New Adventures

I don't know why, but I am always surprised when I am led to something, and can see that God is totally behind it. A woman, Laura, that I actually "met" through MySpace is an apprentice midwife in Utah. We began "talking" online, sharing in our adventures as apprentices, and it blossomed into a friendship. Well, in the beginning of this year, she contacted me about a good friend of hers here in CA, who needed a doula. Janna wanted a hospital birth ( I don't do hospital births, I emotionally just can't handle them ) but wanted a doula because she ended up having an epidural and other interventions not originally wanted. I agreed to at least meet with her and her husband, and see if she would be comfortable staying home for the majority of labor. It turned out that she was extremely interested in a home birth, but her husband had reservations. So he asked many questions, and I answered them the best I could. I got a call back later on that week from her, saying that they agreed to a home birth! I was absolutely elated. As her pregnancy got closer to the end, and our friendship had really bloomed, I had asked my midwife, Brenda, if I could be more hands on with this birth. She agreed as long as Janna was fine with it. It ends up that she labored really fast and I was closer to her than Brenda was. I caught my first baby that morning. : ) Baby boy was 8lbs 7oz...Janna's largest. : ) She did a beautiful job, and our friendship has continued to grow. She has already said that she would like me as her midwife for their next baby.

Onto God's next plan for me, brought about through Laura. She had sent me an email asking if I had seen another local midwife's blog about her new birth center, and also putting out the need for new apprentices. I had responded to Laura, saying that I wouldn't be able to do a committed apprenticeship with another midwife at this point, that it had worked out with Brenda because she understood my time constraints with having 3 little ones and being a full time mom. Well, I happened to meet Lori because of an ICAN meeting, and talked with her for a bit. Turns out that she was hosting a Midwifery Study Group, in preparation for NARM's CPM exam. This was something that I've been interested in for a while, and so signed up. In exchange for the cost of the class, I agreed to assist at some births with Lori. I also was given the opportunity to have prenatal exam experience at the birth center. I spent all day on August 14th, and then August 30th doing prenatals with Lori. I attended my first birth with Lori on the 20th. ( See the "Another Fantastic Birth" post ) I really enjoyed working with her....I think because she is so much closer in "midwifery style" to Brenda than some of the other midwives I've happened to work with. I had a second birth with her on the 30th. I'll post about that next. It was a first for both of us....a birth at 36 weeks gestation.

I thoroughly enjoyed my first midwifery study class...and am learning so many new skills. For example, I have finally learned how to manually take a blood pressure reading. : ) I look forward to each class ( one Saturday a month )...and discovered that we will learn how to suture, will have a neonatal resuscitation class and certification, and will be Hazmat certified.

I am just feeling so blessed that God has laid the path for my journey as an apprentice midwife this far. Everything has been by, and because of Him. My c-section was an incredibly hurtful experience, and I will forever mourn what happened....but God has moulded me into who I am now because of it. He has taught me so much in so little time. I am grateful for each and every midwifery adventure I have.