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bookkitten
member
Certified Nurse Midwives in south suburban Illinois?
bookkitten
member
My husband and I are expecting our first child in June 2011. I am 37 years old and in good health. I am interested in the possibility of working with a certified nurse-midwife. I have read a number of things that imply that such births can be gentler on the mother and child alike. Because I am a little older than what might be considered optimal, I would prefer to find a midwife who might have privileges at a local hospital. However, I am not having any luck finding any certified nurse-midwives in the south suburbs. (We are otherwise planning to give birth at St. James Hospital in Chicago Heights - literally 5 minutes up the street from us.) I think there are a few in Crown Point, IN, but that's a good 20 minute drive from us and my husband is nervous about me driving alone to appointments in winter if he has to work.
I mae an appointment with a nearby group of ob/gyn (pretty much picked at random from those working at the hospital). I saw the obstetrical nurse yesterday and she got my basic info, ran blood tests, etc. I don't go back to see an actual doctor until mid-November. I don't want to switch care providers during this whole process however, I also don't want to be stuck with someone I chose kind of randomly...
Is anyone here from the south suburbs (or even northwest Indiana) and willing to share any information you might have regarding nurse-midwives in the area?
Thanks in advance!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Certified Nurse Midwives in south suburban Illinois?
I have a good friend who is a CNM at Hinsdale hospital... She's fantastic! Her group is called OMG (obstetrics, midwifery and gynecology) Associates and her name is Beth Helm Smith. I highly recommend her! I live in Homewood, so just up the road from St James (and I actually worked there for 4yrs. I'm a L&D nurse and currently work at Christ) and Hinsdale Hosp is about 20min on 294, so depending on how far you are from the expressway, it's not a bad drive. If you are truly interested in midwifery type care, I would probably discourage you from St James. Not sure which OB you saw initially; I will say that many of them are pretty good but the hospital itself is old and somewhat rundown & they definitely don't offer many of the "perks" or "niceties" that other hospitals offer. Including basic security for Mom and newborn. Or 24 hour physician coverage. Among other things.
Hope this helps; I personally deliver my babies at Prentice because I have some strong feelings about how I deliver and there aren't any hospitals in the South 'Burbs that can accomodate my wishes (I had a waterbirth with 2 of my 4, not planning waterbirth for this one but like the option!) My OB is a good friend as well which makes it worth the drive downtown all the time. If not for him, I definitely would have switched to Beth... Hinsdale would be FAR more convenient, the hospital is really nice, and Beth is really a great provider.
Good Luck and Congrats!
Thank you for the information. Your friend sounds fantastic.
Unfortunately, we aren't really close to the expy. Hubby works in East Chicago and is really adamant about staying closer to home than Hinsdale (otherwise we would check out Crown Point, IN). He is worried about making it home (or to the hospital) in time if something happened aqnd about me driving alone to appointments in winter if he can't get off work. (He is a worrier and this is his first, too!)
As of now, I am going with the doctors from Southwest Women's Healthcare Associates. According to the St. James website, they have a new birthing center - we are hoping to take a tour there soon.
Sigh. I just wish there were CNM at every healthcare facility and it wasn't such a challenge to find one close to the house!
peace,
katharine
Book-Kitten blog
peace,
katharine
Book-Kitten blog
okay, I emailed you her number