[mAGGI315]

Hi,
First of all, let me introduce myself. I am 36yo with 5 kids: 16, 11, 7, 4, 1. I am currently a "lay" midwife or direct entry midwife. I also teach RN students 2 days per week. In my "free" time, I am a IBCLC and see patients referred from hospitals, other lactation consultants, or homebirth clients.

For several reasons, including insurance/malpractice, the ability to teach classroom ob at my college, and the opportunity to work at a birth center, I would like to continue on to a CNM program.

I know there are several out there, I really like Frontier. Here's my question: Is this a feasible thing to accomplish with 5 children, several still young? Those that have gone through with children, do you wish you would have waited or are you glad you did it and got it over with?

What is your week like with distance education? How many hours did you spend? Most of my work will need to be completed in evening after kids in bed and some time on the weekends/some mornings. I did get my BSN while homeschooling 2 children, so I am used to working with kids around.

I really want to do this now and move on in my career, but I also have alot of responsibilities as a mom to 5 kids! As you can imagine!

Any advice, help, insight, etc. would be greatly appreciated either from CNM's or those going through school now.

Thanks!
Maggi

[midwife2b]

Online education was NOT EASY for me. I am not sure I could have done it with small children (although a lot of my classmates had small children). I think it depends on if you have to work and your ability to prioritize.

I got my BS when my girls were young (8 &6) my MSN when they were 12 and 13 and WHNP when they were teens. The online CNM program was the most challenging of all and they were out of the house by then
I think it is up to you and how much your children need you.

Good luck with whatever you decide

[birthmamaew]

I think it really depends on what type of learner you are. I, like midwife2b am not one who does well with online courses. However, Frontier is supposed to be so amazing, that if you can learn that way, go for it. I am in an traditional graduate nursing CNM program where I have to do a lot of commuting to get to classes and clinicals. My 2 kids are young. The sticky part f course, is childcare. However, the issue I feared most- that my kids would feel like I had in some way abandoned them at too early an age, or was not available to them should they need me, has not come to pass. They are amazingly maliable little beings. If anything, it has helped them to know the value of education seeing me work hard, and be rewarded for that hard work.
They have learned how to get their own snack and be responsible for getting their own homework done. It's turned out well for our family despite some very deep fears on my part.
Good luck with whatever you decide.