michiana doula care

Wow had my life changed from the last post.

A few updates:

Still homeschooling. Have realized that school has to keep it's place of priority in our lives. Whenever I get to network or hang out with birth workers I get really excited and want to do more! And then I come back to reality and the fact that I really only have time for a couple of births a year. And that's ok I am TOTALLY happy with that. I get the best of both worlds this way.

My husband has started back to college. He is going to Bethel in South Bend in their adult ed program. It's TOUGH! I kinda hate it sometimes. Just to be honest. If you knew me at all, you'd know that I'm pretty much see thru, hard for me not be honest, lol

And on a more personal note, I've lost a bunch of weight. 101 lbs total. I still have more to loose, but I am way healthy:) I jog 3 times a week, walk or some other type of work out the rest of it. And eat healthy. I feel great! I've never been this healthy in my life.

So I thought I'd tell you a little more about our lay doula program we're working on. My other doula friend and I are both certified, her thru DONA and I'm thru CBI and Wonderfully made. We looked thru all of our curriculum and decided to write our own, condensed version.

After we finish that we will hold small workshops to train the other volunteers. These volunteers are also the trained councelors at our center. They won't come o/ w/ a certificate that they could get hired w/. But they will get something from us saying they have gone thru our program. And they will confidantly be able to support the women who come into the center needing help.

It's something that we feel strongly about. We feel like it completes the circle and allows us to build a relationship w/ them. I think it's going to be great. We also presented to a local dr.s office that alot of our clients use and they are very supportive of us. That goes a long way for me. I wasn't sure what kind of response we would get from them.

amazing

hard

loving

emotional

draining

miraculous

bonding

growing

natural

stretching

growning

pushing

smiling

laughing

crying...

Well I finished teaching my 1st set of classes. It was too much fun! We really enjoyed it. I really loved how intimate it was. I know that is pratly b/c of us all knowing each other already, but I hope that the small setting will keep it close like that.

I am also in the talking phase of working out some kind of class to teach at a local care center in town. I don't know why I haven't thought of this b4. But these are just the women who need it. I am praying about it and really think something great will come o/o it:)

I am learning that being a doula can be a complex thing. Especially when you are close to a client. There is so much that you want to do for her. So much that you wish you could make easier. you not only are there for her physically, learning what speaks to her, but you are holding her hand emotionally thru this pregnancy. You wish you could build her confidence as a woman as well as a mother. There are so many different levels to supporting a woman. It is a complex issue. But you also know that you are not God and there is only so much that you can do. In the end they are her choices and her responsibilties and you will love her no matter what.

I am slightly overwhelmed w/ classes as of late. I am doing orientation at the Pregnancy Care Center every Wednesday. Thankfully this one is during the day so it doesn't take away from family time. Last night was the 1st of 12 weeks (yikes!!) of Bradley classes that I was invited to attend w/ my September client. And this Sunday evening I start teaching my own set of cbe classes. Mine are only 3 weeks long tho. (hopefully) Since we are so busy I am trying to combine 6 weeks into 3.

But I have 3 clients for this fall and that is exciting! All of this business will pay off in the end

This Sunday we are having our SWM doula meeting. I can't wait for it, it is going to be so much fun!!  A bunch of birth minded women together for an afternoon

I'm really loving this new site that I found. It's bellywomen.net. I was looking it over as a free place to register, but the more I looked the more I liked:)

1st off, it's a doula for every woman. So if you want to register, you need to be dedicated to serving for little to nothing. (i haven't met a doula yet who wouldn't work for free) Also, if you buy a book or video from them, all profit goes toward helping another woman get certified. It's a great site. I wish I'd known about it earlier, I would have looked into buying some of the books I've had to buy thru them. As I was browsing around, I found my cbe teacher on there  sneaky chic!