MidwifeWannaB

When I was in NS we did IV's second semester of an ADN program. I dropped out before we got signed off on them in the lab, but I know a couple of students who at least helped start them during clinicals that semester.

This is true, but stress that the mother feels is picked up by the baby, and can cause distress that probably wouldn't have been there had she been in a comfortable, quiet space that she feels at home in. However, if you feel at home in a hospital setting, then go for it! All the research I did and all the statistics I've seen show that homebirths are just as safe, if not safer, than hospital births when you are a low-risk, healthy mother with no physical problems.

My midwives are legal and licensed by the state, as is their birth center. They very rarely have to transport to the hospital, as they only take low-risk pregnancies. The advantage to a home birth is being able to give birth in the comfort of your own space, where you are always going to be more at ease, which can help the birth process progress on its own without having to resort to interventions such as Pitocin. I did my homework before making this decision, and had excellent prenatal care and a birth that I wouldn't have changed for anything.

I personally am going to get my BSN rather than my ADN because I want to be a midwife, which means a masters or doctorate. For me, it just makes more sense from a time management standpoint. When it comes to the workforce though, I would think you have a point. However, not being a nurse yet I can't really say much. :wink2:

I delivered my first daughter at a free-standing birth center attended by midwives and never saw an OB. I got some strange looks when I told people that, but I did my research and trusted my midwives. All too often I think people like me choose to go the natural, hospital-free birth because they want more control over the experience which, you all must admit, isn't going to happen in a traditional hospital setting. It sounds like that's what these people were trying for. They probably didn't have the baby at home because they couldn't find anyone to attend them there and they didn't want to go it alone. Scary thought, but some people do it. Having said all that, I think these parents were too focused on no medical intervention and didn't know enough to know when intervention IS called for. That isn't the usual mindset of intelligent, thinking people who choose a natural delivery. By the way, I plan on having my next baby at home.

I want to be a nurse so I can become a midwife (obviously, by my username). I want to be a midwife because my daughter was born into the hands of 2 wonderful midwives, as, God willing, will the rest of our future children. I want to be a part of the joy and empowerment that comes from helping women manage their pregnancies and births the way they want.

Congratulations! :balloons: Now all that's left is money and lots of hard work, stress and study! You seem very determined, though--I know you'll do spectacularly!

I have been contemplating the prospect of going back to nursing school (dropped out 4 years ago in my second semester) and becoming a midwife. My daughter was born in a birth center owned and operated by 2 midwives, and they really inspired me. Any thoughts or suggestions? This would be a ways down the road because I want more children and couldn't handle a full load of classes right now, nor could we afford it!

I just finished my first semester, and I found that because I was really enjoying myself, it was not as difficult as I thought it would be. The best advice I can give you is to make friends with your classmates. You will be with this same group of people for at least 2 years, and will share more with them than you will your own family. Actually, I have already begun to think of the other 28 people in that classroom as my family! Get close to them, go out on the weekends, drink Fuzzy Navels... Just have fun and don't completely forfeit your social life--you'll need the release every so often, believe me. Good luck, and God bless! aimee

I am a current first semester AD student and I really don't have any good stories yet, but I just wanted to say that I have laughed harder reading these posts than I have in a couple of weeks. I'm starting to feel stressed out and worried that I'm not gonna make it through this madness called nursing school, but reading these posts has helped me feel so much better. Thank y'all! I know I'm gonna make it, and when I'm through I'll have so many experiences that I can look back on and just LAUGH......... aimee

I don't know how my school does it, but I really hope we have a pinning ceremony. I'm a sucker for tradition. :) aimee

I'm just finishing up Micro this semester (actually, I just had my Lab final earlier this morning) and it has been my most challenging class. I have studied and studied and studied some more--even in my sleep, I think. However, it has also been one of my most favorite classes, too, because my professor is awesome! She's very smart and cute and has a great personality. I think I'm gonna end up with an A in there--WOO HOO!!! Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that, like any other class, how easy or hard it is depends mainly on your professor. Micro is difficult and was harder for me than A and P, but here's a word to the wise--if you just coast through Micro without a hitch and without really having to study, you're either a genius and I want your brain, or you have a bad professor. This is information that you'll need to know later on if you're going into the health profession, so you need a professor that is going to challenge you to retain the information, not just regurgitate it for a test. Best of luck!!! aimee

I took both A&P's during the summer, and that was tough. We had a major lecture and lab test every week. I made B's in both of them (which I was happy to accept), but I enjoyed them too. They seemed to make more sense to me than Microbiology, which I'm taking now. I'm making an A in that, but it takes a lot more studying. Hang in there, it's almost over!