Lakeview/ Downtown Chicago OB/Gyns and hospitals

MarriedtoMummy · April 2015

Hi Ladies, I'm very new here (the bump and Chicago), for those who haven't seen my into post, I am 27, married for 14 months, plan on starting TTC in Aug/Sept. Does anyone in the Chicago area have a recommendation for OB/Gyns and hospitals for delivery? Also has anyone had a water birth covered by insurance? I've been doing a bit of research and apparently Illinois Masonic Advocate hospital has a good midwife center, but the hospital gets an overall bad rating. I have BCBS IL medical insurance (in case anyone else does). I am a ridiculous planner, so like to do things as far in advance as possible, I've already started temping with FF and am taking prenatals

Any help or suggestions are appreciated and welcomed.

sschwege · May 2015

If it's low intervention birth you are looking for, assuming so because you mentioned water births. The MWs at Swedish are wonderful! Extremely supportive of letting things unfold on their own, the MWs actually outnumber the OBs at this hospital! I gave birth to my first two without so much as an IV in my arm and hope to do the same this time. Only down-side they only do 'water labors' not births, so you can labor in their jacuzzi jet tubs (one in every room) but you have to get out to push. Their dopplers work under water, so the nurse just comes every 15 min, listens and leaves you don't have to get out which is wonderful!

Prentice does do water births, though they only have two tubs. So it's not a guarantee that you will have a water birth. I have a friend who had two water births there and had a great experience. She switched early from the OBs to the MWs because when she made it known she wanted low-intervention her doctor said, "We like to keep things moving along. Consider switching to the MW group."

Oh and we have BCBS PPO and Swedish is covered. Let me know if you have any other questions!

Karenin · June 2015

I LOVE Prentice but have no experience with other places. I also recommend my practice- Northwestern Medical Group's OB practice. The group and Prentice are covered by BCBS and the group also has 2 midwives if you prefer to work with a midwife.