Future CNM

Is there a reason you can't/don't want to get nursing experience before applying to CNM school?

As a corollary to Libra's question - is there a reason you do not want to get doula or lactation certification?

My understanding of becoming an ultrasound tech is that it is a discrete associate's degree program.

I would not be able to become a doula simply because I'm in school full time and I can't just miss classes to go to births.

Regarding working as a nurse, labor and delivery openings are rare in NJ and even more so for new grads... So there's my issue.

Maybe you need to relocate to a different area?

Does Frontier require your one year of experience be in women's health? I can't remember.

Frontier requires either a year of nursing (any area) or a year of birth work (doula, lactation educator/specialist, childbirth educator).

I understand the issue w being an on-call doula. Do any of your local hospitals have volunteer doula programs? Sometimes they're arranged so that you come in at scheduled times and are available for any women who would like a doula.

Why not the lactation counselor? You could do a training course for lactation educator or something similar and then volunteer/work independently. IBCLC is the highest training but I think there are other valid credentials as long as you do a training plus personal study.

Childbirth education is another area that has a lot of flexibility. You can complete a training and start right away while working on the certification, if you want. Personally, I don't think certification is necessary for CBE but it does increase your marketability. You can advertise locally and teach workshops.

Thanks y'all for your help. By the way, have any of you been young nurse- midwives? I'm very young and I'm worried about women trusting me.

I second becoming either a lactation consultant/IBCLC or childbirth educator if you don't want to do a year of nursing work. Both are flexible since you can make your own schedule and both provide invaluable experience.

As far as age, I just turned 22. I trained as a doula when I was 17 and started apprenticing as a CPM (direct entry) student when I was 19. I caught my first baby at 20. Age has never been a concern for clients I've seen. I tend to attract younger clients or clients who want a more "sister/friend" relationship rather than a motherly relationship with their midwife. I strongly believe there is a midwife for every client and clients for every midwife.

Become a doula it is an amazing way to get to know birth. Get a job as a PCA on a L&D unit if possible. Network with local midwives as much as possible. Become a certified childbirth educator or lactation consultant.

There are many ways to work as a doula. You can volunteer through programs where you are assigned specific hours, agree to only take clients in the summer months, or agree to work as a backup for traveling/working doulas on specific days and times you know you are available. Working as a doula has been the single most reassuring experience that I've had heading towards midwifery (and I did it all throughout nursing school). Every birth I attend as a doula reaffirms that this is the population I want to serve. I can't recommend it highly enough! Don't discount it simply because of the complex hours. Besides, if you get trained now, and don't head to midwifery school right away, you can continue working as a doula through your first year as a nurse, giving you the year of birth experience for Frontier, and not putting you behind the curve. Good luck!

Why not the lactation counselor? You could do a training course for lactation educator or something similar and then volunteer/work independently. IBCLC is the highest training but I think there are other valid credentials as long as you do a training plus personal study.

Childbirth education is another area that has a lot of flexibility. You can complete a training and start right away while working on the certification, if you want. Personally, I don't think certification is necessary for CBE but it does increase your marketability. You can advertise locally and teach workshops.

Where would these classes be offered? I'm really interested in this kind of things. I actually looked up some stuff about this a while ago, I know with Lamaze classes to become an instructor, you need 2 years teaching experience. And this other place wanted us to attend conferences, all a little to far to travel if this is suppose to be a part time/flexible schedule type of thing.

Where would these classes be offered? I'm really interested in this kind of things. I actually looked up some stuff about this a while ago, I know with Lamaze classes to become an instructor, you need 2 years teaching experience. And this other place wanted us to attend conferences, all a little to far to travel if this is suppose to be a part time/flexible schedule type of thing.

Check out Childbirth International, CBI, I plan to do my training with them and it's all online. I have 2 little ones and it would be difficult for me to make the trainings of most other organizations because the city where it would be held is Philadelphia 2 hours away from me.

I think working as a doula is valuable experience because it gives you a sense of the lifestyle of a midwife. The hours are long and unpredictable. Labors can be very, very long and while I adore labor sitting, somehow it becomes less exciting at 4am when I've been up for 24+ hours. And there is a lot of tragedy, drama and sadness in obstetrics.

Catching babies sounds very, very romantic. But the reality of midwifery is far less rosy. I love my job, don't get me wrong. I could never do anything but midwifery. But I would be hesitant to take out student loans and invest my time and energy in a career like that unless I had at LEAST dabbled my toes in the water.