Recommend Your Midwife!

I went with the ABC room at West Sub and used the West Suburban Midwives Group. I loved them and my experience was everything I wanted it to be. Check them out!

You HAVE to make an appointment with Debi Lesnick with North Shore Associates in Evanston ###-###-####). She delivers at Evanston Hospital and is amazing! I've been with her through two births and she is just the person you want through a pregnancy and birth. Down to earth, relaxed, not pushy, but dedicated to ensuring that women who are able to and want can have natural births. You won't be disappointed!

Hi J..
I delivered my son at Prentice, with a midwife, and had a natural delivery. I wanted the "comforts" of prentice, but a more natural delivery. I am not granola at all either, and my midwife rocked. I used Sare Eggemeir, who is not granola either:) My sister delivered at west suburban with the midwives and loved it too. Good luck!

I agree with Megan C, you should go check out Shirley, Elise, Juliette, and Mary in Forest Park (www.oakparkmidwife.com). They are great! I delivered both of my sons with them in the ABC room (one is two years, one is seven weeks) and I am not considered the crunchy-granola type. My seven week old was a water birth. Laboring in the tub was such a relief. It was so relaxing that I wanted to stay in even after I delivered. ;) You definitely can handle it! With this being baby #3, the odds are that your labor will be on the quicker side (bonus for you). Natural labor is all mind over matter, in my opinion. I did not take any special birthing preparation classes and still had a wonderful experience. Best of luck to you and congrats on #3!

I used West Suburban Midwives in Oak Park with my first and they're awesome... they take pretty much all insurance (including all kids) and they're not granola at all. And if you end up wanting meds they're ok with that - they just set you up for better success to go the natural route if you want. One of their midwives left the practice after my daughter was born to go back to homebirths, so this time I'm going to go that route. Her name is Hillary Kieser. I love her, but she is a little more on the crunchy side.

I have a 10 month old and I used the midwives in River Forest who are part of West Suburban, Shirley Moore's practice. www.oakparkmidwife.com I delivered in the ABC room and did a water birth ( HIGHLY RECOMMEND!). They were so great throughout everything. We had some scares early on with some of the screening tests, fortunately everything was fine, but they were great along the way. They were very supportive and it was such a positive process. I did a natural birth but definitely don't consider myself too granola. I wanted the option of using drugs if i felt like I needed it ( didn't know what to expect, first child) and they told me at my consultation that it was my decision and that they would support me, if that's what i decided, but they encourage natural and finding other ways to cope with the pain.
Whenever number 2 comes along, I will definitely utilize them again.
Good luck and congrats!

Ah ha! I cannot say enough for the midwives I went with. The forest park midwives are awesome (www.oakparkmidwife.com), I had a great experience with them and loved west suburban and the ABC there. Elise (an angel) was the one at my birth but I had great experiences at prenatal appointments with all of them.
It was my 1st child, we took a Bradley class with Julie Parache (www.birthwithoutfear.com) and it was worth every penny and hour in class and at home practicing. I didn't think it was too crunchy at all (my classmates were the farthest thing from crunchy there). Unforseen emergencies excepted, you absolutely can have a natural childbirth. I believe its all in your preparation. I know there are other good natural childbirth classes in the city too. Julie did give us a lot of personal attention and just knowing there was someone to call for troubleshooting during the labor helped. The ABC at Westsub was nice, there are 2 rooms and we got to stay in one until we discharged the next day (my choice). The nice thing about the ABC is that all the hospital staff know that if youre in there you dont want to be offered meds, they dont take the baby out of the room ever unless you ask, and theres no switching rooms for delivery. When I first arrived at the hospital I was in a regular room for a few hours cause I needed to have penicillin and I dont think I could have done it if Id stayed in there, it was so hard to get comfortable and relax. Once I got in the tub though, i was a whole new game. It was harder than I thought, literally the hardest thing I've ever done, but it was worth it and even though i doubted it was possible, with the support of my midwife it was.
Shirley Moore, the head midwife, is one of the oldest (as in longest working) midwives in the city. Everyone I saw gave me all the time and attention I needed at our visits and was on board with my birth plan from the start.
I had a longish labor (34 hrs, 13 of which were after my water broke) and my baby arrived with the cord 2x around her neck. I believe if I had went with an ob I would have had a an emergency c-section or baby would have been rushed off to nicu. Elise stayed calm, she reassured me i was fine, baby was fine and that I could do it. When she saw the cord issue she swiftly tilted her back and unwound it, it was ,like, superhero fast.
The ABC at westsub is not fancy, but it has everything you need for a natural birth.
All in all I highly recommend touring the hospitals, interviewing midwives (I have also heard good things about the west suburban midwives), taking a class, and spending time preparing before your big day.
Congratulations!
Feel free to message me with more questions, my baby is 6 mo now so its all fresh in my mind.

Yeah... the midwives at Swedish are INCREDIBLE! I've recommended them to everyone who will listen. I went into every appointment with a list of questions and always left with more info than I could have imagined, getting all questions answered before I even asked them and smiling for sure.

I had my first there - and ended up with a scheduled CS because she was breach. I was SO disappointed - so TWO of the midwives decided to come into surgery with me to help make the experience as much as the way I wanted it as possible (holding and nursing the baby ASAP - while I was being sewn up! - etc.).

I just had my 2nd this past November and had a successful, drug-free VBAC. My husband SWEARS that the reason I made it was the support and encouragement of the midwives.

The hospital is not the fanciest or the prettiest, but they have everything you need. The lactation consultants are fantastic. Every nurse we had (both times) was helpful and kind. Hell, we even had a phlebotomist who drew blood from my newborn without even waking her up. And did you know that SCH now has a program offering FREE doulas? They're students in training to become Certified Nurse Midwives who need experience- and we thought they were pretty fantastic too!

I could go on and on and on... I simply love this group of women. And FYI, if you do want drugs, they're fine with that too :)

Swedish Covenant midwives are the BEST! I just delivered my 2nd with them. The entire pregnancy was great with them- they care, take their time, and are all around amazing. In fact, I miss seeing them now that my daughter was born! I was able to have the confidence to have a fully natural, unmedicated birth after a really medicated first birth.

Good for you (and your baby)! You can absolutely do this!!
After checking out both Swedish Covenant and West Suburban, I chose to go with the midwives at West Sub because of the the ABC rooms and the option to have a water birth. I had a great experience with the midwives there and am continuing to see them for my well woman care. I appreciated them because they provided not only good medical care, but the emotional support I needed at times throughout my pregnancy. They are great - they even give me hugs when I go see them now. :)
Good luck!

I used West Suburban Midwives. I loved them!! If I have another baby, I will go back to them. I had a natural birth, and it was a great experience. I will never forget the natural high I experienced after my daughter was born. I agree with Jessica, natural childbirth is mind over matter. Breathing. I also did not take any classes. I was 39 at the time, and I appreciated that they didn't treat me like my birth was going to be a problem just because of my age. They talk about and treat birth as the natural process that it is. I can't say enough great things about them. I f you have any more questions, feel free to contact me. You can do it!!!