There is a lot to expect when you’re expecting. There are a lot of unknowns you have to accept, and a lot of people telling you how it’s going to be based on their own experience. Basically, there is a lot to worry about. But more and more, moms-to-be – including OSF Mission Partners – are turning to OSF HealthCare birthing centers and finding the support and care they need to navigate the delivery experience with some peace of mind.
So nice she delivered twice at OSF Saint James
Shannon Barichello lives in Streator and is a faith community nurse at OSF Center for Health – Streator. She has two children – Noah, born June 2017, and Nash, born February 2019 – and gave birth to both of them at OSF HealthCare Saint James – John W. Albrecht Medical Center in Pontiac.
During her first pregnancy, when she was shopping around for a birth center, she called OSF Saint James. She was greeted warmly, and she learned of their program that allowed her to take a guided tour of the unit and learn about the parenting and birthing classes offered. That tour convinced her she had come to the right place.
“When moms are looking at that kind of stuff, number one would be physician,” Shannon said. “They want somebody who’s OK with their culture and birthing plan, and who’s supportive. Secondly, they look at the birthing unit, and the size of the rooms and private bathroom at OSF Saint James are amazing.”
Shannon’s spacious birthing room gave her the personal privacy she needed after her births. She had the privacy she needed to learn to breastfeed. She had the space for entertaining her visiting family. The bathroom had a walk-in shower, which Shannon said is practically a necessity after giving birth.
OSF Saint James also has a hot tub for mothers recovering from labor. It’s great to soothe and relax in after giving of birth, but it also created an opportunity for Shannon’s care team to show off their willingness to go the extra mile.
When she gave birth to Nash in 2019, the area was under a water advisory, so Shannon couldn’t use the water for the tub. Trying to mimic the hot tub experience as well as possible, Shannon’s nurses filled a basin with bottled water heated in a microwave, so she at least had warm water to clean up with. It was a caring gesture.
Shannon also experienced post-partum depression after the birth of her first child, and she credits the behavioral health team at OSF HealthCare Saint Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa for helping her through this challenge. So, when she started experiencing severe anxiety and depression in the hospital after her second birth, her nurses noticed immediately and set up an appointment for her with a counselor the next day.
“I recommend them to everybody,” Shannon said. “Everyone was just amazing.”
First-time mother finds support at OSF Saint Elizabeth
Jamie Mudge, an imaging technician in the radiation department at OSF HealthCare Saint Paul Medical Center in Mendota, gave birth to her first child at OSF Saint Elizabeth in February.
As a first-timer, Jamie was nervous and unsure about what to expect, but the expert care she received helped put her at ease.
“There’s peace of mind knowing you’re in good hands. Especially for the first time, not knowing what to expect,” Jamie said. “I was very nervous. They were reassuring and good at keeping me calm and making everything feel like it’s going to be fine.”
Jamie’s labor was induced, and throughout her experience, every member of her care team – every shift of nurses – was caring, kind and attentive. Plus, Jamie’s midwife, Heather Miller, APRN, CNM, came in on her day off to help Jamie deliver her baby boy.
“There’s a special place for those nurses because they did an amazing job,” Jamie said. “Everybody knew what they were doing, and they went above and beyond.
“They were helpful even with little things, like showing us how to bathe the baby before we left. That makes a huge difference, that’s for sure.”
Visit the Pregnancy and Birth section of the OSF HealthCare website to learn more about programs, services, locations and providers for expectant parents.
Last Updated: November 27, 2020