Aspiring midwives or doulas - Page 8

[Hey Mama!]

Hello everyone! I just saw this link in someone's sig and decided to stop by. I am an aspiring CNM who hopefully will be taking classes to become an LVN this spring or summer. I have three children of my own and the youngest is just six months old. This is a complete change from my original major of elementary education. Anyway, I love that there is a tribe for us. I am just beginning my midwifery journey but I am so excited to begin. In the future I'd like to become IBCLC certified as well. I have experienced so many breastfeeding problems that I'd like to help others as well.

[Jilian]

Originally Posted by Birth Junky

SO excited for this baby . . . but I have been aching to become a midwife since I was nine years old, and wish I could manage the academic portion of it right away!

Congrats on your pregnancy!

[Jilian]

How is everyone doing on their journey to becoming a doula/midwife?

Things are going well here, I'm working on the CAPPA doula test now. It is harder than I thought it would be! I've already spent 4 hours on it and I still have more to do. Maybe I'm going into too much detail answering the questions? I have my second client lined up, she's due tuesday and having a homebirth. I'll only need to attend one more birth for certification after this. I'm excited!

[pixiexto]

I'm still just reading and journalling on my own. I guess I'm looking a year or so down the road before I can begin to formally begin the process. I have to admit that I'm feeling a little discouraged lately ~ sometimes I wonder if I'm really doing anything other than spinning my wheels. I want to immerse myself in it, and I just can't do that right now.

Still, I have to think that it's all part of the process.

Birth Junky, congrats on your pregnancy!

Welcome Hey Mama

[cathicog]

<It's so frustrating, really. I'm almost 30 and I'm TTC, starting school and also trying to become a doula/midwife. Why couldn't I have gotten this ambition earlier in life?>
Sometimes it takes having a baby before you realize that is what you want to do. It wasn't until we had our first homebirth in 1981 that I knew I wanted to help other ladies do the same thing...and I have been an aspiring midwife for 25 .........



......YEARS!!!!!

There simply weren't any midwives where we were located, and then we moved to another part of the state, and I was a single parent for a number of years. So, I have been able to help a few people at homebirths, and a number at hospital as a doula(in 2000 I was finally able to take ALACE training) but all those years were not wasted. I read everything I could get my hands on, homeschooled my girls, and then,put a roof over our heads and food in our bellies when I was single. When the kids were 19,16 and 8, I went back to school,(I was 40) for an ADN, and when I got to clinicals and discovered they would not let me help the ladies in labor(by this time I had been a doula for 17 years) but to only observe the torture that our area called childbirth, I switched to computers, got my AAS and then a Bachelor of Science. But all my classes I kept focused by using them as a springboard for the birth center I would one day like to have. And the instructors knew that. Now that I have moved to a homebirth friendly state(my new husband is retired) I am now an official apprentice, and hope to take the NARM in a year....so don't be discouraged, but know it sometimes takes time, and a mature lady like myself(gak) has the time available to really devote to her clients, without the distraction of a busy family... I figure there will be no retirement for me, and I plan on living til I am at least 80, so I have 30 years to actually help a LOT of clients!

[ChinaCatmama]

Hi everyone, I am also an aspiring doula. I took my DONA workshop last fall, have read a ton of books, and am currently taking a childbirth ed course at our local birth center. I have also attended one birth, it was an amazing even even though it was in a hospital with way too many interventions IMO. I'm also looking into becoming a post-partum doula. This is all taking a while since I have 3 young kids but it is amazing, inspiring work. Many positive vibes to all of you, what a womderful group of women.

[Jilian]

What exactly does a postpartum doula do? I am considering also getting certified as a postpartum doula so my schedule can be a little more predictable. I have plenty of BF experience so I could certainly assist with BF, but what else is expected of a PP doula?

[ladybugchild77]

Can I join you???

Another aspiring midwife here...I saw this in someone's sig and thought I"d subscribe. I was not able to read all of your posts but here's a small intro of who I am and why I want to do this: I am currently in grad school finishing up a degree in Sociology but plan to begin nursing school next spring after I take three pre-req courses. I also want to try and volunteer with a midwifery center in AZ (we are moving to Flagstaff if anyone knows where that is...). I was an EMT when I was younger and always thought I'd do medicine but never had the confidence in my abilities...Giving birth naturally and pain drug free after 30 hours of labor and a lot of pitocin sure chaged my confidence! Now I know I can do anything!!! I just want to help people have babies!!! I don't know where to start however...Any links for me? Thanks and take care!

[Birth Junky]

Check out Midwifery Today.

[teachinmaof3]

Just popping in to say HI!

Still working on reading here.

Met some other doulas last week. It's a group that meets 4x/year. It was nice to connect with like-minded people.

[Ltlfaery]

I'm so exited to find this tribe!!


I'm an aspiring doula/midwife. I started out as a pre-med major at 18, decided it wasn't for me, became an EMT, decided to go back and do nursing, perhaps CNM. Decided it wasn't for me. Was just finishing an arts associate, and working as an EMT (for lack of more direction in my life) when I got pregnant with DD, and found my life-calling.

I hope to be a midwife, in the future. DD is still too young. My personal life is a bit rocky, and I'll have to see how that goes as well...

For now, I'm taking my CBE course in march, and thinking about signing up for the PP Doula in Cali this weekend (last minute choice).

There's no birth doula workshops happening around here soon, and I think I rather hold on that for a bit longer, my high needs child needs me at the moment.

Anyhow, that is me, and i'm glad to have found you all!

[cchrissyy]

So glad I found a group here!

I'm in California and need some help knowing my options for becoming a midwife. The state-by-state legalities and many associations and programs have me all mixed up.

My life goal would be a homebirth midwife, trained by expericne not school.
But I consider, would the CNM route (even working in a hosptial for a while) get me the experience faster and establish me in the communtiy better, and then I could move out on my own in a decade?

I just moved and am not well-connected to the birth scene in this area (east bay, CA). I'd love to assist and aprentice but what should I do first to get true expericne so people trust me and respect me and will take me on?
If the answer is doula-ing (cool!) does it matter if I use DONA or CAPPA?

Or should I press on 1st with nursing school? (I have a bachelors in economics, no science)

[homemademomma]

oh wow, i forgot about this thread!!
well, i have one birth to go (out of 75), and i take the NARM next week!!!!!! yay! im not going to practice until this new babe is a little older (she's 20weeks gestation right now), but im still soooo excited!

[stellimamo]

Thought I would stop in a say Hi! I'm an aspiring midwife. It looks like I will be going the CNM route at this point. CPMs are illegal in my state, Indiana, and with a small child at home and more on the way some day I can't risk the finicial and possibly criminal issues of being prosicuted. Being a CPM is my true calling but I'll do the CNM if it means I get to catch babies!

I'm currently working as a backup doula and will start working as a part time doula in a doula on call service. I also teach babywearing and am going to start my own business, MeiBaby Wraps. All of that while working fulltime and taking care my dd who is 8 months old. I hope to start my RN schooling this coming fall.

Anyone have any experience with Frontier chool of Midwifery?

[mamato3cherubs]

Nice to see some action around here!
Homemademomma: Congrats!!! That is so exciting to have made it so far1 and good luck on your NARM exam! wow!

I also want to say welcome to all the new people on this thread too! Sorry if I dont have much to offer but I like being a part of it.

My latest is that i start the CBE class that I will use to full fill my reqiurement before I take the DONA workshop in April. I have been through this same class more than once as a pg mom, but am really getting excited to look at it from another point of veiw. When I talked to the nurse who is the CBE at our local hospital she was very encouraging!

The only thing I am concerned with in my area is that there are NO homebirth midwives, they are EVERYWHERE else in Oregon, but not in my are : and it sounds like there is really only 2 other certified Doulas around here but they both work for 2 of the busy OBs in the area, making there services free to patients of that OB. Now to you and I this may not mean anything, as Im sure they are not the best fit for everyone, but most people around here are pretty mainstream about birth and wouldnt pay someone to do soemthing that they can have someone else do free. So I guess I will focus on getting my cert, then worry about how to find clients later. Esspecially seeing as I think I can only handle about 6-8 births per year right now.

Dh is starting to come around and realize that just because he has NO understandign as to why anyone would want to be a Doula, or a Midwife for that matter, doesnt mean I shouldnt do it. Now if I could only find a way to make my day job more flexible

Now I just need to squeeze in some more reading time!

[Belle]

Hi, I want to introduce myself. My name is Heather and I have an 18mo dd. I've recently started attending the doula workshop at Birthingway college of Midwifery in Portland, Or. I'm also looking into becoming a LC. It took me awhile read through all 8 pages of this thread.

[courtenay_e]

I've been lurking for a while , and thought it was time I added my two cents. I've wanted to be a midwife since I graduated college and got married! I have since realized that, with my little ones as little as they are (2 and 4, and hopes for more soon), I'll have to take baby steps to that goal for the time being. I have decided to be a doula and a childbirth educator. I've been doing the reading for months (and re-reading...much of the syllabus I've already read for my own use and/or obsession ), and finally was able to sign up in the past few weeks!

I already have my first clients (talk about quick...), and they're due in the next few weeks. I'm so excited. To top it off, my husband is so supportive, that he does everything he can to make sure that I reach my goal (including finding me my first clients!). He puts the kids to bed at night to let me get an extra hour of studying in. He does all the weekend housework...to let me get extra reading in. He takes the kids out to play after work...you know the rest. What a love.

I also have plans to complete Massage Therapy school in the next 18 months(there's a 6 month long, once a week hands on, rest of the time study from home course nearby), and to finish the LLL leader training in that time period as well. I figure I may as well do those two things to make me a better doula and cbe...and in the end, they'll make me a better midwife, as well! I'm fine with taking my time about the midwifery thing. I'm first and foremost a mom right now. It's nice, though to have some new activities to tickle my brain. It's cool to see so many others with the same passions.

[thisisnicole]

midwife in VA

Hi All! I am currently going to school to become and LPN. I am new to Virginia. I live in the Norfolk area, and I was wondering how I can get information on becoming a midwife. I know there are a few different types of midwives, but I'm having trouble finding out exactly what they all are and what I need to do to become one. If anyone can help me out I would appreciate it!

[Belle]

Originally Posted by thisisnicole

Hi All! I am currently going to school to become and LPN. I am new to Virginia. I live in the Norfolk area, and I was wondering how I can get information on becoming a midwife. I know there are a few different types of midwives, but I'm having trouble finding out exactly what they all are and what I need to do to become one. If anyone can help me out I would appreciate it!

From the MANA Website

Certified Midwife (CM)
A Certified Midwife (CM) is an individual educated in the discipline of midwifery, who possesses evidence of certification according to the requirements of the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

Certified Midwife (CM) is also used in certain states as a designation of certification by the state or midwifery organization.

Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)
A Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) is an individual educated in the two disciplines of nursing and midwifery, who possesses evidence of certification according to the requirements of the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

Certified Professional Midwife (CPM)
A Certified Professional Midwife is a knowledgeable, skilled and professional independent midwifery practitioner who has met the standards for certification set by the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) and is qualified to provide the midwifery model of care. The CPM is the only international credential that requires knowledge about and experience in out-of-hospital settings.

Direct-Entry Midwife (DEM)
A direct-entry midwife is an independent practitioner educated in the discipline of midwifery through self-study, apprenticeship, a midwifery school, or a college- or university-based program distinct from the discipline of nursing. A direct-entry midwife is trained to provide the Midwives Model of Care to healthy women and newborns throughout the childbearing cycle primarily in out-of-hospital settings.

Lay Midwife
The term "Lay Midwife" has been used to designate an uncertified or unlicensed midwife who was educated through informal routes such as self-study or apprenticeship rather than through a formal program. This term does not necessarily mean a low level of education, just that the midwife either chose not to become certified or licensed, or there was no certification available for her type of education (as was the fact before the Certified Professional Midwife credential was available). Other similar terms to describe uncertified or unlicensed midwives are traditional midwife, traditional birth attendant, granny midwife and independent midwife.

Licensed Midwife (LM)
A licensed midwife is a midwife who is licensed to practice in a particular jurisdiction (usually a state or province).

Hope this helps

[thisisnicole]

aspiring midwife

Belle.. thanks for the info!

I am really interested in becoming a CNM since I am already in nursing school. I am wondering which is better to be, a CNM or a CPM. Is one higher than the other? And do you have to get a degree in something before you can become a CPM? And also, how long is the schooling for CNM after you get your RN, and also how long does it take to become a CPM? I am also wondering if anyone knows if there are any midwifery schools in Virginia. Sorry for all the questions everyone, but I figured this would be the best place to ask!