep up! Ovulate! Ovulaaaate!)

So now I've decided to try acupuncture with the practice associated with A Woman's Place, the Center for Health and Wellbeing.

Can't hurt, right?

So many good OBGYN suggestions! :
Hmmm.....

[valeria_vi]

Originally Posted by coobabysmom

2 friends and I swear by acupuncture to help with fertility. If you want recs let me know.

my friend is in search of an alternative practitioner fr fertility issues. can you please PM me your recs?

[3cuties]

I've heard that acupuncture can have great results, good luck.

[valeria_vi]

Originally Posted by 3cuties

I've heard that acupuncture can have great results, good luck.

I heard so too. and since I am more into the alternative stuff then my friend, I promised I'll help her find somebody. She is very willing to give it a shot.

[missymod]

Okay, back for an update: I'M PREGNANT! Five weeks! A bit pessimistic, as that is my nature, but blissed out nonetheless.
To those of you that asked about alt fertility methods, I'm sorry I was MIA for so long. But now I can say with certainty that acupuncture proved miraculous for me. I am seeing Jennifer Paschen of The Nest (formerly the Center for Health and Wellbeing). I began to see her in March. I had a couple of verrry looong cycles -- but I ovulated on my own -- and now, fourth cycle, I am pregnant! I ovulated much earlier this cycle (day 18 instead of day 32/34). Just as I was about to start taking drugs, I find myself pregnant.
So in my journey, I finally settled on seeing a specialist at the Midwest Fertility Center. Dr. Pratt was really wonderful. Much more personable and easy than any of the OBGYNs I'd seen for these issues at NWM. I would recommend them to anybody that is at their wit's end. And if this pregnancy doesn't come to term, I will probably go back to see her.

If, however, this pregnancy "sticks," I am now searching for an OB and hospital. I appreciate everybody's advice here and I am going to take a closer look at all of these suggestions. Currently I'm going to Illinois Masonic because I had a run in with a corpus luteum cyst that brought me to their ER. They're only blocks away. I met a Dr. Crotteau today, a family practice doctor with privileges to perform births (one of only five at Illinois Masonic). It would be nice to not have to switch doctors after the birth. Illinois Masonic is rated well, but I haven't found many reviews here.

[melizdean]

I am writing to tell you about my experience at Illinois Masonic because I was very unhappy with my hospital stay there. I loved my OB/GYN practice (I saw Dr. Bicalho) and the doctor who attended my birth (Dr. Locher) was also wonderful. The entire experience stay in the hospital however, was terrible. I gave birth on a Sat, meaning I had NO assistance with breastfeeding, because there are no lactation consultants available on the weekends, and then when they do come on in Monday they are so swamped, that they can not give you much individual time. The nurses are no help with breastfeeding at all. One lactation consultant even had to double as a nurse because they were so low staffed. All in all, I wrote a letter to the charge nurse and CEO letting them know how disappointed I was, (and the fact that my breastfeeding relationship was almost ruined, but luckily we worked it out and I am still nursing nearly 16 months later!) and how I would not be having baby #2 there. Not to freak you out, but just to help you plan to ask more questions and hopefully get better care than we did. Congrats on your