Places to Give Birth: Swedish Hospital

A series in which I share my own experience of birth places around the Chicagoland area plus the data that we have available. There is no one right place to give birth. The right place for you is the place where you feel safest. In this article I'm going to share about my doula review of Swedish Hospital in Chicago.

Part 1: Birth Center of Chicago - reopened December 2025

Part 2: Illinois Masonic

Part 3: Northwestern Prentice

Part 4: Evanston Hospital

Part 5: OMG Midwives at Hinsdale

Part 6: Burr Ridge Birth Center; permanently closed as of April 2026

Part 7: Swedish Hospital (you are here)

Part 8: Birth Roots Community Midwifery

Swedish was well known for excellent midwifery care when I arrived on the scene in 2021. Libby Oppert (now at UChicago) was an instant favorite for me when she walked into a long, complicated labor, sat down, and took a nice deep breath. We were all on edge, so that simple act of slowing down and attuning to my client won my heart over instantly.

In August of 2023, they closed down the midwifery program. There are local articles about it (and one even features a former client of mine) so you can read more, but sadly it came down to money. After two decades of midwifery care, the hospital's choice to prioritize money over patients was not taken lightly by the community. It certainly left a bad taste in my mouth. Add to it that Endeavor Health has taken over several local hospitals with longstanding reputations for excellence and made changes that put profit above people. Private Equity in healthcare is bigger than this article so I will stop there, but know that is a huge problem and it is affecting birth choices in Illinois.

Swedish Hospital Experience

Despite the lack of midwifery care at Swedish, there is a beautiful legacy left by the program: the nurses are well trained in many different labor techniques. From peanut balls and positions changes to presence and support, the nursing staff is excellent. I recently watched a nurse offer her own energy drink to a partner struggling to stay awake in the early morning of his wife's labor. They are good providers.

I have less to say about the OBs. So far I haven't seen anything overly egregious and I also haven't seen anything excellent. You get the very standard OB package: managed labor with regular cervical checks and interventions, coached pushing, delayed cord clamping no longer than 30-60 seconds. I'll keep an eye on it and update if my perspective shifts.

Key Statistics and Information

All of these numbers are estimates, pulled from birthguidechicago.com, a 2021-22 Illinois report card, and LeapFrog.

• OB care

• 1952 births in 2024

• Cesarean Rate: 22.5%

  • The WHO recommends a 10-15% rate maximum

  • U.S. National average was 32.4% in 2023, and has increased every year for 4 years

  • Swedish's rate has crept up since the end of the midwifery program

• Epidural rate: about 50%

• Induction rate: no data

• Instrument deliveries (vacuum, forceps): 5.3% in 2021-22

• Birth tubs advertised

• Perinatal Level II: middle level of care

• Visitors: 2 visitors per patient, plus a doula

• 52% of babies exclusively breast/chest fed

• Eating and drinking is restricted to clear fluids and foods only (broth, jello, etc.)

Services and Amenities

showers are the only option in some rooms

The whole unit was remodeled in 2022 and you can see a video of a typical birthing room on their social media. Overall the rooms are updated and feel clean, though some of the rooms are organized on a diagonal so they tend to also feel a bit small. Each room has the standard pull out couch for partners in need of sleep during a long labor or induction. Even with the updated rooms, I wouldn't say they are anything out of the ordinary.

They have updated bathrooms. I know that they have medium sized tubs, but I don't know how many in total. I did have a client try to use a tub recently and the hot water wasn't running hot. This is a problem that I have encountered in several of the older hospitals in the area. When you are planning to use a bath as a last ditch pain coping technique and then the water runs lukewarm, usually the next step is an epidural. I also know that they do not allow waterbirth; you can labor in the tub but you have to get out for delivery. (If waterbirth feels important to you, I recommend a birth center or home birth.)

medium sized tub

Swedish has the regular amenities you can generally find at hospitals, plus you are in the city so you can always order food. I will say that its tricky to get a cup of coffee (that isn't Starbucks, bc boycott) so you might want to plan for overnight caffeine needs, but that tends to usually be more of a doula problem. Certainly not a dealbreaker.

Next Steps

As a large facility, Swedish takes most insurance types. If you are interested, I recommend scheduling a tour to find out more information and see if this feels like a good fit for you.

Fun Fact for Star Wars fans: Harrison Ford was born at Swedish in 1942!

Full Series

Part 1: Birth Center of Chicago - reopened December 2025

Part 2: Illinois Masonic

Part 3: Northwestern Prentice

Part 4: Evanston Hospital

Part 5: OMG Midwives at Hinsdale

Part 6: Burr Ridge Birth Center; permanently closed April 2026

Part 7: Swedish Hospital

Part 8: Birth Roots Community Midwifery