How old is too old?

[mamaginabean]

How old is too old to start on the path to becoming a midwife? I'm 24, but would like to wait until I'm done having children and/or nursing, which could be quite a few more years.

[feminist~mama]

I don't think that it's an age thing! Of course, I'm in my early thirties and just graduating from nursing school this year.

I've met MANY women that are far older than I am who are still working on getting there.

It's the journey that's important, right?

[BetsyS]

I went to a traditional CNM program. The oldest woman in my class was 51 when we graduated. I was one of the younger ones, at 25.

I think you have plenty of time.

[mwherbs]

depends on how well you take care of yourself--

for the most part you would need to be able to do the hrs and the driving- or have a way to get to where you are going-- be able to miss sleep - so I don't know of an "age" where your ability to be a midwife or apprentice expires -

in the mean time you can do some reading and things that involve independent study-- so you have a grasp of the subject before you train

[Peppamint]

I'm 26 and though I'll be assisting a midwife on a temporary basis it could be years before I actually officially apprentice.

I read the other day that in some cultures a midwife had to be post-menopausal.

[MamaRabbit]

I'm 28, and I figure with bfing babies and being a mom, studying slowly and living overseas, I'd be lucky to be licensed when I'm 35.

[DoomaYula]

Originally Posted by MamaRabbit

I'm 28, and I figure with bfing babies and being a mom, studying slowly and living overseas, I'd be lucky to be licensed when I'm 35.

: -- except the living overseas.

Although I am living in a tiny mainstream town with no midwives, so sometimes I feel like it's another planet! :

[Zoo Loo Naturals]

I view midwifery as an older profession. Alot of life experience comes into play. Menarche, marriage, birth control, birthing, breastfeeding, well woman, family relations, sexuality, menopause. I see midwifery as a full life-cycle affair not just birthing. It's nice to have "been there." L: ve the granny midwives.

[the elyse]

:

the older the better!! i want my midwife to be experienced, especially in life.

[mothercat]

I've had the age of the midwife thing go both ways. I had someone tell me they wanted a younger midwife so they could relate, and I've had someone hire me because they wanted more of a mom/mentor assisting at their birth.

The average in my midwifery class was mid 40's. I was just under that. Had been a certified childbirth educator, certified lactation consultant, apprentice midwife and hospital AP/IP/PP/NB nurse before I went to CNM school. Gained a lot of experience helping women with more than just birthing.

I think it worked out well to wait, because I didn't feel so guilty about leaving my babies and they could understand why I had to go. I talked with them several times during those years explaining what I needed to do (become a midwife) and that it would mean they all had to take on extra responisiblity while I studied. It doesn't mean they liked it, but they understood.

Now they are all teenagers/young adults- so being gone for two days doesn't bother them much except when they want to borrow my car.

[turtlewomyn]

Oh dear, if you are too old then I must be too old!!! I am 32, I already have a career in biology (got my MS in 2003). I have also been thinking that after the kids (the second and last one isn't even conceived yet) are older that I might want to go to school to be a CPM.
My plan is that in the meantime I will do other things like train to be a CBE, a post partum doula, a birth doula, and sort of work my way up to becoming a midwife.
Also, the one midwife I have interviewed (hoping to use her for my next birth) was a midwife with young children. She started out just like they did at the Farm, but in West Virginia. She and her friends started delivering each others babies (she has since gone on to a different state where she went to school to be a CPM, but she has been catching babies as long as I have been alive!). I asked her about midwifing with small children, she said she just brought her babies with her and nursed them as she caught other peoples babies.

[mandib50]

haha ... i'm just starting now ... i'm 36 ... you're never too old ...

[meggles]

I'm 25 and still relatively new. I wanted to have a baby before I embarked on schooling and apprenticing. I am a doula and I've been to some intensive workshops. Within the next couple of years, I'll be in school and then I'll apprentice for awhile after that. I'm thinking I'll be about 30ish when I become certified and actually start practicing on my own. Midwifery for me is a journey, and it is not something I want to rush at all. It is a part of my life, not just some schooling to get over with (like getting my B.A. felt like some of the time). Take it slow and enjoy it, there is no need to rush.

[Maggi315]

I'm 37 and just started my own private practice. I expect to get my cnm when my kids are a bit older. one of the midwives I work with went back to school in her late forties.

mwherbs is right about taking care of yourself to handle the stress of being a midwife. I am having some health problems now and have delivered 4 babies this month with one left, then I will have a much needed break of one month to take care of myself physically and mentally.

I was told to remember that women will always have babies and need midwives, there is no rush! hard to do though.

[MidwifeErika]

This is one of those careers where it doesn't hurt you to come in later. It isn't like you need to start when you are 23 years old in order to advance correctly like in a large corp. That is wonderful because it allows for women to finish having babies and take care of their families as they feel needed to. Infact, so many women don't even decide to become a midwife until after they are a mom, so that part is really normal.

Back when I first wanted to become a midwife I remember getting discouraged thinking "I am 21 now, even if I were to finish in 3 years that would make me 24... that is OLD" (yes, I know how ridiculous it is to think of 24 as old!) I finally started an apprenticeship this year at 26, so I will be somewhere around 30 when I finish. I intended to wait until my youngest was 2 and nursing very infrequently, but an apprenticeship came along when she was 9 months old and I jumped on it. For my family it is working, but I can certainly see it would be easier to focus if one waits for the children to be a bit older.

It is true that midwifery isn't going anywhere and that women will always be having babies. I haven't seen the market get soggy with midwives either, so there will always be a spot for you once you get in there. Take your time, have your babies, and don't rush into it until you feel that you are ready... it will go much easier for you that way. Oh, and it isn't too early to start learning even if you aren't apprenticing yet. You could look into distance education or even self study, there is soooooo much to learn!

[momdzn]

I am going to turn 52 soon. I have been studying off and on (between children and crisises) for 25 years now. I am currently a student and will have to go someplace to get the birth numbers I need (as my daughters can only have sooo many babies ). But I still have an 8.5 year old who needs me, so right now the plan is to try to apply for CPM in 2010. So I think if the heart, hands and head (along with a few other body parts) are still able, you are never too old. My 2greatgrandmother midwifed until just before she died into her 70's.

[pamamidwife]

typically and traditionally, midwives are not young women in communities. there are good reasons for that - mainly because the on-call life is hard on young families.