I gave birth to my first child (13.5 months old) at Rush via c-section. I loved my OB, but she moved to California last summer. I liked Rush, the nurses were great and they were very professional, but it's also on the interventionist side. I'd like to try for a VBAC and, while I know they would help me, I don't think that I'd get the support that I'd like and need.
Does anyone have a VBAC-friendly OB that they would recommend in the city? Central or West side or near north would be okay too. Thanks!
They're located in Skokie, and affiliated with the Rush hospital there (Rush North Shore Medical Center). Dr David Shaw and Dr Catherine Dillon - ###-###-####
I am not sure about my OB being VBAC friendly but I love my OBGN. IT is Womens Group of Northwestern.
I had my daughter 4 years ago at Rush by c-section. Dr. Shawn Davies was my OB. I absolutely loved him. My husband and I recently moved back to Chicago from Ohio.I was taking my 13 month old son to Rush for a chest x-ray and Dr. Davies stopped me in the hall to say "Hi," and asked me how the family was. I couldn't believe that he remembered me after not seeing him in 4 years. I highly recommend him. I don't know how he feels about VBAC, but I would call and ask, or look at the Rush website.
Hi K. -
As another data point, I also use Dr Garvey and the various other doctors that are part of NMPG at 680 N Lake Shore Drive. I had an emergency c-section with Dr Garvey for my 1st child when the baby was under duress, but then was fully supported by Dr Garvey and team to have a successful VBAC with my 2nd child. I feel strongly that they are very supportive of the mother's wishes, but that they put the safety of the mother and the child above all else. They are definately my doctors of choice. Good luck!
I go to little company of mary in evergreen park. i see Dr. Travis Haldeman. Wonderful, Wonderful Man. I would not leave him for anything. I had 19 hour labor and then an emergency c-section with him. i love him.
I highly recommend Dr. John Weitzner ###-###-####. He is located in the Rush Professional Building, Suite #838. The only drawback is that he's a single-doctor practice, so sometimes you're in the waiting room a while...but at least you know that he's not going to rush through your delivery, procedure, surgery, or appointment. I had two occasions where I had (unpreventable) complications from some surgeries I had, and he saw me at 8:00 on a Saturday night in his office and also performed an emergency surgery for me at midnight...talk about dedication - he could have just shipped me off to an emergency room, but he insisted on taking care of me. In my opinion, he's not only saved my life once but also the life of my baby. I like it when a doctor goes that extra mile.
I also have experience with Women's Health Consultants ###-###-####, but from the infertility standpoint. Dr. Mary Wood-Molo is OUTSTANDING, but the nurses and ESPECIALLY the operator leave a LOT to be desired. The nurses frequently would forget to send all the pertinent information to the fertility pharmacies, which resulted in me having to skip several cycles of treatments because the drugs could not be delivered (and lose precious time). The operator is NOT FRIENDLY at all, and acts like she's doing you a favor when she answers the phone.
I love Northwestern ob/gyn group. I go to Dr. Garvey, but all the Dr's are top notch. I love Dr Moses (delivered by 2nd baby) and all the others that I had to meet thru both my pregnancies. ###-###-#### is their number.
I go to and love the doctors at Women Health Consultants, there are three doctors in this practice, there number is ###-###-####. They are located at The Rush Professional Building right across from Rush Hospital. They specialize in high risk pregenancies and I too looked into have a VBAC which they are for and allow only it there is no harm or the risk isn't too high for you. I was going to try but due to the incision from my pervious c-section I was unable to try but the doctors did there research and discussed throughly the option of trying it. You should look into them, it is a great practice with an outstanding staff. I will continue to recommand them to any and everyone, another thing I loved is I have never had a long wait in there office. Good luck.
I don't know of one, but there is a VBAC support group at Sweet Pea's Studio in Chicago (3717 n. Ravenswood, at Grace). I'm sure someone in that group would know. www.sweetpeasstudio.com
Hi K.,
If you are open to a midwife, I just did a VBAC in Sept at UIC. I used the midwives out of 1 E Erie and they deliver at UIC. I believe that there are some OBs in that office too. The number there is ###-###-####.
If you decide to go with them, the midwives are Charity Cooper and Kathleen Harmon. They are both WONDERFUL!
Good Luck with your decision!
B.
When I was pregnant I lived in Forest Park and went to the West Suburban Midwives in Oak Park. Now that I live in the Southwest suburbs I still go up there for annual appointments and plan to use them for my next pregnancy. They're great to work with, very relaxed and non-interventionist. I highly recommend them. I chose my health care providers very carefully at the start of my pregnancy and I had to make some tough decisions quickly during labor and was able to rely upon them completely.
If you prefer an MD to a midwife, Dr. Chorzempa in Oak Park is good, too. I believe that the practice has a few midwives on staff and the West Suburban Midwife group works with her office when necessary. (Dr. Chorzempa actually delivered my sons since the hospital required that an MD deliver for a multiple/twin birth.)
K.,
I ended up with a C-section for my first baby too (he was breech). I'm starting to think about kid #2 and also want to VBAC. I am planning to go to the midwives at UIC. They have the highest VBAC rate in the state of Illinois and the lowest C-section rate in Chicago, and one of the lowest in the state. You're much less likely to end up with a C-section with midwives versus OBs, and everything I've read indicates that track record is the best indicator of your own success chances....
I should mention that I had my first baby (the one that was breech and ended up being a C-section) with the midwives at Northwestern (NMPG - Dr. Garvey actually did my section). While I thought they gave excellent care, it's hard to have a baby at Northwestern without interventions. It can be done, and I know people who did, but it's tough. That said, NMPG is also quite supportive of VBAC. As for me, I'm putting my bets on the UIC midwives next time around.
HI--
I had a VBAC at Northwestern last February under the guidance of Dr. Bonnie Wise of
Obstetric and Gynecologic Specialists of Northwestern
680 N. Lakeshore Dr. Ste. 117
Chicago, IL 60611
###-###-####
fax: ###-###-####
I came in the day before my due date in labor with water intact. she placed my epidural at around 4 centimeters, I labored longer, made it to 5 cent. then they added a bit o f pitocin to keep things moving. In around 3 hours I was at 10 and ready to push... 20 mins later my healthy beautiful son was born! It was great! She is great, very knowlegdable and recently she made a comment to me about the c-section rates being too high--so she is on board with helping women have VBACs if they want them. The rest of the docs in the practice are great too (and all women and maybe all moms). Good luck to you. Recovery was so much better with the vaginal birth--and made chasing my 2 yr. old around easier too!
