[BirthIsAwesome]

<p>Hey everyone, I don't know if there are any students still active here, but I'm about to enroll in AAMI and would love to visit with any and all of you student midwives as I get started on this journey. I used to lurk in the 2008 and 2009 threads, when I was in an apprenticeship. Since then we've moved to Italy, so I need a program I can do long-distance. I am mama to two sweet little boys (both homebirths) and wife to a great guy. I've been a doula for 5 years and am ecstatic to finally be pursuing midwifery!</p>

 

[mandib50]

<p>glad you started this thread! hopefully it will be active.</p>

 

[Momma Bee]

<img alt="joy.gif" class="bbcode_smiley" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/joy.gif"> So glad this thread is here! I've been a lurker too. Ive also just recently enrolled at AAMI for my didactics while I apprentice under a midwife. I'm a mommie to 2 Elyjah 4 and Zahara 2, I'm a wife, and a Doula. Looking forward to finding a few friends here!

 

[Phoenix~Mama]

<p>Hi!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm starting my nursing pre-reqs in two weeks. I would really like to pursue being a nuse-midwife.  I was going back and forth for a bit between CPM and CNM, but I'm pretty sure I want to pursue CNM because I am hoping to be able to do more good advocating for women birthing in the hospital.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It's a long road ahead, but I think I've finally found my calling in life.  <br>
 </p>

 

[WildDoula]

<p>Hi! I'm a student at AAMI as well. Been working since March of this year. It's really great. Different than I expected, but in a good way.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm currently working through Phase 3. I'm also an apprentice under a local midwife.</p>

 

[phathui5]

<p>I'm a student with the National Midwifery Institute and I'm in a full-time apprenticeship at a birth center here in Oregon.</p>

 

[Thursday Girl]

<p>HI, I have been wanting to pursue midwifery as a career for awhile now, but with the kids and my husbands odd work schedule that often has him out of town it hasn't been feasible. The school I wanted to go to is 3 hours out of town and I would need to be up there for 3 days at a time every week. I'm getting tired of cooling my heels waiting and I think that an option that might work out better is to go the CNM route. I can go to school in town and that's huge. I know the hospitals will drive me crazy but I can live through it, bring some more natural thought processes to it, and start working as a LPN while furthering my education thereby bringing in some money to our very cash strapped family. Plus if I can take the nursing all the way to a nurse practitioner my ability to write prescriptions would make me a draw for a birth center, as I don't want to have my own practice  to begin with and while my kids are still younger. I now need to figure out how to make that all happen as I am pretty clueless as to the process.</p>

 

[Lynsahm]

I am also an AAMI student. Lyn on FB. 2nd year. I submitted phase 3 on time, but missed a few assignments ... I love AAMI.

 

[BirthIsAwesome]

<p>I am officially an AAMI student (2240). I received Phase 1 on Wednesday and have completed 9 of the 15 Phase 1 assignments, yoohoo! I'm so excited and plan on requesting Phase 2 within a couple weeks. I'm on a roll and really motivated (one of my concerns with a distance program was motivation...at least for the moment I don't need to worry about that!). </p>

 

[NatalieA]

Hi! I just enrolled in the Via Vita program. I am waiting to send in my payment but after that... I begin! I can't wait!

 

[Lynsahm]

For those of you in license optional states, do you plan to become licensed? I have had some heated discussions about this with my husband. I told him we had to move to an optional state. LOL

 

[phathui5]

<p>I was planning to become licensed so that I would be able to bill Oregon Health Plan, but with the takeover of managed care, midwives in our area might not be able to bill OHP anymore anyway. So now I'm back to deciding.</p>

 

[Lynsahm]

I read about that. That really stinks. State medical insurance has covered homebirth for more than a decade (edit: it's closer to <i>three</i> decades) here in WA.<br><br>
I wonder why more women with private insurance don't choose DEM care. Or does private insurance not cover homebirth?

 

[arelyn]

Hey Natalie! I'm thinking of doing Via Vita next year and I would love to hear about your experiences with them!

 

[ThePeacefulMama]

<p>So glad to find this thread here. I have just enrolled with AAMI and am very (VERY!!!!) excited to get going on this. I am in a similar boat to you, BirthIsAwesome. I am living in Germany and needed something I could do long-distance. Perhaps you can connect with me (if we aren't already friends!!!) on FB. I am Shana Ritter. In fact, I am happy to connect with any fellow Midwifery students. </p>

 

[WildDoula]

<p>How are everyone's studies going? <br><br>
I am in AAMI Phase 3, trying to finish this up and get it submitted in January. My Annual Report is due in March, so I think that's a good goal. In my apprenticeship, we're waiting for two babies and then that's it for the year! I can't believe I've been an apprentice for 7 months already, time really flies. </p>

 

[BirthIsAwesome]

<p>Hi Shana! <waves> I'm on facebook, we've met and become friends on there already due to AAMI <br><br>
General update: I'm engrossed in PUSH month here at AAMI and plan to submit Phase 3 at the end of February. Then onto the daunting Phase 4! I recently created a list of assignments for me to do in order to become an expert in Well Woman Care (one of my specialties) and that has me getting super excited about that! If anyone's interested in reading, here's the link to my blog about student midwifery: <a href="http://www.themidwifepath.blogspot.com" target="_blank">www.themidwifepath.blogspot.com</a>. How is everyone else doing?</p>