They are amazing!! Such incredible experience during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Trustworthy and intelligent through the whole process! First time using a midwife, and I am choosing these midwives moving forward for my care. read more

I had such a great experience with the midwives! I wanted a natural unmedicated birth with as few interventions as possible and to be able to be in control of my own birth and that's exactly what I got ! When we attended the meet the midwives and were able to ask questions I knew immediately I wanted them to deliver my baby .All of the nurses are super friendly and really take the time to make you feel at ease . They want you to be able to meet all the midwives so they make sure to schedule you with a different one at each visit since they are on call and you don't know which one will actually deliver your baby . When the time came for my little bambina to enter the world they allowed me to labor as I wanted . I labored in the Jacuzzi tub with essential oils with flameless color changing candles ,my labor music playlist ,hanging string lights in my room and I even brought a small crockpot with hot water and drops of lavender essential oil with a few towels in there for my contractions ( the midwife and nurses commented how wonderful my room smelled and what a good idea it was for contractions (thanks pinterest !)My water broke in the jacuzzi tub and my beautiful girl was born after 4 hours of labor and maybe a little over a hour of pushing . It was an amazing experience and I'd say If I had another I'd use them again but this shop is closed !! read more

Midwives at Swedish Hospital - Midwives Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Once again, I've got nothing but wonderful, glowing things to say about the midwife group. I gave birth to my second son three weeks ago using the midwife group. Once again, I was 5 days past my due date and my water broke but I didn't have contractions so the midwife on call, Rachel, asked me to come in. She encouraged me to do everything I could to get labor moving naturally (walking, being hooked up to a breast pump for 6 hours, etc) but after 15 hours of no contractions and being stuck at 3cm since I was admitted, I was out of options. I was super reluctant to use Pitocin but Rachel assured me that I could still have an epidural free birth so I got on board. My son was born about 5 hours after I was started on Pitocin and Rachel talked me through the entire labor. Every contraction I had, she was there to encourage me. She was seriously amazing (AMAZING!!) and I don't know that I could have done it without pain medication without her there. THANK YOU, Rachel! I was able to eat and drink the entire time, my husband was able to "catch" the baby as he was born and I was encouraged to labor and push in whatever position worked best for me (it turns out this time around, I spent most of my labor sitting on a labor ball). All of the midwives I saw through my pregnancy (Rachel, Kim, Katie, Amy, Sherri, Libby, and Rosemary) were super kind and incredibly helpful. I started out my pregnancy this time around with an elevated BMI and while I was encouraged to only gain 15-25 lbs (I gained 23), I was never once harassed about my weight. It was a non-issue. Again, I have to stress that if you want a birth free of hospital regulations, birth at home or in a birthing center. Personally, I like knowing that I'm in a hospital in case I need emergency intervention, but I would never assume that what I want for my birth is what other women want for theirs. Yes, midwives are "merely" nurse practitioners but during my entire pregnancy and birth I never once interacted with a doctor and a nurse practitioner is more than qualified to administer health care, IMO. The Mr. and I are fairly confident that we'll be having more children. I am a few weeks shy of turning 35 and I was assured by the group that I can continue to seek care and have my children using their practice even though I'll be considered "advanced maternal age". I look forward to seeing all the ladies in the practice then! read more

I am so happy I switched over from Prentice to the midwives at Swedish Covenant! They are truly amazing at what they do. So compassionate, kind, resourceful, and gentle. I decided to try to meet with each midwife leading up to delivery instead of choosing one right away. I loved every single midwife- even though I did not get to see each of them for a pregnancy visit. I went to their "meet the midwives" night and loved hearing from each midwife. They are personable, and take their time during visits talking with you. Here are my experiences with the midwives I met: Rosemary- I loved her right off the bat- so much so that I never made an appointment with her because I knew I would be thrilled to have her deliver our baby. Allie- is as bubbly as ever. Honestly, her energy is intoxicating. Kelsey- is chill, friendly, and very calm. She ended up supporting the first part of my labor. I was induced and needed a foley bulb. Kelsey has awesome bedside manner and is really reassuring! Rachel- is calm, centered, and to the point. She supported my labor overnight when the foley bulb was fully in. I had check ups with Katie, Libby, and Molly. All were super compassionate and patient in answering any questions I had. Ironically, the day of my actual birth Donna was on call, and I had not had any appointments with her previously. I cannot say enough positive things about her! She was gentle and had such a relaxing way about her. She also had a myriad of techniques and positions to help get the baby out. I am very grateful she was there to deliver my baby. Kim was on call to check on me post-delivery. My hormones were all over the place then, and having Kim's reserved, supportive demeanor was just what I needed. She was reassuring and very patient in talking with me. All in all, I am so happy with the midwives. I look forward to continuing on with them with potential future deliveries if we have more children, and most certainly for gynecological care! read more

I moved to this group after being at a traditional OBGYN office group and am glad that I made the switch. All the Midwives are extremely knowledgeable, professional, and empathetic women who care deeply about you and your baby's wellbeing. I was also part of the centering program and for a FTM, it was a great way to receive information and talk about issues/concerns that may come up during the pregnancy. My baby boy was 10 days late and there was no pressure from the group to induce as I was medically healthy from all the test results. My experience delivering at Swedish with the midwives was beyond my expectations. The room was quiet, calm with only my midwife, L&D nurse and husband. Originally, I wanted an unmediated birth, but knew that anything could happen on the day of. I ended up getting an epidural and there was no judgement or pressure when I made this decision. They were nothing but kind and ensuring the whole time. When it came time to push, the midwife coach me through the whole thing and with her support and positive encouragement, the baby was born without complications. We did immediate skin to skin and there was no pressure on you only have x amount of time with the baby. Even postpartum, I continue to have great experience with this group and cannot recommend them enough. There's not a moment I regret the decision I made to switch to them for my prenatal care. If more babies are in the future, you can bet that the next one will also be delivered by them. read more

I had an excellent experience with the midwives at Swedish Covenant. This is our last baby, but if I had another, I would 100% come back to the midwives. I switched here for my second pregnancy after delivering my first with an OB group. I'm glad I did. Appointments were easy to get and always on time. The nurses are so sweet. They rotate you through all the midwives for prenatal appointments, and I liked all of them. I opted for midwives this time in hopes of feeling respected, supported and empowered during pregnancy and childbirth, and each midwife here absolutely delivered. I'm not sure if this is because they knew I was a second time mom, but there did seem to be an assumption that I knew what I needed to know and if I had questions or requests, I would ask. Most of the time that was true -- but I almost missed the optimal window for my Tdap booster because I was assuming they'd tell me about any vaccinations I needed, and I ended up having to request it myself after reading somewhere you need one for each pregnancy. If I was doing this again, I might ask at each appointment if there was anything else I needed to know at that stage. Baby girl was delivered by Bridget, who was warm, beyond supportive, and coached me through giving birth to a sunny-side-up baby in about half an hour of pushing (a posterior position where many people end up having to get C-sections to deliver. Thank you Bridget!!). I delivered on a busy night and anesthesia was tied up when I got there so it took a few hours to get an epidural, and they had gas and a tub available for comfort measures in the meantime. I was too looped to notice much about the L&D room, but I can say that the recovery rooms at Swedish are not the Ritz. If the upscale hotel experience is a priority for you, this ain't it; go to Prentice. For me, the excellent care was a very worthwhile tradeoff for functional window blinds and a shower head I didn't have to hold for the entire shower. One of the most impressive things about Swedish is the holistic support available during and after pregnancy - you don't find that in a lot of medical settings these days. They do group-based centering prenatal appointments, which I couldn't work out with my schedule but wish I could have. They have a relationship with a donation-based volunteer doula service. They have an excellent lactation clinic with one-on-one, hourlong appointments, billed direct to insurance. I've been participating in their new moms group on Wednesdays, and am looking forward to linking up next week with the offshoot stroller workout group being led by an instructor at Swedish's Galter Center. If you need pelvic floor physical therapy, you can get it with a PT at Galter too. Swedish doesn't just shuffle you through prenatal appointments and turf you once you have your baby; you've got a bunch of options for ongoing support, if that's what you're looking for. read more

I had a great experience. Kim delivered my baby boy. She was wonderful and happened to be the first midwife I met when I first started this whole journey so it felt like I had come full circle with her in the delivery room with me. All of the midwives are compassionate, knowledgeable, and kind. It is an amazing calling and after giving birth I have a new respect for the work that they do. The system of having to call the main office to page a midwife and then wait for the midwife on call to call you back is my only slight criticism. It seems like there should be a slightly better system for women who are trying to speak to a midwife while they are in the throes of labor. It feels weird to not be able to access a midwife immediately. I was in labor and was calling to see if I should come into the hospital. The midwife on call did not call me back within the 30 minutes that I was told she would. She was delivering three babies back-to-back, so I totally understand her calling me back not being a high priority. But because we didn't hear from her, and we were nervous first-time parents, we decided to play it safe and go into the hospital. We were sent back home again, and that is now a bill that we need to pay. Aside from that, I have no complaints. The nurses, the midwives, everyone was fantastic and I couldn't have had a better team helping me bring a new life into the world. read more

Your information section needs to be changed... "Our nurse-midwives offer unique, personalized care to every woman, and seek to give you a positive and empowering experience." Every woman did not include me, among many other women with BMI's higher then 40. After waiting weeks until late into my first trimester to finally get an appointment, and be told my BMI was too high and that I need to see a high risk specialist (without any regard to my blood pressure or health beyond my weight) was incredibly embarrassing and mortifying. You should look into establishing some type of prescreening for patients, or have patients send in their papers ahead, so you don't waste anyone's time. I left feeling angry, upset, and ultimately discriminated against. I just needed to express this feedback. I hope something is done to prevent other women from dealing with what I had to deal with. I have found the midwife care that I want at UIC, and couldn't be happier to be treated as a human being, with a healthy pregnancy despite a high BMI. I understand that hospitals have policies, and I'm sure they continue to help your numbers "look great". But policies like that should be made public, or known so patients like me, can find a provider that makes them feel they are worth their time. Note to women with pre-pregnancy BMI's higher then 40 looking to deliver at Swedish: It's not going to happen. Don't take it personal or let it color your pregnancy. Move forward and find the care you deserve and need. read more

I'm not going to use my story to sway your decision to choose a provider to assist you in the birth of your child. I would encourage you to pay attention to the names and the dates of the reviews below, then see how many of those practitioners are still with this group today. I would also encourage you to follow your gut instinct. Meet with them, ask your questions and see how it feels. I know for me, I saw the Business of Being Born and I search long and hard to find an affordable place to deliver my first child, a center that supported women. I did not find this at Swedish. What I have learned from my experience is that Certified Nurse Midwives are bound by the same hospital rules and regulations as Obstetricians, without the experience or knowledge of having a higher degree. They also lack the "bedside manner" training. I was very pleasantly surprised that the OB's were not my enemy. They were far more helpful and willing to support my choice to have a natural child birth.... The opposite of what I experienced from the Midwives. I think it comes down to confidence. Midwives (at least these) do not have the skills to assist a natural birth (a natural birth from a woman over 30 with an elevated BMI) and therefore they want to control the process; pitocin, epidural, c-section. My OB at Swedish was very confident and she encouraged and supported me and we succeeded in a natural birth. I'm very proud and honored to say that my baby is very happy and healthy! The important thing to remember is that CNM are just nurses in lab coats. They cannot think critically or independently. They just follow and outline of what they perceive a "normal" birth. If you fall out of that range they are extremely heavy handed in intervening. I think the rise in nurse midwives has more to do with the decline of health care than the rise of woman's rights to birth. Nurse midwives are not trained in the art of spiritual midwifery. If that is the experience you are looking for, you will not find it here. Good luck with your birth, I might also add that Saint Francis has a lovely birthing center, there they let the laboring woman walk and interact with one another. I so lucky to witness this, it was beautiful and I was jealous I wasn't with them. read more

I recently delivered my baby girl with the midwives at Swedish Covenant. The midwives, particularly Donna Warder, helped to enhance my pregnancy experience through excellent education, treatment and support. I participated in the Centering Pregnancy program which provided holistic care: pregnancy education, superior patient care, community, etc. Meeting/connecting with my group gave me an excellent support system. I felt confident in my own pregnancy and in tune with my overall health. Overall, the midwives helped me understand and prepare for all aspects of pregnancy, childbirth, and post-partum care. Plus, most of the midwives feel like dear friends. I already miss seeing them regularly! I delivered (sans medication) a healthy baby girl. She is exceptionally beautiful, intelligent, agile and calm... Probably because I chose Swedish Midwives. Had I gone somewhere else, who knows what I would have birthed? NOTE: Now that the baby haze has passed, I'd like to amend my review with a couple improvements: 1) The nurse rarely calls back promptly. Once, I waited for 3 hours for her to return my call and eventually just went into the office for service. 2) The billing department has messed up 98% of my bills. read more

UPDATE: I didn't end up delivering at Swedish. At 31 weeks pregnant, I finally took a tour of their birthing center, and I could instantly see why the staff tells women to wait until the third trimester to do so. The labor and delivery facilities are pretty disappointing -- outdated, uncomfortable, depressing. The rooms look like they haven't been updated in 30 years. Tiny TVs. Uncomfortable seating. Broken recliners for overnight guests. And "gas station bathtubs," as my husband described them. Don't get me wrong; the midwives and nurses at Swedish are amazing! But for the day you deliver -- a day you want to be as comfortable as possible -- the hospital itself leaves much to be desired. On the advice of a doula, I switched to the midwives at Elmhurst Hospital and had a wonderful experience -- great midwives (except for one), amazing nurses, and beautiful facilities. read more

This review is solely based upon the policies that the midwives here are forced to practice. I too like another reviewer wanted to have the midwives for my pregnancy and delivery but I too found out the hard way that they won't work with patients with a BMI over 40. I was shy of this number by very little and they do not take into account your overall health or history. It is very frustrating and upsetting that I can be denied the care I want for myself and my child so easily. They then wanted me to schedule with an OB, which I am not interested in at all.... and the only one availabel for appointments for a month was in my opinion the worst one on staff and I will not put myself through that stress and anxiety after the reviews I read on this doctor. It is such a shame because all of the midwives are truly wonderful, but the practice itself is absolutely horrid. I would not reccomend even stepping foot in this practice if you are even close to having a high BMI because that is all they will look at. Fortunatley I have also found another practice of midwives locally who will take care of my pregnancy and delivery and I am happy I found them! read more

I switched to the Midwives Group at Swedish from a gynecologist in the Northshore (Northwestern) system when I was two months pregnant because I wanted to pursue a natural birth and felt I'd be more successful in the care of midwives. My start with the group was a bit rough -- several problems with the receptionists and scheduling -- but once I started meeting with the midwives themselves, my experience took a turn for the positive! Each midwife provided me with all the information and resources I could want, and they made sure I was educated about all options for different kinds of care & testing (ex. genetic testing) throughout the process, which I was concerned they might not discuss with me since they weren't always necessary. I particularly enjoyed my appointments with Bridget, Allison, Kelsey, Rose, and Rachel. Everyone in the group was relaxed, knowledgeable, and thorough. My actual labor and delivery were where the midwives (and Swedish!) shined. Rachel handled 3/4 of the labor and Kelsey handled my delivery. During labor, most of the time it was just me, my husband and our nurse (Christina Downey, an amazing person who was fabulous in the room and also as my recovery nurse the next day), but when Rachel came in she was very calm and encouraging, thoroughly discussing all of my options. Kelsey was also extremely calm during the final phase and when my daughter got stuck on the way out (shoulder dystocia), she performed 4 different manual maneuvers to get her fully delivered and without any injuries -- nothing short of a miracle in my eyes! My daughter had to be aspirated immediately because of meconium in the amniotic sac, and the Swedish OB on staff (and accompanying nurses) were excellent -- again, a successful procedure with no injuries! I originally thought Swedish might be a "lesser" hospital compared to Northwestern, but I had a wonderful experience there. 9 out of 10 of my nurses were fantastic, the rooms were super clean and spacious enough for us, and the pediatricians and lactation consultants on site were awesome as well. I'll definitely have my next baby there! read more

What a disappointment. I tried to make an appointment here to establish care, and was scheduled a few weeks out. Pretty typical to wait until 8 weeks for a first appointment, so I wasn't worried. However, when I started to notice some bleeding I was very concerned for my pregnancy and tried to call for help or an earlier appointment. I was told, "they will not talk to you if you haven't been in for an appointment yet. Call your primary care provider or go to the emergency room" I called my PCP but there's not much they can do, I really need to see an OB/midwife. My PCP listened to my symptoms and said I should really see someone within 3 days. I called Swedish again to tell them what my PCP said and ask again if they will move my appointment up. They said they can only move it up by one week and again advised me to call my PCP. I told them I'd already done that and now what I need is an appointment, but they did not seem to care at all. I hung up and called another midwifery practice and they were able to see me immediately when they heard my symptoms. They were appalled that Swedish would refuse to see me when I was experiencing bleeding. Glad I found out early how well they treat people here so I can steer clear. read more

I had a wonderful experience with Swedish Covenant Midwifery group with giving a birth to my baby girl in June 2015. I dreamed about giving a natural birth for a while so I chose Swedish Covenant Midwives based on my friends' positive experience. This hospital is known for providing great support to new moms with their care, breastfeeding consultants and nurses. The rumor was correct, but I would even say - it was extraordinary. First of all, all the midwives I've visited throughout my pregnancy were very kind, supportive and professional. I especially was fond of Bridget and Rachel. On the day of my last visit before due date I was told that my baby girl's stomach stopped growing, it's much smaller than other parts of her body thus she needs to be induced. I trusted a midwife-on-call's decision, as she consulted with an OBGYN doctor as well. We were admitted at 8 pm on June 23rd, and they gave me pitocin (I still refused to have any pain medication - I wanted to be in control of my own labor). Molly was my midwife-on-call from 9 pm to 7 am, and she was like a guardian angel. I started to have quite painful contractions at 3 am in the morning, and I asked both a nurse and Molly to allow me to do hydrotherapy aka a bath soaking. My husband was asleep, I didn't want to wake him up yet, so Molly asked if I want her to stay and I said "yes", as I felt a bit lonely and scared. As I was sitting in the tub, Molly asked me different questions about my life and distracted me from growing pain. I'm so grateful she was with me all that time. Then she asked if I want to have a doula's support. It was 3:30 am! I can't believe it was possible at that point, but Molly said they have a volunteer doula-on-call. Can you imagine a doula would come in at 4:30 in the morning for free? She did! Actually two doulas did, as they have a shift - first doula was with us from 4:30 am to 7:00 am, and another doula from 7:00 am to 10:00 am. I couldn't imagine my birth without those wonderful doulas who never left my side, who held my hand throughout the enormous pain and gave kind advice to my husband on how to be a better support. I'm so grateful nurses were never mad at my mean shouts during the contractions (they laughed: it's ok if you are mean during the labor, it's not ok if you are after!) - they were extremely caring and kind. I delivered my baby girl at 7:57 am. I'm so grateful Molly stayed with us beyond her shift and took care of me. Bridget was next midwife on call and she took good care of me after I delivered. I also wanted to say thank you and give a big hug to our lactation consultant Kathleen Gale - she was so caring and kind, it felt like she was my child's godmother. She saved my breastfeeding relationship, and provided comfort. I nurse my baby girl with no issues because of her help. Thank you to all the nurses who do amazing work: I hope you would read this review and feel our gratitude. We've just moved to Charlotte, so I don't have a chance to visit our guardian angels=midwives, but please feel our love!! We love you!! read more

Midwives at Swedish Hospital - They took care of my baby girl while she was laying on me: they didn't separate us for hours! - Midwives Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I delivered both my children with the midwives of swedish covenant and have seriously considered driving back into the city from the suburbs to have my third caught by them. Every midwife was smart, competent, respectful and treated me as if I was also smart and competent. I felt like a rock star after almost every appointment. They were comfortable that I brought my toddler with me for routine appointments. They let me cry or express fears without judgment, asking sensitive questions to get to the root of my concern and then giving me information to alleviate it. I had two or three hiccups with the administrative staff over the course of two pregnancies but i have yet to encounter a medical office where this isn't true. I felt very comfortable that everyone on the labor and delivery floor were on the same page in terms of family friendly policies to encourage breast feeding and bonding. The midwives are regulars there and it shows. Finally, I am especially grateful that it was clear that the choices they were recommending (and they always used that kind of empowered, safe language) were evidence-based. Diagnostic tests they did during my first pregnancy were considered unnecessary by my second based on new research. When the early ultrasound of my second daughter indicated that her due date should be changed, Libby made the effort to double-check the policy they had just revised in their weekly meeting based on new research. These are smart women at the cutting edge of non-intervention, in other words, whenever it's safe to do so, they assume a woman's body is doing what it supposed to so that no insurance company panics and insists they follow up with interventions based on unnecessary tests that don't actually predict outcomes. I highly recommend them. read more

I am forever indebted to this wonderful group working from the Swedish covenant hospital. My wife started her pregnancy through this group and all throughout the process everything was great. The Midwives are really nice and yu can really tell they take joy and pride in what they do. They are all awesome and whats cool is that each one is unique and knowledgeable and you will find out along they way as you will be working with all of them on your baby journey. Now to why I rave about them......... Our baby ended up turning breech to the point were my wife could no longer bring our baby into the world the natural way ...........we would have to go the "unatural route"(wife had to have a C Section) with a DR. They passed us along to a great DR. ANNNNND they still hecked up on my wife through the C-SECtion procedure as a midwife was in the the room with us for support. My wife is back with the Midwifes for post birth check ups ! :) THANK YOU so much! read more

I had such a great experience from all my appointments to my baby's birth. I switched from another hospital at 23 weeks, all appointments short, informative and very useful. I love all the midwives that I got to talk to as well as the nurses. They were all so sweet and caring, they made me feel very confident and calm with my pregnancy. When the delivery date came, I was lucky I waited a while to go to the hospital so my delivery was pretty quick. Kim was the midwife on call and Theresa was our nurse. They were amazing, so calm and empowering. They made me feel brave and strong since I wanted an all natural birth. My husband was also in the room and they allowed him to be part of the delivery and let him catch the baby when she came out, he was so excited. Everything went better than what I had envisioned I wanted. I'm forever thankful for making this experience so amazing for our little family. read more

The Swedish Covenant Midwives are a joke. They like to pretend that they'll give you more attention than​ a doctor would, and that they care about your overall well being, and that they're more accessible than doctors. BUT THEY'RE NOT. If you decide to work with this practice you will be lost among the masses, wait months for an appointment and not receive test results in a timely manner. read more

I had my baby 6 weeks ago with the Nurse-Midwifery Group at Swedish Covenant. My experience with them from my first visit at 12 weeks pregnant and until I gave birth (and after) has been nothing less than wonderful and I would recommend them to anyone who wants excellent care! They have a natural, holistic approach and support natural childbirth but can also offer pain medication such as epidural. Throughout my prenatal care I always felt like the midwives took their time to talk about all my concerns. My visits were relaxed and the midwives never seemed stressed. They make sure you get to meet all eight of them during your pregnancy, so that you will know the midwife who is on-call when you deliver. They are all very sweet and professional. As I got closer to my due date they went over the "birth wishes" I had written down and took it very seriously. When I came in to give birth, my midwife Darcie taped my birth wishes up on the wall and made sure that everyone who was involved with my care followed them (as long as the baby and I were doing well, of course), which made me feel respected and in charge of my own birth. Throughout labor, Darcie encouraged me when I needed it, yet trusted that my instincts were guiding me. My birth experience was truly empowering!! 5 stars, no doubt! read more

I have not given birth yet with the Midwives yet but I feel like addressing some of the negative comments directed at Kim. Thru luck of the draw, I have just had my third appointment in a row with Kim. I was a little nervous at first to meet with her, based on the negative comments I had read on yelp. After spending these last three sessions with her, I do not understand the negativity towards Kim. Not only did Kim explain everything in a very professional manner, she seemed to really care about my well being. I had had a pretty problem free pregnancy up until meeting with Kim, but suddenly every annoying pregnancy symptom started happening at once, from swollen feet to itchy rashes to some problematic extra weight gain. Kim addressed every symptom I experienced professionally and I actually felt like she genuinely cared about my progress at each following appointment. On top of that, when she felt that I needed an additional test for something or other, she would explain her reasoning for why she wanted me to do this extra thing, but ultimately left the decision to me. She has walked me thru the results of different standard tests, even showing me the results on the paperwork and happily encouraging me about my health. With respect to Kim's hearing issue, it has never been a problem and I have never felt like she hasn't heard something I said. My next appointment is not with Kim, and I will actually be a little sad not to be able to follow up with her. I have every confidence that if Kim is on call when I go in to have our son, she will ensure that we have the birth experience that we want. read more

Hi Everyone, I would highly recommend the midwife group at Swedish Covenant. We went with a different midwife group in the Chicagoland area for the prenatal care/delivery of our 1st daughter, and had a terrible experience. Though my daughter was born completely healthy, and I had an unmedicated birth (as I'd wished), we were left alone several times by the midwife very late in the game (during the crowning stage), and the midwife wasn't very pro-active when she was with us (very few suggestions of alternate birthing positions once it was clear that she was "stuck"). I ended up with a vacuum extraction, a 3rd degree tear and a VERY long and rough road to recovery. By contrast, the care and delivery experience at Swedish was much, much better. Though we did have to often wait at our first-in-the-morning appointments, we never felt rushed during the actual visits (and I always had a lot of questions). They referred me to a pelvic floor physical therapist, Allison Rosetti (who was AWESOME), who immensely helped with a lingering injury from the 1st childbirth, and were very responsive to my fears and concerns about repeating the 1st experience. Sherri Ruerup, the director of the Group, delivered us a few weeks ago. She was absolutely magnificent. I elected to induce at 41 weeks, and once the active labor got going (*wow* were those contractions strong/painful!), Sherri stayed with me, coached me through everything, and then put me into a birthing position that would minimize injury. I emerged from this 2nd delivery with NO tearing/laceration (which was my biggest fear), and also got through the delivery without meds. Both during and immediately following the delivery, Sherri strongly advocated for my wishes (skin-to-skin contact with my baby, taking the IV out shortly after the delivery, etc), and pushed back against some of the nursing staff (who were well-meaning, but more used to OB-GYN protocols and management). All the midwives in this Group are highly competent and fantastic. read more

These people are great. The nurses during and after pregnancy were all nice and understanding and caring. They were all amazing, but Barbara, Ivette and Angela were only few that make this whole experience much more easier and pleasant. Thank you all from the bottom of our lives The reason I gave it 4 is because we are Muslims but they had many crosses which I do not really understand why they are neccessary in this hospital unless it was St. Swedish Hospital :). Also I was surprised how many students they had working. I students are great and is a great way to learn but they should not be doing all the work and maybe 1 doctor overseeing and takes too long to see a doctor because students still cant make any decisons. read more

We delivered a healthy baby boy on Saturday June 6th with the help of the supportive Midwifery Group at Swedish Covenant Hospital. Although Allison and Donna were the midwives at the finish line, the whole group has been positively involved in our nine month process. They are informative, supportive, and knowledgable. The attention they gave mommy (and continue to give) is genuine and brought immense comfort to the two of us as we approached our due date. We did not have a very detailed birth plan, but now that we've been through it, we wouldn't change a thing! We started with the midwife group because mommy really wanted support from another woman, somebody who could best empathize with her. And that is what she got! Always giving her direct focus and eye contact, the midwives seemed to know that the best way to ensure a smooth delivery of a healthy baby, is to make sure that mommy is taken care of and that both her physical and emotional conditions are prioritized. During the labor process, we were able to contact the on-call midwife, Allison, who coached us through laboring at home until we were ready to come in. Donna admitted us about 9 hours later and took close care of mommy throughout the day. After laboring for about 20 hours, the difficult decision was made to have an epidural with pitocin. This conversation was handled so well as we were feeling a bit uncertain as to how to proceed. By now mommy was exhausted and the epidural and pitocin seemed to be the best option. After receiving the treatment, mommy fell asleep and woke up two hours later fully dilated and ready to push! During the hour and a half of pushing, the midwife, now Allison, read Gail beautifully. Her balance of coaching and comforting was perfect. The only people in the room were the two of us, a nurse, and the midwife. Nobody else entered, nobody ever left. Allison offered gentle explanations of what was happening and why, how, and when mommy needed to push. Once baby was born, she gently placed the baby onto mommy's chest for two hours of immediate skin to skin time, allowing baby and mommy to form an inseparable bond. I cannot put into words how grateful we are for the Midwifery Group at Swedish. All I can say is thank you. Thank you. Thank you. read more

Midwives at Swedish Hospital - Our baby, Benjamin, just hours old. :) - Midwives Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Second pregnancy and so far the midwives are still great at appointments. However don't expect to get contacted back if you have a question for their nurses. Had to to contact them five times for a simple request. Even when the request was fulfilled they gave mixed information. A Couple weeks ago I called because I'm pregnant and was worried I had covid exposure and it took them a whole week to call me back. Now I'm waiting on lab results that i was supposed to have results back to already - i call only for them to tell me someone will call me back and i cannot hold on the phone for them. I'm not sure if they're short staffed but it's been unacceptable and now I have to consider if I want to deal with the poor communication much longer. They blame it on a portal change but the communication issues existed prior to that. Save yourself the frustration and find yourself a better practice - possibly Evanston or Elmhurst which I'll have to look into next. read more

I love the Swedish midwives so much and the way Swedish handled the birth of my 2nd child so much. They respected my birth wishes and really took great care of me. They helped me with pain management and really helped me to have an easy birth and labor. If I have more children I will continue to see these midwives. I highly recommend them for a natural approach to pregnancy and birth. They helped me to not panic as I pushed to deliver my son and to me that is priceless. read more

I can't say enough about the Swedish Covenant Midwives and the care our family received from each of the midwives and staff in the practice. Our first child was born in June 2014, and we had fantastic care the entire pregnancy, labor and delivery. My husband was originally skeptical going to anyone that wasn't an MD, but the midwives gained his trust over time as they competently handled complex issues in my pregnancy throughout the trimesters and counseled us through many questions and concerns we had. The midwives proved to be medically competent and professional in their ability to navigate gray areas, and complicated health issues. I was also impressed how well the midwives communicated with each other. It seems like their filing system is very good, or they communicate regularly, because I had a lot of details in my pregnancy and delivery which needed to be carefully documented, and they did not drop the ball at all. Many people have the view of midwives as too crunchy, untrained, or incapable of handling medical issues, but my experience with the Midwives did not reflect this. I'd say that the midwives are not only capable to handle the "easy" all natural uncomplicated births, but complex issues which need additional medical care. I was thoroughly impressed with each of the midwives and their professionalism, practical training and medical knowledge. read more

I've had two deliveries with the midwives and highly recommend them if you are interested in pursuing a low-intervention birth. Kelsey and Donna delivered my babies and I had EXCELLENT experiences with both of them despite not having had any appointments with Donna prior to delivery and only having met Kelsey once or twice. I was able to deliver unmedicated, which isn't something I truly thought I could do until it happened (I did also have the support of a doula both times, and would always recommend this for a number of reasons, including continuous basic labor support). Scheduling appointments during my first pregnancy was difficult - I was able to overcome this during the second pregnancy by going to their Mayfair location as often as possible (another bonus - free parking!) and by scheduling the appointments as far in advance as possible. All of this being said...the post-delivery experience at Swedish after my second labor left a lot to be desired. Incredibly disorganized (which seems to be a systemic issue vs. a problem with any individual staff members, who seemed to be doing their best. A resident later told me that the hospital is generally having problems due to a management change.) The post-delivery experience doesn't involve the midwifery group much, however, hence the 5-star for their services. Even the midwife-in-training who saw me post-delivery and for my 6-week appointment was fabulous. read more

I couldn't be happier with my experience with the SCH Midwifery Group! First, during my pregnancy, the nurses and Midwives made me enjoy coming to my appointments because of the level of care and attention I received. Honestly they treated me like a queen, and made me feel special. I actually getting to for office visits so often, because I miss the staff. Second, when I was about six months along I had a scare. Because I live so close to the hospital I drove there while I was calling, Molly immediately calmed me through the phone and allowed me to come in even though it wasn't typical. She let me listen to my babies heart beat and reassured me that we were fine. I so appreciated that she went above and beyond to ensure that we were safe and I felt calm. My labor was long and I couldn't have done it without Bridget. There were many times throughout the process where it seemed necessary to have a c-section. But, Bridget knew that I wanted to avoid it and her patience and perseverance allowed me to deliver without a c-section. Any other hospital would have sent me for a c-section. While in the delivery room the nurses were amazing. Again, I felt pampered. Finally, Kelsey supported me through my delivery her patience and calm demeanor made a hard job easier. She also went above and beyond to ensure my experience was amazing. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I can't wait to join your group again for the next baby!!! read more

We have been with the Swedish Covenant Midwives for the past year, through recovery after a miscarriage and our current pregnancy. I cannot compliment them highly enough--they provide research-driven care and a high level of expertise along with empathy and passion for babies and families. I look forward to my appointments and have never left without a good deal of information and support. I especially recommend the Centering program (if you have time for 2 hour appointments). You learn so much and go into labor confident. read more

When I became pregnant, I was trying to decide which hospital I wanted to have my baby at, and the two choices I fell upon were Swedish and Prentice. I wanted to try to have an all natural birth, and felt that Swedish seemed to be a better fit for me. I am so glad I picked Swedish. All of the midwives and their staff were so great! I can't think of any complaints I may have, I only have positive compliments. I started to attend their sessions for pregnant patients, and for someone who is completely clueless when it comes to pregnancy, diet, etc. this would be really helpful. They offer free snacks and the meeting is held in a comfy environment where you get to meet with other pregnant woman for support. Unfortunately, because I was diagnosed with SPD, I couldn't continue to attend due to the excruciating pain I had in my pelvis, I was stuck being in bed for days and using a cane to get around. My spirits were low because I was confined to my bed, but their cheerfulness and positive attitude at every appointment made me feel better. After physical therapy through Swedish, I was able to get around better. My water broke early, I wasn't due until August 22, and my son decided to show up August 1. I was scared and nervous, but again, the midwife Katie helped me relax when I arrived at the hospital ready for delivery. The entire time, they were available on call and they always got back to me right away. My birth plan included a natural delivery with no epidural, but the pain from my SPD made that impossible, I felt like I was delirious from the pain radiating from my pelvis with each contraction. Libby helped me feel comfortable enough to get an epidural. I appreciated how the anesthesiologist explained how he performs the injection, he noticed how terrified I was, but after he was done, I can honestly say it really wasn't that bad. Libby and the nurse named Wendy helped me deliver. Libby offered great suggestions as to what position to use because I had SPD and she was correct. My delivery went smooth but I owe it all to Libby, all the midwives I met and their staff. I highly recommend their group. They are amazing and they really care about their patients. read more

I have to say I've had the worst experience here . I'm having my first child , 35 weeks currently and every time I left this office I always left feeling guilty about myself and even having a baby . but never once will I regret my daughter , she's a blessing inside me only I can cherish . I came to this midwive group being over weight , I was first seen when I was 3 months pregnant . they've told me I am only suppose to gain about 15pounds in my pregnancy , which I think is pretty dumb to say ... Anyways , I know I gained more than I was supposed to durring my pregnancy and being that I was listed under high risk pregnancy . I've done all my blood tests and everything , all normal . Anyways , get this ... My last appointment was a about a week ago and the first thing they got to was my weight ... I asked the midwife about my pelvic pain that I was having and she skipped that whole part and my concerns and skipped right into what she had to do .. I thought a midwife was suppose to be here for me and my baby ? When I asked her if I could ask questions she said in a snotty way that she doesn't have time .. How don't you have time for my concerns ? It could be life threatening for myself or my child ? ... I signed over midwife practices to Erie across the street in the new building , today was my first appointment . And what I'm about to tell you changed my life and my baby's life! They accepted me arms open at 35weeks pregnant . did tell me about my weight but didn't make me feel bad at all . in fact they showed me paperwork of excersizes that I could use here at home to help my pelvic pain . they took a urine test , and they told me I have too much protein in my urine and it may be a sign of pre eclampsia . that is serious . now I'm on watch and their sending me for an ultrasound this week to check on the baby . and also I'm doing a 24-hour urine thing where I have to collect my urine and give it back . If I would have stayed at Swedish midwifes group they would have never figured this out and if left untreated my baby and I could have been at serious risk .!! If you plan on going to this practice as a over weight woman , please make sure what your getting into . I'm so glad that Erie caught this and will most likely treat this so baby and I are okay . read more

The midwives are amazing! I started my prenatal care with Prentice and ended up switching for a multitude of reasons, but primarily because the care felt cold and uninvolved. I understand Prentice is a 'well oiled machine' but we wanted a more holistic approach and immediately felt at home with the midwife group. Our birth plan was very flexible and they adapt as needed to accommodate your wishes, all while providing great care. Many people have the misconception that giving birth with a midwife means you've got to endure a natural labor, which isn't the case at all (I had an epidural) but they're awesome coaches if you decide to go that route. Rose was the midwife who caught my baby and we loveIf you have a chance to participate in the Centering group- I'd highly recommend it. It's a great way to learn and experience your pregnancy with a group of women that are due around the same time. My husband and I felt so much more comfortable and knowledgable about the entire process because of it. Shoutout to Angela, the nurse who was working while I gave birth to my son. She was amazing! read more

I'm updating my review once again. Notes on my VBAC pregnancy down further... First, the good. The ugly will come later. The two stars that I *do* have left for this review are soley for the following staff: Patricia, the triage nurse, Lydia, the nurse, Amy Graf, Kimberly Brandl, Rachel Blumenthal, & Libby Oppert. They did nothing but help me throughout my pregnancy. Patricia was always awesome about calling me back with bloodwork results, and still is. Lydia was fabulous at each appointment.. truly a kind person. Amy and Rachel always looked out for my best interest- genuinely. I was able to decline my glucose test in my third trimester, and Amy helped me work around it. Kim was phenomenal in checking baby's position and helping me figure out how to get baby moved (my kids like to flip around a lot- this one had a stint as breech at 37wks). Libby is just awesome, bubbly, upbeat, and has wonderful bedside manner. ***THE UGLY***. I did not end up birthing with the midwives- I gave birth at home after an hour of labor. I was attempting a VBAC with the midwives (or vaginal trial of labor, VTOL, as they call it- how unempowering!). -I had to see the OBs for a consult. The OB (can't remember her name, sadly) was terrible, and essentially told me that if I walked into that hospital I'd get cut open again. She was clearly anti-vbac. -When baby was breech for those few days, I was told by Kim that I'd be given a repeat c-section at 39 weeks if baby didn't flip. They also don't do external cephilac versions (ECV) on VBAC mamas. -I ended up being GBS+, no one informed me of this until AFTER I HAD MY BABY! -KATHERINE WILLY, or "Katie", has terrible bedside manner. I saw her in OB Triage at 36 weeks with lots and lots of contractions- false labor, but they were on the monitor, and I was in pain. Cervix not changing. I was given STADOL to knock them out. Fine, it worked. She didn't fully explain what that drug would do to me. Not right. She also refused to feel my belly during my 1 week postpartum visit (I had complications that I'll detail shortly). I told her I thought I had retained placenta and that I was concerned. She brushed me off. Went home. A few days later, out came a few bitty chunks of placenta. Bleeding tapered off and finally stopped. Unprofessional.. I'm in the process of figuring out who to talk to about this- hospital administration is likely the route, right? I think this CNM herself knocked off the other three stars... I had a postpartum hemorrhage after I birthed (at home in my bathtub, remember?). I examined my placenta- and it was due to retained placenta. I was rushed to the ER (was going into shock), admitted to L&D, where I passed two big chunks of placenta. No one really seemed to care much. **THE SCARY** When in the hospital (this is hospital related, midwife was great) I had my hemoglobin checked. It was 6.3! Rachel wanted to do a blood transfusion. I happily agreed- I was very sick. The attending OB said NO, that the risk of infection outweighed the benefit. No. I could have died. I was discharged with a hemoglobin level of 6.3. I was readmitted that night with symptoms of a heart attack (no heart attack, just a very sick mama!). I was admitted, put on a cardiac floor, I couldn't see my baby, couldn't breastfeed her, and was given two units of blood. Separated from my two day old baby. The lactation consultant was fortunately FABULOUS and saved my breastfeeding relationship. Brought over a hospital grade Ameda pump and let me store my breastmilk in the hospital. f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s! Please, until they weed out the bad apples, go elsewhere. I for one know that my next baby will be born at home- I will continue to use Swedish for well-woman care- paps and such. I'll avoid the bad apples. No way will I ever have a baby with them again- too great a risk I'll end up with an incompetent care provider, unfortunately. read more

I really wanted to love Swedish because it's close to my home. I was really impressed at the orientation where the midwife, Allie, discussed hospital policies which midwives there have worked hard to create in support of natural birth. In fact, I believe their policies may be the best in Chicago. Unfortunately, I found the practice with so many midwives to be really disjointed which left me feeling uneasy. I'm now switching care to West Suburban Midwives which is really far away but hopefully worth the commute. One of the problems with Swedish is that the hospital itself doesn't have the best reputation and my husband and I were pretty shocked by the sanitary conditions, especially in the lab - new and old urine all over the floors and counter, toilet paper everywhere, etc. It just makes me uncomfortable seeing that sort of thing in a hospital. The thing that put me over the edge was experiencing severe pelvic pain due to a UTI, having preliminary urinalysis support that diagnosis, being prescribed an antibiotic and then being called by a different midwife on the weekend, Rachel, to say I do not have a UTI and should stop taking the medication. When I told her I was still in a lot of pain and seeing blood in my urine (and wondering why my preliminary result was positive for bacteria) she said perhaps I didn't do the clean catch properly, or blood may be coming from somewhere else... I know the difference. When I persisted, she said perhaps I have something "bigger and badder" and could consider seeing a urologist, which caused me unnecessary panic. She did not offer to refer me to someone at Swedish and left me feeling like it was up to me to figure it all out. I ended up having to see my regular dr. the next day who confirmed and treated the UTI and stated that treating UTIs is important during pregnancy due to the risk of pre-term labor and advanced infection. Overall, the lack of support when I was experiencing something scary, and feeling like my own instincts were disregarded is what put me over the edge. I will say, I recently talked to two people who had really positive experiences there and another who had a really negative experience. I wouldn't rule the place out, it just didn't feel right for me. read more

Swedish is an EXCEPTIONAL practice. While practicing in the confines of a hospital, they manage to stay true to the heart of midwifery. We switched to Swedish after a very medically minded approach to birth with another midwifery group. They have worked hard to create a calm, warm, welcoming atmosphere for such an important life event. I saw all but one of the midwives and have no complaints about any of them. There was one midwife who seemed a little too laid back - I wondered if she listened to me. But it turns out her notes and follow up care were detailed and right in line with what should have been happening. I think it was just her personality to be quieter and more of a listener than a talker - you don't experience that very often in health care! This midwife ended up doing postpartum rounds on me and she took our WHOLE situation into account and helped us get set up for success upon returning home. Kim, Sheri and Gina were my favorite midwives to see, and lucky for me and my husband, Kim ended up delivering our baby. She allowed me to labor how I wanted and let me be alone most of the time with my husband and doula. I'm sure she would have been around more if I had needed or wanted her there, I just preferred to be alone. She exercised the right amount of caution when there was a slight issue with my baby's heart rate, but when things recovered she allowed me to be off the monitor and be free to labor in the shower. This group gives you the best chance of success at the type of birth you want to have. They do not push natural or medicated birth, they allow you to be a partner in making decisions, and they give an appropriate yet not overwhelming amount of information at each visit. Sheri should be applauded for the group she has put together here. The only negative comment I have is NOT about the midwives, but the postpartum care. I had a horrible experience in postpartum. The nurses and techs were in and out of my room every 30 minutes around the clock. They do not practice cluster care (i.e. clustering all of the things they need to do to give you more of a break.) and I felt like I needed to run out of the postpartum unit so I could start recovering. This was NOT a healing place. I highly recommend the Swedish Midwifery Group. If someone can get the PP unit under control, it would improve my feelings about the experience. I wish I could give birth there again, but go somewhere else for postpartum recovery! read more

This is another money making machine. If you really want the experience of a true midwife, this is NOT the place to go. You are a dollar sign here and that is all. I will not be going back. read more

I have now had 2 babies with the SC midwives and have had time to reflect on my experience. I chose to deliver with midwives because I wanted to be able to move around during labor and not confined to bed with an epidural. The good: -The midwives do not rush you through your appointment and give you time to ask questions. -They did a better job this time around of running on time as far as appointments. -Many of the midwives are young and energetic. My faves were Libby, Hannah, and Katie. -Had a good birth experience with baby #1. Amy Graf suggested a good position for pushing and took measures to make sure I would be intact. With a smaller, well positioned baby, labor and birth took just a few hours. I also felt like the nurses were on the same page as the midwife. The bad: -The walls are paper thin and you can often here conversations of other patients. -Ultrasounds and glucose testing are not done in office. A separate appointment has to be made at the lab. I had several issues with insurance (BCBS PPO) where I had to call to get things re-coded. We ended up paying $200+ for the 20 week ultrasound with baby #2 which we were not happy about. -Birth experience with baby #2 left much to be desired but in the midwife's defense, the baby was bigger than #1. I had to wear a fetal monitor for 95% of my labor (didn't do this with baby #1) which made me uncomfortable and I did not move around like I wanted to. When I inquired about this at my 6 week appointment I was told the baby must have been in distress. This was not told to my husband or I and my husband was watching the screen the whole time and nothing seemed off. I felt like the midwife phoned it in when it came time to push with not much direction or preparation. I'm not going to put her name in this review but PM me if you would like to know. I was not impressed with the delivery nurse especially when she suggested pitocin to deliver the placenta (after a natural delivery...delivered the placenta just fine). Overall, I had 2 natural child births resulting in 2 healthy children. read more

I switched to the Midwives for my second pregnancy from Lakeshore OBYN (had at Prentice). Overall, my experience was fantastic. I was going for a VBAC and they were 100% supportive. I ended up having a VBAC last week (five days late) and it was an amazing experience. My son and I were home the next day and I am now on my way to a successful recovery. Here are some notes for you to help if you do go with the midwives: 1) Your first appointment will be hard to schedule over the phone. If you have a chance maybe you could go to the office itself and try to book an appointment. After the first appointment is no problem. 2) If you have blood work done get a copy of the order. There's a disconnect between the lab and the midwife group so it's good to bring your own paperwork. 3) If you have a prescription make sure they call it in while you're at the office. Things come up and sometimes these things fall through the cracks. I worked closely with Rose, Katie, and Bridget for the majority of my care and all three were wonderful. Amy also has a great bedside manner, and very practical advice. read more

I deliver my 3rd child with the midwife group about 3 weeks ago and I had an amazing experience. From my first appointment at 8 weeks I felt completely cared for, listened to, and I felt like I was being treated as a woman having a baby and not a person that is sick (which is how I felt I was treated at U of C where I delivered my other 2 children.) If you are looking for a natural child birth experience where induction isn't mentioned until you are 42 weeks pregnant, duolas are offered through a volunteer program, labor is allowed to progress however it needs to (no breaking of water, no pititocin unless absolutely necessary, no pain relieving drugs unless asked for, being allowed to push in what ever position your body tells you, not constant fetal monitoring or even in IV if it's not needed) then this is the practice for you. I wanted to have a drug free birth and I really felt the only way to get that now days is to have a home birth - but my husband did not feel comfortable with that. His stipulation was that the midwife group had to be associated with a hospital. This group is. The OBs practice in the office right next to them and the OBs are always there is needed - but this is the only midwife group that I know of in the city where the midwife practice is separate from the Obs. They consult with eachother - but the midwives don't answer to the OBs. My appointments were focused on me, my family, my job, my concerns - it was a holistic approach to pregnancy. All my questions were answered honestly. I loved my birth experience and I was able to have the drug free birth I wanted - even with my water breaking on its own first. I was not "put on a clock" to have the baby within a certain amount of time after my water broke, I was allowed to labor in a tub, pain meds were never even mentioned to me. I even had an experience that I know would have put me right to a c-section in most hospitals. At 39 weeks 5 days pregnant my baby flipped into the breech position. I was mortified and thought I was going right into the OR for a c-section. But, the midwife told me to go home, try acupuncture to flip the baby and to come in the next day to try a manual flip with the OBs and if the baby is still breech then we can talk about my other options. Well, the acupuncture worked and I didn't even need the manual flip. I was so grateful I was with a group of people that were able to remain calm and offer more holistic solutions rather than just "lets get this baby out now". (And she was born 9lbs 7oz - which could have been enough reason in itself to be offered a c-section after finding out the baby was breech). So, long in short, I love this practice. I would deliver any more children I have here and I am recommending it to all of my friends that are pregnant. I had a dream pregnancy, labor and delivery and I know it was because of the midwifes at Swedish Covenant and their outlook on pregnancy as something a woman is made to do. read more