Why did you become a birth professional?

[cristeen]

I've been thinking for years about entering this field of work, have trained as a LC, and started the training as a doula years before there was certification set up for either, but life got in the way and I never followed through. Now I'm in a position where I could go back and get the training, and am contemplating all the angles.

So I'm just wondering why you became a midwife/doula/LC/CBE, etc.

[RachaelAustin]

Originally Posted by cristeen

I've been thinking for years about entering this field of work, have trained as a LC, and started the training as a doula years before there was certification set up for either, but life got in the way and I never followed through. Now I'm in a position where I could go back and get the training, and am contemplating all the angles.

So I'm just wondering why you became a midwife/doula/LC/CBE, etc.

I'm a RN but stopped working for the government when I became pregnant with my first. I also hated the health system. It's rotten. I had started my P.G in midwifey and when I finished I was pregnant with my second. She's now 6 months old. Midwifey is beautiful. I get to work with healthy people doing perfectly normal activites.. birthing Birth is beautiful to be around. So since I hate hospital birthing so passionately, I decided to go into private practice and assist women to birth in their own homes. I also do private CBE classes, which are great fun too. I'm also working on my Lactation Consultancy now too, I love breastfeeding and am feeding both children. The eldest weaned himself not long ago, then wanted it back again I couldn't work as an obstetric nurse though...to much trauma for me.

[MsBlack]

Midwifery is the one job that suited the most aspects of my character and philosophy, in short. I have a science side, a counsellor/healer side, a teacher's/communicator's side, and a strong interest in spirituality. The interactions of body/mind/spirit, and of nature/nurture, are fascinating to me. I am a feminist and a great lover of children, and decided long ago to make service to women's empowerment and children's health/happiness the center of my work. Given my independent and authority-loathing nature, along with my being easily bored with routine, self-employment in work that provides variety is a must. I like a challenge. I need a job where I can dress pretty casually and where people won't mind if I don't shave or wear makeup and heels!

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by MsBlack

Given my independent and authority-loathing nature, along with my being easily bored with routine, self-employment in work that provides variety is a must. I like a challenge. I need a job where I can dress pretty casually and where people won't mind if I don't shave or wear makeup and heels!

This is me to a "T".

[touka]

I'm not a real professional yet, and won't be for quite sometime, but the general idea was this:

"You have to be the change you want to see in the world."

I could learn and learn and talk about birth issues until I'm blue in the face, but to feel that it was really truly making a difference, I think I have to be "in the trenches" (so to speak). I'm also one of those people who has to know EVERYTHING about something she's interested in, just reading a few books is never enough (just ask my mechanic ).

[soybeansmama]

I love that quote...It was in my siggy for a while there.

For me, It's also about self-discovery. I am a Bradley Teacher and I learn so much about myself from teaching my students. I begin on the path to becoming a midwife after the baby is born and it will be just taking it one step further. I feel that as a midwife I can help others in their spiritual scavenger hunt...birth has so much to teach us. What an awesome way to connect with other women, to be a witness to the birth of a family. I can't wait to do something that actually inspires me...

[JessicaE]

My own birth experience was the impetus for me to become a Bradley Method CBE.

Both my babies were conceived by IVF after a long stretch of infertility treatments. By the time I was finally pregnant with #1, I felt pretty broken. As if my body had failed me in its most basic, evolutionary function: reproduction. Conception had required the most invasive technology available -- would I really be able to have the natural birth I wanted?

I was blessed with an easy pregnancy, and a beautiful birth. Natural birth and breastfeeding were incredibly healing for me. I felt complete and powerful as a woman and as a mother.

I believe that we're meant to feel our babies come into the world. Not just because natural birth is usually the safest option (I'm thankful for the technology when there are complications), but because natural birth creates strong, confident mothers and strong, incredibly bonded families. My students come out of their births and one of the first things they tell me is how absolutely AMAZING their husband or partner was! They say they felt like Supewoman. That's a wonderful way to start your journey as parents together.

So anyhow, because natural birth was such a powerful force in my life, I really felt called to share the tools we'd learned with other couples. I think I'm a birth geek -- just can't get enough of it right now. I'll be doing my doula training in the fall, and that's the next step for us. This is my soul calling, which I know sounds dramatic, but for me it *IS* dramatic.

[DoomaYula]

I had a doula at the birth of my twins before I even knew the word "doula," and she helped me so much... I really credit her with helping me avoid a c-s. I was in the hospital, with "high risk" twins, and being induced. It could have been another disasterous induction turned c-s, but instead I had an awesome vaginal birth. Although I could only have one person in the OR where I gave birth, and I chose my mom, I totally credit my doula with helping me to get to the point of vaginal birth. She was AWESOME.

(btw, ICAN members, her name is Gretchen and she's very involved in Michigan ICAN, she's written a few articles about c-s and VBAC.)

Anyway, ideally I thought that I could help everyone have a birth that they loved. In practice, I've found that not every woman WANTS TO have a birth she loves; some just want to get through it. But once in a while I get someone who wants to love her birth, and that keeps me going.

Also, yeah, I hate shaving and wearing pantyhose! I hate attending hospital births because I won't wear my Crocs there.

[courtenay_e]

I'm currently a LLL Leader, a doula, and working on finishing my CBE cert with ALACE. The day after I finish my CBE cert, I'm starting the AAMI midwifery course(which I already have here, waiting for me to start...)

Why?

Lots of reasons, some I think I'm not yet able to articulate, but I'll do my best! I guess it started out that I was sick and tired of being treated like an idiot who didn't know a thing about her own body when I went to see an OB-GYN. Then I got a spinal headache from a spinal tap and couldn't IMAGINE having one AND having to care for a newborn. So I started reading about what to do to avoid needing an epidural. And realized I didn't want narcotics, either. And so, in reading, I discovered the midwifery model of care. I was enthralled. And had "Active Birth," "The Birth Partner," and several other "birth geek (cause yes, that's what I am)" type books WELL before I got married and got pregnant. Then I had a midwife attended, natural birth with my dd, and was hooked. I read everything I could get my hands on! After I had my ds, my husband got sick and we needed another source of income. One day I was reading here (cause I'd spend an hour or so lurking every night before bed, just to see what else I could learn!), and somebody started talking about where they had certified to be a doula. And that was the end of that. I did the research and about a week later, decided on ALACE and told my husband my plan. To my great surprise, he was hugely supportive, and said, "It's about TIME you did something with all that birth stuff rattling around in your head!".

I guess, in the end, it's because I'm very passionate about the safety and efficacy of the midwifery model of care...and of the incredible and empowering experience that having a baby that way can be. I love to help women discover the tools they need to have the kind of birth they're looking for. It takes a certain level of compassion. It takes (if you work in hospitals which I do currently) a certain ability to sheild yourself and your client emotionally from stress, as well. It takes creative problem solving skills. I heartily agree with MsBlack that one of my favorite parts of my job is my total ability, even when I'm teaching a class, seminar, or at a birth, to be out of heels and pantyhose! I love my birks and my work clogs. They're the best work shoes I've ever gotten to wear. I enjoy the flexibility of timing my pre and post natals. I like that I'll be able to set days and times for CBE classes that are convenient for ME. I like that I work for the client and for myself...I never have to ask permission to take a month off for travel or a birthday party or what have you. If I want to keep weekends or thursdays or whatever, just for family time (or for watching Grey's Anatomy, or any other silly reason I can think of!), I can. And you know what? I never, ever get grumpy for being called at 2 am to leave for a birth. I love my job. I really do. In fact, I feel BLESSED to be able to do what I do...to be invited into such an intimate part of my clients' lives...in such a miracle. I see miracles all the time. And that is awesome!

[pamamidwife]

honestly - it all started because I had some major healing from my daughter's birth to process. then the doors kept opening.

I firmly believe that I was given birthwork to reconnect with my spirituality in a way that would bring me closer than any other type of path.

I have no idea where I'll be in ten years. Being a birthworker isn't my primary goal in life. My primary goal is to be happy and fulfilled. When I feel that my love for midwifery is waning, I always look at why and how it shifts. If it seems that I'm just not into it with my heart (and it's not just temporary burn-out or frustration because that happens with all professions), then I will leave.

[mwherbs]

processing and recovery from my first 2 hospital births, and growing as a person-birth activism to change systems... it wasn't until I was attending births that I realized that I was on a midwifery path-- now mind you I had been learning while recovering- I just kept meeting women who did not want to suffer hospital and OB inflicted ills and mws who needed assistance ; )