More Postpartum...

Sent DONA membership money yesterday. Then I printed out a copy of all of the requirements for postpartum doula certification - and I've already done some, so that's good. I started ticking off the ones I'd done, and that felt good too. I read their policy statement and scope of practice, then went down to the library and checked out all of the rest of the reading I have to do. Excellent!

I possibly want to do the Birth Arts program as well. They are a bit more in line with my philosophy and all of my favorite postpartum books are on their reading list. But, the DONA one is the most well known and most widely respected certification, so that's one I want to do first. I would like to take the Birth Arts Aromatherapy course for doulas at some point, too.

There are too many courses I want to do. I could spend the next 10 years just taking doula related stuff. Hmmm... that sounds good!

Postpartum Training...

Well, I registered for the DONA approved Postpartum Training last week. I'm not sure how we'll manage with the baby, but Ted assures me that we can make it work. I need to start pumping, and we need some kind of a 'milk delivery system'. A sippy cup maybe? He's almost six months old. I don't think he'll take a bottle, but we'll see. Ted will bring him to me for feedings mostly. I'm a little freaked out, but it's something I want to do. I also took out a membership in DONA this morning, so I'm on my way to becoming a certified postpartum doula. I'm still debating my business name. Eventually I want to return to doing births as well, so I'm not sure that I want to make my business name specific to postpartum. I have several domain names registered and I should use one of them, but I want to make sure it's the right one.

I wish I could be the type of person who just jumps in and does what she wants instead of being the type that thinks too much about everything. Now, business planning is great, but I tend to go overboard and think myself into defeat. I get into that "it's too hard, I should just forget about it" frame of mind. I have to get past that. I do have the training to do this. I have my Breastfeeding Counselling Certificate, am working on my Lactation Educator cert, Happiest Baby cert, Infant Massage cert and will have the PP training done soon. I need to look into the CPR training soon and get that booked, too. I can do this.

Right?

Fundraising...

I've inquired about helping with Seattle Midwifery School's fundraising campaign "100 for $1000". Basically, they are trying to get 100 people to take on the job of raising $1000 each for the school. I think it will be an interesting challenge, and I hope to get some of the women from my BC Aspiring Midwives list to help with it. Many Canadians have attended the Seattle school, and someday I may be one of them. They do great work, have helped to train many hundreds of doulas and midwives, and continue to inspire me on my journey. I've got some ideas already, and I'm sure more will come in the next few weeks.

Title? No Thanks, Too Confining.

I picked up my SMS poster from the frame shop today. I had it plaque mounted, and it looks great. I'm hoping Ted can put it up on the wall on the weekend. I think I'll put it up over my desk to inspire me. First though, I have to take some pictures of my birth altar (which I made for Colin's birth) that is still up. It's on top of my desk. I hate to take it down. I'm afraid it will mean that the specialness of pregnancy is over. Yes, I know Colin is five months old! But, still. Of course, I still need to thaw the placenta and do a placenta print, too. I hope to frame that artwork as well. It'll look a bit like a tree when it's done.

Anyhow, I will take some pictures of the altar and besides I'll leave some of the items up anyhow (since they are so interconnected to midwifery and motherhood). I feel my transformation from pregnant goddess to mother goddess is pretty much complete (can you believe I have three kids?) And now I will begin another conception as my journey to becoming a midwife begins. It's just another gestation period, isn't it? :) Cool. That's how I'll look at it.

External Doubt...

This weekend, while out with my family and in-laws t a social event, my mother-in-law mentioned that her brother's on-again/off-again ex-wife's sister (follow that?) is a midwife in Vancouver. I'd heard that mentioned before though I've never met her. My MIL went off on a tangent which went something like this, "Well, she went to that school in Seattle, and she keeps up with the faculty, and she says even with the new program (meaning UBC) that unless you're young, already have a degree and tonnes of experience you'll never get in. Your chances are next to nothing." Thanks MIL. I really needed that. Not!

First of all, the young part is simply crap. I'm not exactly old, but I don't think the world needs nothing but 20 year old midwives. I think there needs to be a good balance actually. Secondly, I know I don't have a degree, but I can work towards that until I get in (it's not required, but could help). Thirdly, I do have some experience. Here is a list of some of that experience:

I'm a trained doula (since 1997), I've been to a bunch of births - mostly on a volunteer basis (all different kinds - home, hospital, waterbirth, doctor, midwife, medicated, unmedicated). I have completed my Breastfeeding Counselling Certificate from Douglas College. I'm currently working on finishing up my Lactation Educator Certification through CAPPA, my Happiest Baby on the Block Certification, a Holistic Infant and Baby Massage Instructor Cert., and I'm hoping to go to the DONA Postpartum Doula workshop in July. I run an email list for BC aspiring midwives which has served over 100 women in the last four years (some of whom are now registered in BC, some have been accepted to school, some are now students). I'm working on putting up an aspiring/student midwife website and newsletter. I run my own small business. I've written a 30 page booklet on honouring mothers during pregnancy which sells pretty well. I make blessingway/motherblessing kits and pregnancy and birth jewelry. I'm a published writer, and hope to write more articles for publication.

I do know that it's not going to be easy to get in. But, it's not impossible either. And when I'm meant to get in, I will. So F*ck You MIL! And mind your own business.

ps. I got a lovely lampwork goddess bead in the mail today - she has a baby in her belly which you can see. She'll make a lovely focal point for a one-of-a-kind necklace.

Recap...

My shirt finally came today. I like it. Although Canada Post decided that they needed to collect $1.35 each for GST and PST plus a $5 fee for collecting the taxes. Now, umhum... because it was less than $20 CDN, it wasn't supposed to have those fees (as per the Canada Customs and Border Agency Guidelines. And now I need to fill out a form, and complain to get my $7.70 back. Not really worth my time, but yes I will do it anyway.

I found some other blogs written by midwifery students, and aspiring midwives and they are great to read! So much wisdom, information and it's so nice not to be alone. You'll find a great one on my list of links on the right of this post!

Though I didn't really care for one of the blogs I found in which the midwifery student (at a CDN Uni) admitted that she was drunk or high some of the time while she's on been on call to go to births. She mentions that she needs to smarten up and not do that, but then says maybe she'll start tomorrow after one more night. Will she ever really stop? When she doesn't recognize symptoms of a potential fetal or maternal problem and someone gets hurt or dies maybe? Should she be reported? Could she be identified from her blog? Wow... midwifery ethics 101 and I'm not even in school yet.

Back to me... working on some Cafepress stuff to go with my my new website. Working slowly. Designing new necklaces slowly. Doing everything slowly. Who'd have thought life with a four month old, a four year old and an eight year old could be quite so busy! You did get that sarcasm, right? ;)

Back to laundry, so hopefully I'll have time to do some coursework tonight.