Rachel Wickersham, CD Chicago Women's Way Doula Service "I work to empower families by helping them through the birth process. I believe that childbirth is a natural physiological process which, in most cases, will proceed to an uncomplicated end. I feel that the birthing mother is benefited by the support and presence of another woman, such as a doula, during the labor, birth and postpartum periods. My dream is to have a doula at every birth by the year 2000." Photo: Rachel Wickersham and a happy new mom

Rachel Wickersham is the director of Women's Way Doula Service and Mother Moon Birthing Supply. She is the mother of three babies born in a variety of ways. Her first was born in a hospital by emergency Cesarean under general anesthesia; the next, a hospital VBAC complete with Pitocin and Epidural; and the last, an unmedicated, Midwife-attended homebirth. She has been working as an independent childbirth educator and doula since 1994 and has attended approximately 75 births since then. Rachel is certified by Doulas of North America (DONA).