Full-Scope Midwifery
Childbirth the Way Nature Intended is a full-scope midwifery practice providing licensed home birth, holistic well-woman care, doula services, and childbirth education. The company is run by Debbie Boucher, APN, CNM and has an office in Libertyville, Illinois. The home birth coverage area includes northeast Illinois and south-east Wisconsin.
Our Staff
Debbie Boucher, Midwife
Debbie Boucher, APN, CNM is a certified nurse-midwife licensed in Illinois and Wisconsin. She started providing labor support in 1993 as a doula and a childbirth educator (Bradley Method). After several years she realized that there were no licensed midwives in Lake County, and very few home birth options, so she decided to go back to school to become a CNM.
After completing an undergraduate nursing degree in 2005 at Loyola University Chicago, she became a licensed RN that same year and started attending home births, working under the supervision of two MD practices and two CNMs. She completed a master’s degree in nursing in 2008 at University of Illinois at Chicago which enabled her to become a certified nurse midwife (CNM) and receive a license to practice. At that point she started her midwifery private practice, in July 2008.
Becky Coolidge, Office Manager & Midwife Assistant
Becky Coolidge, CPM, CNA is our office manager and a midwife assistant. She began attending births in 1983, assisting a friend’s hospital birth. She went on to apprentice with a homebirth midwife, and then completed an internship at a birthing center in Texas, earning the midwifery license required there at that time. She then got busy with the homebirths of her own 5 children, assisting as doula to friends over the years. She is now a doula and homebirth assistant. She enjoys the role of woman helping woman, and helping couples experience birth as it was designed to be.
Jane Dorado, Nurse
Jane Dorado, RN holds an Associate Degree in Physical Therapy as well as her nursing degree. She has four children, all born at home, and two of her five grandchildren were home births also. She was a breastfeeding mother for a total of fourteen years. After her first baby, she became a childbirth educator and taught for 24 years and has attended hundreds of births in the assistant role. Drawing on her Physical Therapy background, she has always been interested in facilitating the body’s own healing power, rather than depending on substances or technology which are extrinsic. She believes that with support we can do the most amazing things. Women are wonderfully and powerfully made.
Colleen Marotta, Nurse
Colleen Marotta, RN, CPM, IBCLC is married with two sons, both born at home. She provides in home lactation services as well as midwife assistance for our company. Previously, she worked for a large home birth practice for five years and as a hospital labor and delivery nurse for four years, attending hundreds of births both at home and the hospital. She is certified in neonatal resuscitation (NRP) and nationally certified as an inpatient obstetrical nurse (RNC). She is currently on staff at a community hospital as a lactation consultant. She enjoys empowering women through home birth, reflecting their strength back to them during the birth process.
Karen Bachman Kells, Nurse
Karen Bachman Kells, RN, CPM is married with two grown sons, both of whom were born at home. She has been a home birth nurse for over 10 years. Upon graduation from nursing school, Karen went directly to work in the home birth community. Since that time, she has assisted over 600 women to give birth in the privacy, safety and comfort of their own homes. Karen is dedicated to helping women give birth in a safe, natural and loving environment. It would be her honor and privilege to assist with the birth of your child.
Lynn Wycoff, Nurse
Lynne Wycoff, RN has 28 years experience in childbirth and maternal care. She has worked in hospitals in Illinois, California and New Mexico and at a freestanding birth center in San Diego. She has also worked with midwife and physician home birth practices here in Chicago. She has taught childbirth preparation classes and has been certified in lactation consultation and massage therapy. She loves supporting women and families.
Gina Rooney, Doula & Midwife Assistant
Gina Rooney has been providing labor support as a doula and a midwife assistant, and postpartum doula services for women, children, and families since 1992. She is the mother of four daughters, ages 5, 7, 16, and 18 years. Gina personifies a strong combination of knowledge and experience making her an invaluable resource and advocate for women and families, with a well thought out perspective on parenting, childbirth, breastfeeding, and women’s health issues. She has taught several different styles of childbirth classes. She is a certified doula and an accredited La Leche League Leader for La Leche League International. She is well associated with the field of alternative healthcare and has relationships with many reputable professionals including chiropractors, herbalists, acupuncturists, homeopaths, pediatricians, massage therapists, midwives, and obstetricians. Gina has designed and presented nutritional workshops, focusing on pre-natal, lactating, and childhood nutrition.
Sarah Skelton, Nurse
Sarah Skelton, RN is a registered nurse with a passion for childbirth and maternal/neonatal care. She has worked in the healthcare setting for two years at Elmhurst Memorial Hospital. She is a recent doula and will be assisting at home births as well. She is ecstatic about being involved in the home birth community, and looks forward to her journey in becoming a Nurse Midwife. She believes every woman has a right to the birth experience of her choice, and loves being a part of the miracle of birth.”
