Delivery service

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

Colleen Curry of New Lenox is making doula history.

Several months ago, OMG Women’s Healthcare in Hinsdale, which includes a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist and certified nurse midwives, contracted Curry’s doula service for its patients.

This, Curry said, makes her one of the first doulas in the country to work for a medical practice.

A doula is an experienced professional who provides physical, emotional and informational support to a mother before, during and just after childbirth.

Curry believes her solid approach to childbirth is one of the reasons health-care providers and clients value her.

“It takes a special person to be around laboring women, especially when they aren’t having an easy time,” said Dr. Steven R. Daube, board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist at OMG Women’s Healthcare. “It’s really important for women who want a natural childbirth. But even if the woman has to have an epidural, a doula can help make things less clinical.”

Curry’s open-minded philosophy is not adversarial or territorial. For instance, although she advocates natural childbirth, Curry doesn’t shield her clients from traditional medicine and cooperates with other members of the birthing team. She helps her clients write birth plans, but encourages them to be flexible.

“You can still have a good day even if things don’t go according to plan,” Curry said.

Curry brings her clients, including the Hinsdale medical practice, impressive credentials and a host of services. She’s holds certification from DONA International as a doula and natural childbirth educator and from the La Leche League as a breast-feeding counselor.

“I don’t do anything medical,” Curry said. “But I ask about the other children at home and how they are adjusting. I ask if she’s getting plenty of nutritious food to eat, if she’s getting enough sleep and napping during the day. We talk about breast-feeding. I do anything it takes to make their transition smoother.”

Moreover, Curry can’t wait for others in the medical community to realize the importance of doulas and to offer labor support to their patients, too. Her track record proves that when a laboring woman’s need for focused encouragement is met, it reaps huge dividends.

According to her birth statistics, Curry’s patients rarely require a cesarean section, pain medication, pitocin or episiotomies. Their labor time is nearly half of the national average.

She hopes one day doula services will become the norm. She’d love to see money budgeted so low-income women could have doula services, too. “I think if people caught onto this, it could be huge,” Curry said.

Curry first encountered OMG Women’s Healthcare during deliveries at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital because several of her clients used certified midwives from the practice. She was impressed with the practice’s individual, collaborative approach to women’s health care and began referring clients seeking that philosophy.

Two of those clients are Julie Swan, 31, of Frankfort, and Karrie Licatesi, 33, of Mokena. Both left their former obstetricians late in their pregnancies after they learned other childbirth options from Curry’s classes. Swan’s doctor had promised her medical interventions, but Swan did not want them unless medically necessary. Also, Swan and Licatesi decided they preferred a certified nurse midwife to assist the delivery.

Although both women eventually required Daube’s assistance for medical issues, Swan and Licatesi were pleased with Curry’s ability to keep the birthing experiences pleasantly memorable.

“I really don’t think I could have done this if Colleen hadn’t been in the room,” Swan said. “She made it a better birthing experience. It was wonderful for me and it was wonderful for my husband.”

“I’m more of a health nut, but Colleen’s not too extreme. She’s very middle of the road,” Licatesi said. “She’s not against any kind of drugs, just what a woman needs to have a safe and healthy childbirth. And sometimes an epidural is just what a woman needs to get her through it.”

Curry is on call for Daube’s practice one weekend a month and every Friday; she accepts private clients, too.

How does Curry manage? She uses a backup doula, or, if clients are laboring in the same hospital at the same time (“It does happen,” Curry said), she moves between rooms and makes sure each one has what she needs.

For a list of Curry’s complete services, visit www.ColleenTheDoula.com.