Tribe for Midwifery Students 2008!!

[Joyce in the mts.]

Our other thread was really getting long and I thought maybe it'd be good to start a new one... appropriately on New Years Day 2008!

This year will be full of wonder for all of us, Dear Ones- I can just feel it!

May your studies progress most appropriately to completion with ease, may your eyes see clearly, may your hands touch gently, may your trust in birth bring comfort and support to the women, babies, and families you will touch this year.


J.

[eco_mama]

Thanks for starting this, Joyce. I feel this will be a really great year. I can't wait to officially call myself a midwifery student this month. I look forward to and am super excited to start my studies.

[maxmama]

Can we do a round of intros?

[MamaRabbit]

I am so so excited about this year! My "official" start date for me finally doing real midwifery school is August 1st. That gives me 7 months to get everything else in order before I dive in to hard work!

Intros? Great idea!

Name: Erin
Age: 29
Children: 4 of them! A 4.5yr old, a 2.5yr old and 5mo old twins!
Location: somewhere HOT in SE Asia (we're missionaries and i'm from FL)
Birth Work: I'm a labor doula and CBE
Midwifery Student: I've done self-study for now but have enrolled with AAMI. Can't wait!
Other: I'm living in a country that has ZERO homebirth midwives. The CNM midwives here are not autonomous. Sooo, my only source of conversation with other midwives is here. So glad to be among a group of like-minded women!

[Joyce in the mts.]

Here's about me:

I'm 49 and started my midwifery education through Michigan School of Traditional Midwifery's two-year distance program this past fall. (Am thinking I will likely travel for apprenticeship opportunities- any midwives out there intrigued by the idea of an older apprentice?)

My children are grown- ages 22, almost 25, and 27. I've been married for 30 years.

My midwifery goals after training (and certification/licensure if I choose either/both), are to possibly create a lowkey birthing center in my own or in a neighboring community, as well as to provide care for women/families seeking homebirth experiences. Most importantly, I want to be able eventually to support a student midwife in her training and education by providing her an apprenticeship opportunity, when the time comes to do so.

It is my dearest wish that all women and their families are able to access the healthcare including the maternity care they truly want and deserve, no matter where their sensiblities fall along the entire continuum of care- from industrial/institutional birthing to UC's and everything in between. I also support use of the most appropriate attendant or even none at all. It's about giving back the responsibility for birthing to parents and families.

(Your mileage may vary)

Currently I am a doula working as a parenting support worker at a local nonprofit in my community. I get to work in an atmosphere of compassionate action- I'm very lucky.

Happy birthday to this brand new year!

J.

[Reha]

Great idea about the new thread!! Happy New Year, all!

My re-intro:

I am 26, live in Oregon, and have an almost 4 year old (this month!). I have been apprenticing since April, 2006, and I am going to be finished June of this year (which still just blows me away....time went so FAST!). I will be taking the NARM August 20th, and am dutifully compiling all of my NARM application right now. I am an AAMI student (since 2001 ) and part of my resolution for 2008 is to graduate this year! It will feel great to finish my apprenticeship, becomes a CPM and a licensed midwife and to become an AAMI graduate.....all in 2008.

After that, though, I'm not really sure where I am headed next. I will either start my own practice here in Oregon, or have another baby and take off a year or two, or move to Peru for a few years in order to support my husband's life-long dream of moving back there for a while (since he has been so wonderful in supporting my midwifery dreams ).

[Inner_Serenity]

Greetings all,

Tia here, I live in Oregon and have desired to be a Midwife since I was 15, I just knew it was what I needed to be. The journey has been long and I have done many things in my life, but here I am, a Student Midwife....

I am 41 yrs old, married to my incredible Soulmate, I have 3 children 22, 17, and 7. I am currently working as a Doula and Hypnobirther. I started AAMI in October of 2007, just finished phase 1 and I am eagerly awaiting my curriculum to begin my Orientation phase, YEAH :
I hope to find an apprenticeship to start in the next 6-8 months, so that is a focus of energy for me right now.

I love reading what you all have to share here, and hope to be a little less of a lurker this new year

My Yule present from my Soulmate this year.... he is such an incredible man... $400 credit on Amazon.com... I had so much fun yesterday picking out books. So I am eagerly awaiting all my new study tools.

Tia

[arimama]

Hi
I'm Michele.
Age:27
Kids:5 1/2 and 2 1/2
Location: WA
I'm a birth and Postpartum Doula and AAMI student

[maxmama]

Okay, intro here:

I'm Meghan, first-year CNM student and current labor nurse on an extremely awesome labor unit. I have two small children and am repeatedly told a) I'm insane to be attending school with two small children and b) I'm insane to be leaving the cushy pay and benefits of a lovely union-contract nursing job. So that's me.

[Peppamint]

My intro:

I'm 26 (for a few more days )- I was homeschooled and I homeschool my three children ages 6¾, 4½ & 1½. My hubby of 8 years is supportive and he shares the childcare responsibilities with my mom when I go to births/prenatals. I am assisting two midwives and hope to find an apprenticeship in the future. I have been doing self-study for two years but lately have wanted something more structured. Hence, I just spoke to Carla on the phone a couple of hours ago and paid my tuition so I'm now a student of AAMI. I'm excited to get started!

Originally Posted by eco_mama

Ok so could anyone recommend some books that I should buy? I have some gift cards to use. I think I'd like to have my own copy of Spiritual Midwifery (which i haven't even read yet) and I am going to get Birthsong Midwifery Workbook but I'm going to wait and order it with the Student Midwives package on midwiferytoday intstead of by itself. So what are a few books that you would recommend owning copies of?

Congrats on your cousin's baby! I was going to suggest Heart & Hands, Holistic Midwifery Vol. 1 and Varney's... and for "fun" reading I like Peggy Vincent's Baby Catcher.


Lennon- wow, 2008 is going to be a BIG year for you!

[ElizaBird]

Happy New Year everyone!
Re-intros are nice.
Here's mine...
I'm Eliza.
I'm (almost) 24.
I am a momma to twin boys, who are (almost) 3.
I'm a student with AAMI, just about to request my orientation phase- so i've got a long ways to go, but i'm making progress!
I live in New Hampshire, where there are quite a few great midwives/potential preceptors, but i am not at the moment seeking an apprenticeship.
I did apprentice briefly before my boys were born (which was amazing!), and i am now just taking my time with this while they grow up a little.

.

[Mavournin]

Happy New Year!

I'm Gillian.
I'm 28
I have three children - 6, 4, and 9 mo.
I am not an official student yet. The plan is to sit down with my preceptors and go over all the particulars sometime in the next two weeks. Then I will be enrolling at NCM. I was really hoping to get it all done before the new year as the tuition went up today, but I let it go figuring that if I am going to be a midwife I had better get used to not being able to control the universe.
As for travel, I am sure that at some point I will travel somewhere for an apprenticeship or intensive to get my numbers up. There just isn't enough business here to get it all done. But I'm not really worried about it at this point. The plan is to spend my first year only doing school/book work. My preceptors already have an apprentice doing prenatals and births with them, and she obviously gets first dibs. But this also helps me because my kids are so very young and my childcare situation is complicated. By the time I start doing clinical stuff my second will be in school and the baby (who is currently having some medical issues) will be bigger and more able to be left with a caregiver who is not me. It's a plan I feel really good about.

[JJJJBlue3333]

My name is Jennifer. I am 26 and sahm of 2 boys 3.5 and 2 years old. I'm starting full time at MCU this month and will be starting a year long apprenticeship in July if everything works out right.

Happy New Year everyone!

[636Jen]

Originally Posted by Joyce in the mts.

Our other thread was really getting long and I thought maybe it'd be good to start a new one... appropriately on New Years Day 2008!

This year will be full of wonder for all of us, Dear Ones- I can just feel it!

May your studies progress most appropriately to completion with ease, may your eyes see clearly, may your hands touch gently, may your trust in birth bring comfort and support to the women, babies, and families you will touch this year.


J.

Hey Joyce!! Happy New Year to all!

My sister had her baby at 11:51pm on December 31st! What a great way to bring in the new year!! (Not a bad tax write off either...lol)

I'm finally an aunt! My niece is so perfect and sweet and beautiful. *almost* makes me want to have another one....lol I'm so glad I got to meet her before coming back home.

I'll catch up on the posts tomorrow.

[majikfaerie]

I'm here!
subbing...

I cant help mentioning that the thread might have been slightly mis-labelled, being that we are a community of folk from all over the world.

anyways,
I'm a doula and lay midwife; I mostly attend homebirths with women who are aiming for UC but arent ready to go fully alone, or who want help in preparing and post partum care.

slowly studying more and more; life is learning

[Joyce in the mts.]

I have fixed the title of the thread so that it reflects our global sisterhood more.

Forgive me for labeling it winter, since that is what I see when I look out my window and thanks for reminding me that it is full-on summer in another hemisphere.

Take good care and enjoy the day.


J.

[majikfaerie]

thanks joyce I didn't mean you needed to change the title.
for me, "monsoon season" would be more accurate

so! I've decided to go for it and find me a copy of holistic midwifery... anyone have a good lead on a cheap copy? esp if it comes with vol I and II

[eco_mama]

Happy New Year everyone!

I'm 24 (turning 25 in a few weeks)
I have two kids. Ages 4 and 18 months. DD and I will both be starting school this year so it's pretty big for us. I will be enrolling myself in classes at the creative health and birthing arts ran by a midwife here in my area. I'm very excited.
My dh is really supportive and is also excited to see me get going. He works out of our home so is extremely helpful to me.

I'm also taking some advice and buying my own copy of Holistic Midwifery Vol. 1. It's my first big book purchase to date. Can't wait to get it!


Jen ~ Congrats on becoming an aunt! How special.

[636Jen]

Thanks eco!!


Ok, intro....

I'm Jen
I'm 33 years old
Live near Detroit, MI
Married 7 years to a wonderful hubby
We have 3 monkeys ages 5, 6, and 7
I started midwifery school in September of 07 at MSTM
I just started homeschooling the kids
We love to travel!!
I'm going to the Midwifery Today conference this coming March in Philly!! I can't wait!!!!!

[cfiddlinmama]

Thanks for starting this Joyce, your message was really sweet!

Here's my intro:

I'm Clara. I'm 24 (just turned) I'm mom of 4: 7.5; 6; 4.5 and 2.5. I've been married 8 years. I'm homeschooling my kids and was homeschooled myself. I was born at home as were my two daughters. I've wanted to be a midwife since I was about 8 or so. I'm doing the Midwife to Be program. It isn't great, but it's fine for right now. I can't afford to do AAMI which is what I would like to do. MTB is a good introduction, get my foot in the door program for me. I'm supposed to be apprenticing with the CPM who attended my births. So far, I haven't done anything except be on call. We're supposed to be getting together next week to work out the details. My dh is very supportive of me being a midwife. The more I learn, the more I want to learn. I love learning about birth SO much. I can't wait to get starting doing things with my hands!

This group has been a wonderful source of support and inspiration for me. Thank you all! Happy New Year! :