When I was a senior in High School I was taking a Child Development class. I think I was the only one there that was taking it by choice, but I digress. The teacher had a certified nurse midwife (CNM) come to the class to talk about what she did. As she explained the different approach to birth midwives had, I decided right then and there that I wanted to be one. I was even able to spend a day shadowing her at her office. I didn't get to do more than measure some fundal heights, but it was awesome.
Once I got closer to graduating I began to seriously consider my options. Becoming a CNM would take years and my logic was that I'd get married and have kids before I finished my schooling and wouldn't be able to practice. So I didn't even start, which is one of my biggest regrets. I had no idea how much harder it would be to start up once I already had a family!
After I had three of my children I began to explore the idea again. My husband even got me started with Paths to Becoming a Midwife and a Midwifery Workbook. I devoured them and any other books the library had on the subject. I decided that what I really wanted was to become a homebirth midwife, but I was nervous about the risks. I ended up pregnant and put everything on the back burner.
When my youngest was 2.5 I attended my sister's birth as her doula. It was an amazing and exhausting experience! Birth was my favorite topic of conversation with my friends and I'm sure I bored them with recounting my experiences over and over. I just can't help myself!
A couple of weeks ago I asked a new friend who is planning to birth at the birth center in town if she needed a doula. And she said yes! We talked about what kind of things she wanted and we were both very excited about the arrangement. I dusted the cobwebs out of that section of my brain and began prepping.
I was telling my husband how I would love to be a certified doula, but being on call is really a family affair - it affects everything. He surprised me when he said, "Do it! Get certified and just take a few clients at first." So I researched my options and decided to go with Childbirth International. I signed up today using their 6 payment option and I am so very VERY excited!
