How to get into L&D as a new grad

[futuremidwifejenn]

I've read several other threads on this topic, but they were all pretty old. Does anyone have any advice on how to get an L&D job as a new grad? I graduate with my associate's Spring 2017. I plan on becoming certified as a Doula while I finish up my last year of school. What other certifications could I be working on to increase my chances? I need 1 year experience to get into a midwifery program, and I want to complete my education ASAP so that I can become established in my career and have my own babies while I'm still young. A little background info: I live in a fairly small town (16,000 residents) and I personally know one of the OB's in the area.

[AspiringNurseMW]

*eyes you suspiciously*

My name is Jennifer and I graduate Spring 2017 also. I plan to complete my BSN online while I get my 1 year experience before applying to midwifery school (crossing fingers for Frontier). Haha coincidences.

I completed my doula training before I started school (the birth of my youngest is what pushed me to nursing school). However, where I live, it's not uncommon to get hired into specialties like L&D as a new grad. They start hiring us as early as January and February BEFORE we graduate so I plan on taking the introduction to Fetal Heart Monitoring from AWOHHN (which I've already joined) by December.

If I could afford it, I would take a breastfeeding counselor or educator class, but they are expensive, so I'm thinking I might save that for CEUs, or maybe if I'm not broke when my school refund rolls around.

Another thing to perhaps consider is taking childbirth education training, that way, even if you don't get into L&D, it's also a way to make money and doesn't require the on call time that being a doula does.