Elisabeth Larson is a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) with a Doctorate of Nursing Practice from the University of Illinois Chicago, who has been working in birth and sexual-reproductive health since 2014. Her midwifery care is rooted in honoring the inherent worth and dignity of every person, while seeking to meet each person and family’s unique needs through evidence-based practice and compassion.

An Illinois native, Elisabeth, is thrilled to be back in Chicago after working in Connecticut at the state’s only freestanding birth center. She is excited to utilize her experience and advanced practice training to care for birthing people and support low-risk births in an out-of-hospital setting. Elisabeth tailors care to the needs of the diverse families she serves, supporting safe, healthy birth. She incorporates many modalities, including hydrotherapy, massage, and Spinning Babies positions to promote physiologic birth and comfort. 

Elisabeth’s journey to nurse-midwifery began as a reproductive health educator. She connected with a local midwife who taught her that  being ‘with women’ is the most fundamental part of birth work, and reinforced  that “pregnancy isn’t a disease.” This paradigm ignited her passion for assessing the ways healthcare systems impact people throughout their lifetimes, especially through pregnancy and birth. After finishing her degree in public health she completed her Masters of Science in Nursing, worked as a birth doula, and continued as an educator for children, teens, and adults. 

Her experience as an educator is clear when she provides birth control counseling, annual examinations, and pregnancy care. Her patients feel listened to, feel cared for, and are always treated as active participants in their care. She is always ready to discuss the hows, whys, and pros/cons of any treatment or course that she recommends. During labor, her patients describe her as “a pillar,” present and calm, and share  how she is able to help them feel safe when things “get real.” Elisabeth practices with cultural humility and acknowledges the harm health systems have historically caused many communities. She cherishes every opportunity to show up for her patients in conscious and intentional ways, mindful of past traumas and individual needs.

Outside of her midwifery work, Elisabeth enjoys spending time with her partner and their cats, reading and rereading books, knitting, cooking, and exploring her new neighborhood. She has been working on a knit ‘baby blanket,’ with each row representing a baby’s birth, since 2022 and cannot wait to add your little one to that story!