Chrissy's Journey

After several years of marriage, Chrissy O'Connell and her husband Patrick decided it was time to start a family.

"We were trying and it just wasn't happening," she said. "I went to see Dr. Reed to get tested; the results revealed I had poor egg quality and low egg quantity."

That begs the question of how O'Connell came to meet the provider who would be with her on her fertility journey.

"As a ...

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Nicole's Journey

"Surprises aren't my thing," Nicole West said.

Reflecting on her first pregnancy, well, that's just what she got.

"I wasn't ready for the pain I felt," West said. "I was young, unprepared, and didn't know what to expect from the experience. I didn't know I had options."

But she knew she didn't want to experience that kind of pain again.

"With my second pregnancy, I wanted to be prepared," ...

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Chelsy's Journey

"I'd have to say the stars aligned that day," said Chelsy Jannusch.

Jannusch reached out to discuss the relationship she's developed with Dr. Sara Swift of Women's Care of Wisconsin, but she wanted to make clear her motivation for doing so.

"I know there are a lot of women who struggle to conceive or have children," she said. "Knowing there are doctors out there who are not only willing to ...

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Alyssa's Journey

With four children now-all girls-Alyssa Pederson and her husband are contemplating a move into a new house soon. Pederson has a general vision of what that will look like, with one rock solid stipulation.

"We're gonna need two bathrooms," she said.

With the biggest sister (Nora, 6) holding the baby (Lydia), and the next biggest one waiting to pitch in (Kinsley*, 5, who likes to throw the ...

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Angie's Journey

In a recent survey, respondents voted hosting a dinner party with family as the number one stress inducer during the holiday season. Yeah, right. Angie Christopherson's tale includes a positive Covid test on Christmas Day and a rescheduling of her inducement date, moved from December 26 to January 3. Oh, and because Santa's gift to her regular OB/GYN was appendicitis, Christopherson would be ...

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Sarah's Journey

Serendipity can be a powerful thing. 

When Sarah Hanaway's insurance changed and she needed a new OB/GYN, she decided to call Women's Care of Wisconsin in the hope that they had a provider who was accepting new patients.

Sarah Hanaway, meet Dr. Adriana Schaufelberger.

Hanaway was being introduced to her new provider just as she and her husband were trying to get pregnant for the first time; ...

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Sam's Journey

When you call a mom with an 11-month-old for an interview, leading with the question "Are you good to go?" is a given, even if you know what the answer will be.

"Got a baby right here but I'm ready," was Sam Hawkinson's reply.

Of course she's ready. She's a mom.

Hawkinson is the proud mother of 11-month-old Louie.

She's proud of her five-year-old son Finn, too.

And Archie, age seven.

Jack ...

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Meet Adriana Schaufelberger, MD, Women's Care of WI

"What do you think your patients appreciate most about you?"

There was a distinct pause following the relatively standard question, at least when you're interviewing a physician. A conventional answer was certainly the expectation.

Dr. Adriana Schaufelberger's answer was anything but.

"I don't know. Maybe it's because I'm funny," she said. "I try to make things lighter and take any ...

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Ashley's Journey

The Cotten Family: Zayden, Kyleigh, Ashley & Casey

It's good to have a plan. Might not work out exactly as envisioned, but that's life.

Ashley mentioned "the plan" right away.   

"I have a 12-year-old daughter," Ashley began. "When my husband and I got married, we knew were going to try to have a child together. That was the plan. And since I got pregnant the first time, I just assumed that ...

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Whatever Makes Your Heart Happy: A Mother's Story

The conversation began playfully, as the response to how things were going now with three children was decidedly mathematical.

"My husband and I are officially outnumbered," said Melodie.

But then, a quick caveat.

"I will try not to get emotional about my doctor and the relief she brought to a . . . well, just a very stressful experience."

Melodie took a deep breath, paused, and told her ...

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Jessy's Journey

Jessy reached out to us via Facebook recently about her OB/GYN, Dr. Amanda Reed:

Dr. Reed was fantastic. I was lucky enough to have her deliver all 3 of my babes with c-sections, with the first emergent and being put under general, the 2nd early with a NICU stay, and the 3rd with a rough spinal stick insertion. She brought the calm, each and every time!

Well, call us nosy, but we wanted to ...

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Meet Allison Brubaker MD, Women's Care of WI

A Women's Care of Wisconsin fertility specialist, Dr. Allison Brubaker can immediately identify a catalyst and inspiration for her interest in the field.

"My mom was told at one point she wouldn't be able to have children," said Brubaker. "I'm one of five she gave birth to."

After being put in such a position-basically being told there was little to no hope other than to visit an adoption ...

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Pelvic Organ Prolapse-What is it?

Pelvic organ prolapse is a disorder in which the pelvic floor muscles stretch, weaken, or become torn causing one or more of the pelvic organs to drop from their normal position. This can occur due to factors such as pregnancy, vaginal childbirth, advancing age, excess weight or chronic constipation and straining a stool. Approximately 5% of women develop prolapse; women in their sixties have ...

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Meet Gretchen Augustine DO, Women's Care of WI

"Pretty much every visit I have with a patient starts the same way," said Gretchen Augustine. "I ask them to tell me in their own words, in their own time, why they are here."

Perhaps that's why the Women's Care of Wisconsin OB/GYN develops such a strong connection with them.

"Those first minutes in a first appointment are crucial," said Augustine. "My patients know their bodies better than ...

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Understanding Laparoscopic Hysterectomy

If a hysterectomy is needed, we recommend a type of surgery called laparoscopy. This method has many benefits compared to open surgery.

A hysterectomy is surgery to remove the uterus (womb); this includes removal of the cervix and fallopian tubes. You may need this done because of severe pain, bleeding, pelvic infection, or other problems. Having a hysterectomy means that you will not be able ...

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Incontinence: More Common Than You Think

Did you know that 50% of women have incontinence at some point in their life? Here's what you can do to take control.

Incontinence is the loss of urine in an uncontrollable fashion. There are many reasons as to why people have it. Some of them are very easy to treat successfully and are easily cured, and some of them are very challenging to cure. But we can usually get significant improvement ...

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The Benefits of In-Office Procedures

There has been an interesting transition over the years from a surgery done originally in an inpatient setting, where the patient would stay in the hospital for several days, to an outpatient surgery setting.  We have essentially accomplished this with procedures up to the hysterectomy, which once was a 4-day hospital stay and included 8 weeks of recovery. Oftentimes, it can now be a ...

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The Importance of Full Term Pregnancies

Pregnancy is one of the most exciting and vulnerable times of a woman's life. Most of us have thought about pregnancy and how our pregnancy would go long before we were actually pregnant. Most of the time, everything goes just right. However, almost one in eight women deliver preterm (defined as less than 37 weeks).                                                      

If a woman believes she ...

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Endometrial Ablation in the Office Setting

Abnormal uterine bleeding, in the form of heavy menstrual flow or irregular cycles, is one of the most common complaints that bring women in to see a gynecologist. A procedure called an endometrial ablation is a minimally invasive treatment option that uses technology to destroy the lining of the uterus to reduce menstrual flow. It can be performed right in your doctor's office without the ...

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All About 3D Ultrasound

Whether you're expecting your first child, adding a little brother or sister to the family, or just curious about advancements in medical technology, a lot of people have questions about 3D ultrasounds.  

With the help of Jackie Saunders, ultrasound supervisor at Women's Care of Wisconsin, we're here to answer some of the most common questions patients have surrounding 3D ultrasounds and ...

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What You Need to Know About Subfertility

Deciding you are ready to add to your family-whether it is your first baby or maybe baby number two-is a big step for any couple. Then, your well-meaning friends and family tell you to "just relax and it will happen." Unfortunately, now it has been a year of trying and it still hasn't happened. It may feel like everyone else around you is getting their positive pregnancy tests, which can be a ...

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November is Prematurity Awareness Month

Pregnancy is one of the most exciting and vulnerable times of a woman's life. Most of us have thought about pregnancy and how our pregnancy would go long before we were actually pregnant. Most of the time, everything goes just right. However, almost one in ten women deliver preterm (defined as less than 37 weeks). These babies miss out on the important growth and development that happens in ...

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A Visionary Program 100 Years in the Making

 

On October 18, 2022, ThedaCare announced the creation of an Obstetrical Emergency Department (OB-ED) and Hospitalist Program. Through the program, set to begin in 2023, women who are more than 16 weeks pregnant would bypass the emergency department and go directly to an obstetrical triage area located in the Family Birth Center at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah. This program will ...

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Midwives: A Special Kind of Care

Midwives are best known for their care of women during pregnancy and childbirth, to make that journey as pure and natural as possible. Midwifery care is often described as having a "high touch, low tech" approach to medical care. Midwives are experts in supporting women in normal, healthy childbirth and focus heavily on building relationships with women and their families by listening and ...

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The Path to Pregnancy is Not Always Easy

Dealing with fertility problems is hard. About one in six couples are troubled with fertility issues, and it affects both men and women equally.

Simply put, a lot goes into the conception process. There's the egg, sperm, fallopian tubes, fertilization, the women's embryo, hormones, and not to mention each of those pieces needing to be in a healthy state. All but one of those parts could ...

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