Nure-midwives and students? I'm looking to connect.

Orel · Mar 13, 2011

Wow! I'm so happy to see so many nurse-midwifery students! I'm currently working on my pre-reqs for the ASN program at my local community college. Once I've finished the program there I plan to apply to the bridge program at Frontier.
 
Like many others have mentioned, homebirth is my heart, but I also want the opportunity to serve a more diverse group of women. I'm also a single mama of two! I had no idea there were so many of us out there, it's very heartening! <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/smile.gif">

ewilkins_doula · Mar 18, 2011

Hi! My name is Erika! I'm on the path to becoming a CNM. I'm currently pursuing a bachelor's in a non-nurse field with the hopes of getting my Master's as a CNM in a similar program as Katie8681. I have some questions about this path and would love it if someone would be willing to PM me and talk about it! I'm currently working as a birth doula and have attended 20 births! I'm trying to get as much experience as I can! 

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<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by Katie8681 <a href="/community/forum/thread/1294246/nure-midwives-and-students-i-m-looking-to-connect#post_16262014"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a> Hi! I'm Katie, I'm a CNM. In May '10 I graduated from a 3 year accelerated program for people w/non-nursing BAs and unfortunately had to move to a pretty strongly anti-CNM state with not much opportunities for a new grad, but I have been working as an L&D RN. I'm pregnant with my first

Obviously I went through school not as a parent, but I had more than one classmate that did it. It can be done and midwifery students are known for strongly supporting each other!
 
In a few months I'm moving to northern Cali, where midwifery job openings absolutely abound. Very exciting! Annnnnddd... my philosophy is quite hands-off and easy on the interventions, so much so that I'm hoping/planning for a home birth. Glad to see you all!
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hram · Mar 18, 2011

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<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by Kaydove <a href="/community/forum/thread/1294246/nure-midwives-and-students-i-m-looking-to-connect#post_16314965"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-bottom:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-right:0px solid;"></a> 

 
Exactly why I'm choosing the CNM route! I also am interested in medical science and research, so I think I would appreciated the more scientific aspect of the CNM program. I'm going to go to school local vs. online. I'm dyslexic and online class are rough for me.
 
 
 
"its a rule they have to say "dead baby" X amount of times during each prenatal." hram
 
That's BIZARRE! Any idea why?
 
 
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They have a reputation of not being supportive of what women want but of bullying them into doing every single rule, protocal and regulation. The supervising midwife told me in the 30+ years she has worked, I was the first to decline anything she said to do! And it was gbs test at 13 weeks!!
 
I have been thinking of the required imminizations for school. What do others think of it? We dont vax at all in our family, and I dont want to especially since I will be nursing a little one while in school. I was vax'd as a child and had a few boosters as an adult. Has anyone thought of getting an exemption, or getting the titer test?

homewithtwinsmama · Mar 22, 2011

Hi,
 
I am just taking my first prereq for nursing school (microbiology and so far I am rocking it, though chemistry is up next and that terrifies me!). I already have a bachelors and masters degrees, in non-medical fields and confess I haven't really worked out what exactly my program will be though I hope to do the local RN program to me, which just happens to be a very highly respected competitive program, and then distance programs through Frontier. I would love to do both CNM and CRNP but doubt I will have time and money for both. I need to get on with supporting my family more than I can do just birth assisting and teaching CBE and lactation classes. My husband seems to have hit the wall on his own career. I am often sad that my youngest gets so much less of my time than the older kids did, but I take comfort in the fact that I have a wonderful sitter, and a nearby fantastic grandma and the older sibs are very nurturing of her as well. I hope she, and all of my kids, will be proud of me and benefit from what I can achieve by getting there in hopefully about five years, six tops.

Magelet · Mar 24, 2011

I'm starting nursing school (BSN) in the fall. I'm going to an amazing local program where you do your pre-reqs and gen-ed at a small women's college, and then if you have a 3.0 or higher and pass TEAS then you are gaurunteed admission to the 2nd two years nursing program at another school which specializes in nursing and physicians assisting. I'm really excited, I know it is going to be a ton of work.
 
My eventual plan is to then become a CNM. I originally planned on becoming a CPM, it was the path that really drew me, and I would like to do homebirths eventually, however I've come to realize that as a family, we need me to have the back-up of the RN, and the increased options, both in terms of work (hospital, birthcenter and homebirth posibilities) and in terms of what states we can live in. I'm not quite sure what my timeline is looking like for the CNM, it depends on a lot of factors, such as DP's education (he wants to finish up his bachelors which he might not be able to do while I'm in school, in which case, he'll put me through school then I'll put him through school), when we have kids, where we are living etc. I'm really leaning towards frontier, but it will depend on where we are living, and what our lives our like. A lot of times I hope that midwifery school is about 5 years away, but I suspect it's probably more like 8 at this point, that I'll stay at home or work as a nurse for several years while our babies are little, then do the midwifery. Which would be ok, though perhaps not ideal. (well, I'd love to stay home. working in nursing rather than midwifery would be alright though not ideal)

siemeeers · Mar 29, 2011

Hi everyone! It's so exciting to see so many people here who are planning on becoming/already are in the process of becoming a CNM!
My name is Emily and I am just finishing up my undergraduate degree in Microbiology & Spanish. I'm taking next year off to work and save money (since I figure a car may be a good investment for clinicals with grad school!). I will be applying to school this fall--the grad entry level nursing program... and I really hope to attend Vanderbilt, but I know that's setting my hopes high! Like many other people here, I think it will help me reach a wider range of women. I'm excited and can't wait to start school... again... even though I'm just now finishing up my bachelors. Oh well!

4C-mom · Apr 4, 2011

Hello all!
I have been a nurse for almost six years, and I work in L&D. I am currently in Frontier's bridge program, just finished my second term of classes (all As!) and am starting my third term tomorrow. By going full time, I expect to graduate in October 2013. I am so excited!
 
Birth is awesome, and I am so excited to be a part of it! My biggest challenge is going to be finding a CNM preceptor in VA/NC for when its time for my clinicals. I'm not in an area where there are a lot of CNMs (okay, none in teh hospital here) so I expect that I will have to travel for my clinicals, but it is what it is. A short time of sacrifice for decades of a career I want!

Ligmom · Apr 7, 2011

Hi everyone

Just wanting to join the mix. I am currently in my second to last term of my BSN. About to begin my practicum (hopefully in L & D), and then on to graduation and boards in July. After that, I hope to find a job and get some experience so that I can apply for CNM school in the next year or so. Kinda scared to start this whole long school process all over again.....but I look forward to being a midwife so it must be done! I have been thinking about CPM training/school also and would love to do both, ultimately.
 
Good luck to all of you on this journey!

Cheap Sunglasses · Apr 17, 2011

Can any of you recommend a great primary care textbook? I'm looking for something like Varney did for midwifery but without all the babies

misslolalady · Apr 21, 2011

Hi all!
 
I am a RN too (work in the PICU). I am a new grad, but I am already dead set on applying to Frontier, Class 96 . I recently moved and was very involved with the birthing community in my home town. I was a volunteer doula at the birth center where I had my son.
 
Anyhow- regarding applying- I am so excited and overwhelmed! I want to work in a birth center or do home births. It would be even better if I could work with under served populations. There is one thing I've been wondering however, I am not sure how to go ahead and ask for references from my employer for the application since I'm brand new- any suggestions? Do they all have to be direct supervisors? 
 
If anyone would like to chat- please feel free to email me: [email protected]
 
Also- does anyone know of any online midwifery study groups? That would be such a wonderful resource!

Eeyore_fan · Apr 21, 2011

<img alt="Welcome.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/Welcome.gif">, misslolalady!
 
Frontier asks for 3 references: 2 professional supervisors and 1 professional peer. Is it possible to ask the supervisor at the birth center where you were a volunteer? I know that being a new nurse and having to ask for references is kind of tough. I was at my former job for 7 months before I had the courage to ask my supervisors to fill out the reference forms.
 
As far as midwifery study groups online - I was going to suggest that you "Like" Frontier's Facebook page and then join the discussion for Class 96, but I see that you have already done that (recognized your picture)! That is a great way to meet prospective students who are applying to the same class as you are. Let me know if you have any questions!

thepeach80 · Apr 22, 2011

I graduate w/ LPN next month and then start on my BSN right away. I'm hoping to go to Frontier after that and be done by 2017.

misslolalady · Apr 23, 2011

Thanks Eeyore fan! I didn't even think to ask the midwives I worked with.

I think I was so focued on tyring to get references from people I currently work with that it somehow slipped my mind! I technically have until August to ask for the references, so I would have been there for 7 months, so that's doable! I cannot wait to embark on this journey. I keep telling myself each day is a day closer to my dream! I never thought I nursing school would end, but, here I am working as a RN!

amberbirthdoula · Apr 26, 2011

Hi, I'm working on my B.A right now and I'm planning on becoming a midwife and I'm wondering if anyone has any advice for me in terms of taking time off between nursing school and midwifery school to work as an L&D nurse. My fear is that if I do that I might never go back to school and become a midwife once kids/life/$ become issues. Any thoughts? Thanks everyone

Amatullah0 · Apr 26, 2011

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I am a doula and childbirth educator. I have a 2 year old, and that + being new + being halfway around the world right now means I've taken a bit of a break from actually DOING birth work. Before I came here(I'm in Pakistan right now) I kept WANTING to advertise, etc. only to keep telling myself, "no, you're leaving any month, you really SHOULDN'T be looking for clients if you don't know when you're due yet." *sigh*
 
ANYWAY, so I am also currently going back to school after putting it off when DS was born(and not having known WHY I was even in school back then). I've decided to go back for nursing, and I've been doing some pre-req online classes through my community college while I'm over here at the in-laws. DH is still a (pre-bachelor's) student too, and he's still back in the states, he'll be coming here a bit after his semester finishes. My final goal will be to finish my masters and become a CNM. I would work in a hospital if I had to for some reason to support our family, but I MUCH prefer to do home births. It was a struggle for me to decide which path I wanted to take (CNM, CPM, DEM?) But since I can use financial aid, can space out courses in the beginning few years, learn best in a structured environment, and wish to move to a different state that does not currently license CPMs or DEMs, I decided that becoming a CNM was the best route. 
 
I hope to open a birth center too, and actually, it was DH's idea, so maybe he will be the one to open a birth center, LOL. Actually, right now, we have 2 awesome birth centers within an hour from our house(in opposite directions) so it's not for lack of good birth centers, but just because it's something we(DH and I) would be interested in doing. We also don't really know WHERE we will end up yet. 

Did I mention that we have one kid, but no desire to stop any time soon? I'm estimating the next DC will be here around april or may of next year. 
<div class="quote-container" style="margin-top:5px;margin-right:20px;margin-bottom:5px;margin-left:20px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;">Quote:
<div class="quote-block" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:3px;padding-right:3px;padding-bottom:3px;padding-left:3px;border-top-width:1px;border-right-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;border-left-width:1px;border-top-style:solid;border-right-style:solid;border-bottom-style:solid;border-left-style:solid;border-top-color:rgb(217,218,216);border-right-color:rgb(217,218,216);border-bottom-color:rgb(217,218,216);border-left-color:rgb(217,218,216);background-color:rgb(241,241,241);">Originally Posted by hram <a href="/community/forum/thread/1294246/nure-midwives-and-students-i-m-looking-to-connect/20#post_16331309" style="color:rgb(96,73,154);"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-top-style:solid;border-right-style:solid;border-bottom-style:solid;border-left-style:solid;"></a> 
I have been thinking of the required imminizations for school. What do others think of it? We dont vax at all in our family, and I dont want to especially since I will be nursing a little one while in school. I was vax'd as a child and had a few boosters as an adult. Has anyone thought of getting an exemption, or getting the titer test?
 
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We don't vax either. I am 100% comfortable with saying that it is for religious reasons(and can say it without lying), but a big reason for not vaxing for us is the side effects. The only vaxes that DS has gotten were bully vaxes. DH is probalby up to date in way more vaxes than you would need for school, lol, because he's currently going through the US immigration system. I got all of the CDC recommended vaxes when I was in grade school.
 
but if it came down to it, I would do just about everything I could to avoid the vax, avoid it at all costs while I am pregnant(not sure how I feel about getting one while nursing, I would have research how much it can affect the baby), and get it later if waivers/titers didn't work. I would also take all of the precautions I can think of, including using birth control for some while after getting the vax. 
 
Our community college doesn't require vaxes for anything shy of nursing school, and the programs that I'm looking at for nursing school or midwifery school have requirements that are hard to figure out(I can't figure out on my own if they allow waivers, and for some schools, it was hard to figure out which vaxes they actually require) I'm not going to ask anyone about it until I have to be thinking about this, and I don't anticipate finishing pre-reqs to even apply to the nursing programs within the next year, so I'm waiting on this. It's even more difficult to find out what the hospitals around here require, but I'll ask around once I get to that point. A site I'm thinking about is allnurses.com to help me figure out the different requirements before I need to choose which hospital I work at.
 
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<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by amberbirthdoula <a href="/community/forum/thread/1294246/nure-midwives-and-students-i-m-looking-to-connect/20#post_16409749"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a> Hi, I'm working on my B.A right now and I'm planning on becoming a midwife and I'm wondering if anyone has any advice for me in terms of taking time off between nursing school and midwifery school to work as an L&D nurse. My fear is that if I do that I might never go back to school and become a midwife once kids/life/$ become issues. Any thoughts? Thanks everyone

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I kinda have this issue too. I mean, I HAVE family close by, but nobody that I feel comfortable really leaving my kid with for extended periods of time. For now, we're doing well with financial aid to pay for school. DH's family will probably come live with us in the next couple of years, but I'll probably be putting the kids in daycare of some sort while I go to school. (and we know of at least 2 family friends that run affordable daycares from their homes)
 
Although I'm not there yet, I wouldn't suggest taking time off, since it can be WAY HARD to go back. But, I do have 2 friends who are going back for their masters right now, after, what, 10 years? one will be having her fifth child later this year, and the other has 2 kids. They're both doing education, so I'm sure it's different than midwifery school, but that's my opinion on it. I might take off a couple of semesters if I have a newborn, but I want to finish as soon as I can so I don't end up putting school off for forever(and some of the reasoning for that is to get the vaxes to last their longest--I don't want get any more vaxes than I have to. BUT, I also plan on homeschooling and spending all of the energy that I can on my kids. That said, I DO think I can do it, though family and community support will probably play a big part.

BirthTender · May 28, 2011

I passed the nuurse-midwifery board exam today!! My almost 30 yr. journey is OVER At LAST! I am one of North Carolina's newly passed CNM and, hoping to be homebirth CNM at that, after having been direct-entry since 1985 in other states, legal & alegal.
I have lots of study material available for sale to whomever, & I mean LOTS.
Blessings to all,
Karen Benfield, CNM and owner of BirthTender

Eeyore_fan · May 28, 2011

Quote:
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<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by BirthTender <a href="/community/forum/thread/1294246/nure-midwives-and-students-i-m-looking-to-connect/20#post_16470632"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a> I passed the nuurse-midwifery board exam today!! My almost 30 yr. journey is OVER At LAST! I am North Carolina's newest CNM and a homebirth CNM at that, after having been direct-emtry since 1985.
I have lots of study material available for sale to whomever, & I mean LOTS.
Blessings to all,
Karen Benfield, CNM and owner of BirthTender
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Congratulations, Karen!! <img alt="jumpers.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/jumpers.gif">

BirthTender · May 28, 2011

Thank you!! I am still crying tears of JOY. I wil, finally, able to offer legal homebirth CNM choices to the women and families in this area, (well, after getting a NC license & also considering other neighboring states, eventually) which means that all of the Charlotte area is in my coverage, too.

misslolalady · May 29, 2011

CONGRATS!!!!
 
Is it difficult for CNMs to do homebirth in your area? That's all I want to do and I don't foresee finding physician back up. Anyhow, I may be interested in some of your educational materials you have too! Lastly, what school did you attend? Congratulations once again on your amazing achievement!

BirthTender · May 30, 2011

I do not find it difficult at all for CNMs to have homebirth practices in my state. I graduated in May 09 from the SUNY @ StonyBrook, NY, after beginning the program in Aug. 2003.
 
I highly recommend them, and the Director is so very knowledgable and helpful in every way. Through out my setbacks, here is a sampling of setbacks and tribulations: my ex filed for a divorce when I was only 8 weeks into the first semester, then 5 days before beginning of my 2nd semester my clinical site closed to all medical and advanced practice students, (and that was here local to my home in NC), and then at Director's encouragement, I took a few years break to work, save money and re-cup. I started back into my 3rd semester of studies and clinicals in Aug. 08, and that site, part of the Florida Hospital system had just changed affiliations and had just chosen to not renew their contract with Stonybrook, so The Director and staff at Stonybrook, quickly found another site for me in a matter of days. Nichole Rouhanna is the director and I felt her rooting for me the whole way over those years. I had earned my ADN from the SUNY educational system way back in 1985. I have always found the SUNY system to be very accomodating to older students and so supportive.
I ended up having to move out of town to the Raleigh area, hoping to get on the waiting list for a clinical site that Stunybrook was working on, But there was a 3 year long waiting list, and I did not have the time to wait as I had to graduate by May 09, so I had to move out of state to FL where SUNY had several sites available. That was the most difficult decision that I've ever made, as it meant giving full primary custody to my ex for my/our child who was 15 yrs. at that time, and rent out my home (so I could keep paying the mortgage) while I was away. I still had long weekends and long weeks with my daughter during those years.
I was able to get moved back into my lovely home on my ancestral family farm last June and I am still Praising God every day for paving the path for me to complete my MSN nurse-midwifery corse, and get back HOME! I still walk through my home every night, and Say, "I made it"!
PM me for the materials that I have.
Karen Benfield, CNM and owner of BirthTender

Nure-midwives and students? I'm looking to connect.

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