I am an undergrad nurse who knows she wants to be a midwife. I am enjoying nursing school and learning a lot. I don't find it particularly challenging, as my first degree required a lot of critical thinking and that was always my strong point.
I am hoping someone can give me some advice regarding ways to get involved with midwifery while I am in nursing school. PLEASE do not give me the patronizing "finish your degree first" - I've heard it before and that is not why I am posting the question here. I have volunteered on a L&D floor in a busy urban hospital - but found that it was really hard to shadow the midwives and nurses. I did a lot of supply stocking and water fetching, which was all good and fine, but I am looking for more intensive experience, like hopefully assisting a midwife.
I have considered becoming a doula, but its a pretty big financial investment for me right now as a student, and a doula is not a midwife. I am not saying a doula is not important, its just I don't know if I exactly want to work as a doula ever, so I don't want to pay the fee to become certified and not really put it to use.
Basically I like nursing school but I can't stop thinking about midwifery and I am imagining that if I got more involved in the field of midwifery now, I would be one step closer to doing what it is I know I want to do.
Hi! I'm in a very similar boat except I'm just starting nursing school. I just took a training through Prodoula - less expensive than other organizations and focuses on professionalism while building provider relationships. I've been very happy with them and want to eventually get certified in childbirth education. Good Luck!
I would love to chat with you about prodoula some more if you're willing - but I can't figure out how to send you a personal message. do you know how to pm me? If not I can post my email here.
I actually just read there is such a thing as a midwife assistant. There are workshops for it that you can complete similar to a doula training, a weekend intensive where you leave with a certificate. And you can assist the midwife without any sort of license.
Have you contacted local homebirth midwives in your area? Many of them have web sites you can find by searching online. You could message them and let them know about your interest.
You could offer to buy them lunch and have an informational meeting to ask any questions you may have. See if they would consider letting you assist with births and/or see what their suggestions are for getting more experience. Since you are a nursing student, you have more skills to offer over a layman.
Ariellmae
13 Posts
Hi! I'm in a very similar boat except I'm just starting nursing school. I just took a training through Prodoula - less expensive than other organizations and focuses on professionalism while building provider relationships. I've been very happy with them and want to eventually get certified in childbirth education. Good Luck!