Since the beginning of March, I've been working (slowly, but surely) towards obtaining my doula certification through Childbirth International. I've been looking into becoming a doula for quite some time now, and I WAS going to start up before I had Ophelia, but I decided to wait until she was older, since I was looking into taking the program DONA offered, and I would have had to be gone for 8 hours a day for a weekend to a workshop. Which...I didn't really like...but alright. So I found CBI (Childbirth International) after some research online. This program is awesome for a SAHM like me. It's 100% online, aside from one childbirth class that I have to observe, and the two births that I have to attend.
I'm VERY excited that I started this class. The last couple weeks have been a little difficult...Ophelia has been crawling around the house like crazy and she's been needing extra attention lately. Not to mention my mom and sister-in-law were here for a week. But, I love being able to do this on my free time. And I love that I don't have to be gone for a long period of time to go take a workshop (though, taking a workshop later on down the line as a refresher is always an option). If all school could be done 100% online, I would be super happy. (Not possible, I know, but still...)
So I'm about a third of the way through the course right now. I just turned in my communication assignment. We had to follow their model of describing, talking about our feelings, our actions, and other choices we could make if in a situation like this is in the future. I found it utterly exhausting to do. I didn't realize how irritated I was with some points in Ophelia's birth. It was very informative for me to write though. I honestly did find out a lot about myself, and how I experienced Ophelia's birth. Also, my amazing husband shared with me how he felt during the whole experience...which was amazing for me. Though we love each other, and we talk, he doesn't always share his feelings with me. Which is fine. It really is...I don't try to get him all emotional and "feelingy" with me. But when its something like Ophelia's birth...I really appreciate that he shared that with me. So that was fun. So I turned that in...my instructor is going to get back to me. I hope I did well enough that I don't have to completely redo the assignment. It was almost 8 pages long if you can believe that. If you read my birth story on my blog, it was no where NEAR 8 pages...like I said, it took a lot out of me...not just because I've been tired lately, but because writing about emotions, especially with something like the birth of your child...it was just emotionally tiring.
But its done...now to move on to the more physical parts of labor and delivery...which should be fun! I'm pretty excited about that.
On a different, but some-what related note, I have THE best husband in the world. I was asking him the other day if there were any couple pregnant in his unit. He said there was one that he knew of. The day after we talked about that, apparently he had a huge long discussion with the dad-to-be about how awesome natural childbirth is, and how great having a doula can be. *Swoon*. What wife WOULDN'T appreciate that?! Well, I mean, as long as you were passionate about natural childbirth/doulas and were on your way to becoming a certified doula and wanted to ultimately become a midwife. Unless you were one of THOSE wives, you probably wouldn't appreciate it. But seriously, I was just so proud of him and so thankful that he takes how I feel about NCB (natural childbirth) and doulas seriously, and thinks the same, otherwise, he wouldn't have said anything...right? Right. So I'm so, so happy about that little thing that happened. It was just...seriously...swoon-worthy.
I'll try to keep my blog updated with the goings-on of my doula class. I am so very excited about this venture. I really am. I think its great that I'm doing this now, while Ophelia is little, instead of going into nursing to start with my midwife stuff.
much love!
5 comments:
I do love when a man can talk birth with me! (especially my husband) I am also on my journey towards becoming a doula, have the workshop in july, and am so torn about what to do with my little infant during that time. You are interested in midwifery too? What route are you going? I am currently in nursing school and going to go for my CNM but would love to be able to practice home births as well as hospital and birth center. ~Jessica
Jessica,
Yes, ultimately my goal is to become a midwife. It will probably take longer than I want...but sadly that's how It works sometimes. I haven't completely decided What route I want to take yet...I've had to think about where we're going to settle down after my husband gets out of the army, and whats legal there. Most likely, I'll go the CPM route...even though I would much rather be a home birth midwife. I don't know. I figure, I have some time to figure it out. :)
Mrs. Obie
Excuse me. CNM. Im on my phone in the car (not driving). Haha.
I remember about 6 years ago when you, Brooke and I were sitting in a restaurant talking about becoming midwives! I think you were pregnant with Riley then. I'm so proud of you!!!
Thank you Jessi! :) This just clicked when I started thinking and talking about it. I used to think I knew what I wanted to do with my life, but in reality, I didn't know until I started thinking about being a doula and midwife. I'm so very excited for this journey!
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