[pgh]

I am writing to see whether anyone has had experience with West Surburban Midwife Assoc. in Oak Park, IL and the hospital (West Suburb.) at which they are based. I went to meet with one of their midwives this week and it was great and am thinking about transferring to them from Northwestern which I've not been happy with. Before doing this I wanted to find out a little more information. Specifically, have any of you had a baby delivered by this group of midwives and how was your experience? Also, if there were any complications with your birth that resulted in intervention and the involvement of hospital staff/drs, how was this? Did you find the hospital to be competent and responsive to you and the midwives? What about postpartum care at the hospital? Oh, and one more: did you have any problems with getting into one of the two alternative birthing rooms when you were in labor?

This is such a big decision and it has been a bit overwhelming for me and my husband to find the right match and then go for it. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[coobabysmom]

Midwife Shirley caught my baby there!

Find your way to My Tribe/ IL and you will find at least 2 very good threads about both of the Midwife groups that use the alternative birthing center (really just 2 rooms in the Maternity Ward) and friendly women to answer your questions. You can pm me too.

Just real quick if you are looking for an unmedicated birth, Nortwestern is NOT the place to go. Last I heard, the Epi rate is near 95% + , c-section rate is about 30% and it's a teaching hospital (read: residents needing to learn medical procedures by experience).

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=533678

 

[jengacnm]

FYI-Shirley is NOT a part of West Suburban Midwife Associates. There are three midwife groups there, ALL of them are great, but WSMA is Gayle, Hillary, and Julie.

I'm not sure who else is in Shirley's group, but she has a GREAT reputation.

Jennifer

 

[coobabysmom]

Good catch Jengacnm.

Shirley is with Midwifery & Women's Health West Sub Med Ctr. I misread what the OP wrote.

:

What's the name of the 3rd MW group? I haven't heard...

 

[skyblufig]

I replied on your other post too.

I'm currently with them for prenatal care and they seem quite flexible in that respect.

With regard to NMH/Prentice, let me just repeat what I put on my other response. I had my first ds there in 2004 with the NMPG mw group and seriously, if you're not looking for the intervention-fest that is a teaching hospital, RUN, do not walk, from Northwestern. Even with the mw group there, if you want pretty much anything other than a "standard" birth experience, they are not happy with you. If you're still on the fence about staying at NMH, be sure and ask many many questions to try and get the whole story before you commit to them. GL!

There's been a few threads about West Sub MWs/hospital as well as Northwestern -- try a search here as well.

 

[CEG]

I'm doing my nursing clinical at Northwestern right now in L &D. DO NOT give birth there if you want a natural birth. They are not bad as teaching hospitals go but a birth without an epidural is rare and difficult to get. Their c-section rate is not too bad (comparitively, I mean, 31%) but the majority of their patients are induced, pitted, and epiduraled.

There are a couple of lovely midwives, but the majority of the providers are dismissive and disrespectful of their patients' desires. I find the nurses to be very informed and for the most part respectful of patients, but only used to working within a very medical model. If you would like more info please feel free to PM me.

Good luck!