*Bethany*

As a mother, a student, and a person who uses common sense, I would never bring my expensive text books to a place such as the pool. It's a pool. Expect your belongings to get wet. :icon_roll

Just wondering if anyone has done both at the same time, and how they did. Thanks. :)

Aww that stinks! I'm sorry that happened to you. Hopefully you didn't miss much though. I'm sure you're not the only one to miss first day of classes... some students register late and end up not coming until a few days into the semester.

Hi! I'm in my second semester of pre-reqs, but it's going really slowly because I'm only taking 2 classes at a time. I have a 6,4, and 2 yr old. Good luck, and you can pm me if you want my AIM screen name.

Yes, higher gpa will play a role on admission. Does your school have free tutoring you could utilize? You might want to look into that.

I want to be an L&D nurse so that I can gain experience for one day becoming a CNM. Anything mother/baby or NICU would work too. I came to this decision after the lovely homebirth of my son with a CNM. After having my daughter at home, it reaffirmed my decision. I have such a passion for childbirth that I couldn't imagine working anywhere else.

Congrats! I had my first class last night. Last semester I had 2 online classes, but last night was my first classroom class. Algebra. I'm also taking Human Development as a telecourse. How did your classes go?

Thank you so much for that comprehensive list!

What kind? I still have my TI 83 from when I was in high school. Are those still being used these days? (Man I feel old)

Hi! I joined this board a while back, but I haven't posted in a long time. Last semester (which was my first) I took nutrition and psychology both online. This semester I'm taking a telecourse (psych-human development) and an on campus class- elementary algebra. I have to admit, I'm pretty nervous! I haven stepped foot in a classroom in about 9 years! Yikes! I did great in algebra in high school, but that was so long ago, I don't remember much of it (hence having to take elementary algebra). My question is, what should I take with me supply wise? My books obviously. Do you think a notebook with folders and pencils is good for my first night? Thanks! ~Bethany

Thank you Casi! Rebecca- I looked at the TS section over on SMO and I just guessed (you were the first Rebecca I saw on there).

Yes and Yes!! What a coincidence! :) Who are you on SMO? SoleilBaby4Me??

Thanks for the congratulations... but it won't be my child. :) I'm already the mother of 3 (ages 6,4, and 2) but this pregnancy will be a surrogate pregnancy. I'm carrying for some friends of mine. I'm just trying to map out all of my pre-reqs that I have to take before I can apply to the nursing program here, and CNA is one of the pre-reqs. It would fit nicely into my schedule the way I have it mapped out right now, but I would just happen to be in the second trimester of this surro. pregnancy. So, other than heavy lifting, there's nothing else to worry about? Oh and to clarify I'm not pregnant yet. We are anticipating January or February.

Can anyone tell me what all is involved in a CNA course and if it would be ok to do while pregnant? Thank you in advance!

Well, I can't tell you how long I'll wait.. I'm just now starting my pre-reqs for the nursing program (this is my first semester). But my plan is to try to get into L and D after graduating nursing school and then continuing on with my education while working. I'm going into nursing to become a CNM. I know this wasn't part of the question, but the reason I'm going into midwifery is because of my 2 beautiful homebirths. I have a strong passion for everything pregnancy/childbirth!

Unassisted Childbirth, also known as UC, is not as "awful or dangerous" as it sounds. I'm sure many people have the misconception that UC is the equivalent of a teenage girl giving birth in the bathroom on her prom night... but UC parents for the most part, educate themselves thoroughly, and are prepared to handle some degree of complications. They are smart, know what to expect, know what kind of complications *may* occur, and have an action plan on what to do *if* something didn't go according to plan.

Exactly what the previous poster said. A doula does not perform any medical care whatsoever. She is there for emotional support, education, and offering comfort measures. I've once heard that when comparing midwife and doula you can think of it this way. The doula works with the mom from the waist up and the midwife works with the mom from the waist down. I know this isn't very technical because what if the doula gives the mom a foot massage or something.... hope that helps.

I'm wondering if you get to choose where you want to work in the hospital when you apply, or if you're just assigned to wherever they want you to be. On that note, are you always in the same place or do they move you around all over the hospital as needed? I ask because I'd LOVE to be a CNA if I could work in L&D, post-parpartum, or NICU (if these areas even use CNA's), but that's it. I can't see myself working as a CNA or as a nurse in any other area. My goal is to become a CNM and if I lived in a more midwifery friendly state I'd skip the nursing part and just go to midwifery school. Unfortunately in my state, I need to be a RN MSN if I want to practice midwifery legally. Point is, I want to be around moms and babies, not old, sick, disease ridden pts (sorry if this offends anybody).

Uh oh. I was planning on breathing through my mouth for the yucky stuff. I also instinctively breath through my mouth when changing my kids' diapers or enter a stinky public bathroom. I always laughed at my husband who would change a diaper and be gagging the whole time. I'd always ask him why he doesn't just breath through his mouth.

Commuter, thanks for that website. It had a wealth of information! It's so hard making heads or tails of all of this financial stuff.

I'm a married mom of three young kids and going back to school for the first time since high school. My husband makes decent money, but we have a butt-load of debt, a mortgage, a car payment, 3 kids to feed, etc.... So while it looks like we're financially well off on paper (his income), we're really living paycheck to paycheck and can NOT afford school out of pocket. I filled out my FAFSA and I'm almost certain I won't qualify for aid. So, where does that leave me? Loans? Anyone else in a similar situation? How do pay for school? ~Bethany~

It's so comforting to know that I'm not the only one feeling this way! I took my math placement test and I did pretty bad. I was placed in elementary algebra. Which is good I guess because I'd rather re-learn it all and have it fresh in my mind, than barely pass the test and be placed in a class that's too hard for me right now.

Thank you for the replies. I do realize that there is a time and place for interventions. I am not so caught up in my belief in natural birth that I'm completely opposed to intervention. I just feel that there are many circumstances in which intervention is completely unnecissary and avoidable, if a woman has a provider who is willing to take the more natural route. Yes, this is a question that I must answer for myself. I guess I misworded my original post. Maybe I was looking for some CNM's who've also been in my shoes and could share their stories. I actually have considered moving to a state that is more midwife friendly, but I don't want to uproot my family. My husband and I have 3 children and all of our support people (family and friends) are here.

Nobody has anything to say?

I want to become a CNM. I realize it's a very long road ahead of me. I believe strongly in natural birth and I get really upset watching shows like Birth Day or A Baby Story when the birth completely medicalized. I do realize that there are situations when medical intervention is warranted, but in SO many cases, the cascade of interventions is completely unnecessary and complicates things more. I really hate it when I see a Dr. being deemed a hero for "saving" a baby from a bad situation that the interventions themselves may have caused in the first place! I myself have had one hospital births and 2 homebirths. I feel a strong calling to midwifery, but I live in a state where the only way can be a midwife LEGALLY is to be a CNM. I worry that along the way I'll either #1 lose my faith in womens' ability to birth normally and naturally and become a "med"wife or #2 I won't be able to work in an environment (and keep my mouth shut) where I see things happening that I completely disagree with (how in the world can I give a woman labor inducing drugs when I am all about letting nature take it's course and allowing a baby cook until he/she is ready to come out on his/her own???). I was just over in the OB nursing sub-forum and there's a thread about ideas for t-shirt slogans for OB nurses and one of them was "Home Delivery is for Pizza." My immediate gut reaction was :angryfire being that I'm a big homebirth advocate, but if these are the type of people that I'm going to be working with, how do I suck it up and bite my tongue??? ~Bethany~ Not yet a student, but a full time SAHM to 3 adorable kidlets and who has a PASSION for all things pregnancy/birth/baby related.