Starting an apprenticeship?

[maydaymom10]

I've been tossing around the idea of becoming a midwife and am just curious what the best way to inquire about an apprenticeship with a midwife would be. I delivered my son with a CNM at a birth center, but I know that they don't do apprenticeships since all of the midwives employed there have to me CNMs. I've also just completed my labor doula training and thought this would be a good stepping-stone to seeing if midwifery is truly the direction I want to go. I have medical training (more of the emergency/orthopedic nature, though as I am a certified athletic trainer) and am a cpr/first aid instructor. 

Any advice with welcome. Also, I'm live on Colorado (Parker - south of Denver), just in case you have any midwives that you know that I could call. Thank you in advance!

[starrlamia]

do lots of networking! find a doula group in your area if there are any, as they will probably know midwives as well. Find student groups, join MANA, cold call. Networking is probably one of the number 1 ways people find a preceptor.

[phathui5]

You might want to consider a midwifery study program like Heart & Hands or Midwife to Be if you haven't already done one.

[maydaymom10]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm going to a doula mixer tomorrow & a childbirth professionals mixer on Tuesday, so hopefully I can make some connections. I've also bookmarked the two study program sites. I love that idea, but think I'll get through mr Dr. Sears LEAN coach program before diving into that. Thanks again.

[fairydoula]

How about becoming a CNM yourself? It's excellent training for both hospital, clinic, birth center and other work, you'll get excellent pay, excellent benefits and you'll never lack for a job.  You can work with mothers and babies in many different settings and choose which fits you best!

[maydaymom10]

Originally Posted by fairydoula 

How about becoming a CNM yourself? It's excellent training for both hospital, clinic, birth center and other work, you'll get excellent pay, excellent benefits and you'll never lack for a job.  You can work with mothers and babies in many different settings and choose which fits you best!

I have definitely looked into that. I only need 2 prerequisites in order to enroll in a BSN program here & then could go onto their CNM program or maybe Frontier. My hang up with that is the time commitment to do everything. I already have the equivalent of 2 bachelors degrees and a masters & the loans to reflect it. I don't know if I can afford taking out more loans for it. That's part of why the CPM route is appealing to me. I haven't ruled it out, though.