Vannablack

Thank you for the feedback; it's nice to hear from a DEM. I have actually heard that time and time again about homebirth midwives heading back to school after a few years of practice for numerous reasons. I am 31 and have already done 4 years of college (going on five) plus 1.5 years in massage school and I'd like to head down the right path now and preferably not end up back in school in another 10 years if I can avoid it :) I only have a couple of more prerequisites for nursing school to go. It definitely does seem like becoming a CNM would offer the best security and flexibility. I know that someday way down the road I could head off into a homebirth practice if I so choose. In this day and age it is good to have options! Thanks again for sharing and good luck with your education!

Direct entry midwifery. I would be attending a college that grants a BS in midwifery.

Thank you for this information! Yes, there are a lot of factors to consider and being able to practice in all states is a big one! They say that there's something in the water here in Portlan, OR that breeds midwives, doulas and massage therapists :) It's really competetive to find work and there is a lot of saturation in the job market. It would be nice to have more options available as to where I can practice and it's true that I could always still attend homebirths down the road. Thanks again for the info, it was helpful!

As I move closer towards nursing school, I have these feelings of panic now and then that I might not be making the best decision for ME. I have had a long standing debate whether or not to pursue CNM or DEM (this seems to change weekly). It's like my heart tells me to do DEM, but my mind tells me to go to nursing school. I really want to be in a position of offering continuity of care to laboring women and I'm conserned that as a nurse or CNM, I won't really be able to do that optimally. I am curious what a day in the life of a L&D nurse or CNM looks like as far as how many patient you are caring for at a time and how much time to get to spend being "with women" during labor. I also have a hard time imagining myself walking away from a laboring women when my shift is over. I also worry about physician/midwife relations in "managing" birth. How do the nurses and midwives out there handle these challenges? I just finished a book called Giving Birth: A Journey into the World of Mothers and Midwives by Catherine Taylor which presented a lot of the challenges that CNM's face. It kind of made me feel like maybe pursuing DEM is more fitting for me personally, yet I'm afraid of making the wrong decision. 10 years down the road I don't want to kick myself in the pants for not going through nursing school! Any and all feedback is much appreciated! Thanks in advance!

I know that Frontier Nursing school based out of Kentucky has a bridge program which can be done online and then you find local preceptors. One of the ladies that responded to my post is doing that program. Based on the info I've gathered so far it seems like it's a great program. Also, I know that here in Portland,OR there is a bridge program at OHSU for people who hold a degree is something other than nursing. However, of course you still have to meet all of the nursing prerequisites such as A&P, microbiology, chemistry, & statistics.

Wow, that's wonderful that you are going to be a CNM soon! I feel better about the fact that someway, somehow, I'll get there one of these days too! I have a lot of drive and passion and I know it's my calling to be a midwife; I just need to keep moving forward one step at a time and it will all work out. Thank you for the feedback and congratulations!

Thank you for responding! Apparently I can't PM since I'm new to this forum. Perhaps you could message me if you have a chance? I have looked into Frontier a little bit and was thinking that it might be a really great option for me. I would love to know more about it and how it's working for you being a distance learner. How long have you been a nurse and how long have you worked in L&D? Any information would be very much appreciated! Thank you!

Thank you for the suggestions! Just out of curiosity, did you go to nursing school in Portland and if so, which school? I will definitely look into the independent study option when I get to that point! Thanks again!

Hi there, I am pursuing nursing school specifically to become a L&D nurse and someday a CNM. I originally started out wanting to go to a direct entry midwifery school, but after doing a lot of research and soul-searching, I decided that becoming a CNM would be the best path for me. I live in Portland, OR where the job market appears to be HIGHLY competitive with 8 schools pumping out new grads every year. BTW, only 1/80+ applicants even get into nursing school in Portland! I look at job postings for L&D often and see that all of them require 5 years of experience which is a bit discouraging. In fact around here it appears to be difficult for a new grad to get a job in any hospital! I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations for me to buffer my resume and gain valuable experience that may help me to move into this specialty a bit quicker. I have done labor doula training, but lack the hands-on experience due to my work and school schedule. I'm an LMT and also in the process of getting certified as a CNA. Any suggestions or insights as to how to get into this specialty would be very much appreciated! Thank you!