Here’s a look at my to do list between now and 1/15/17
__ complete website updates
__ complete custom childbirth education curriculum
__ share with you my journey of how I’ve wound up back in the doula business
__ start building clientele
__ surgery w/ 2-3 week recovery
__ Christmas / New Years / Birthday
__ rebuild professional network
__ purchase new camera
__ revamp social media platforms
__ take the plunge into being 100% self employed
Just over a year ago I had plans to return to work as a doula and childbirth educator at the beginning of 2015. I should know by now plans never work out the way you plan!
As I began reformatting this website I got an offer to start full time at The Allen Birthing Center; I couldn’t refuse!
I had every intention of putting this update into writing asap and suddenly here we are 7 months later and I’m finally done!
I am loving my work as the office manager, all while still juggling these two crazy kids,
a house, a marriage, and slowly but surely schooling. I guess you could call it life! Sometimes in life we have to take things off our plate and right now for me it is “The Bump Birth Baby Network”. I’m keeping my URL / Facebook Page etc because you never know what the future holds but for now you can check out my “Network” page for excellent resources in the DFW area!
Take Care,
Kelsey
Currently updating my site…I’ve been busy having a baby đ
For the first time since 5th grade, I am EXCITED about school!
I was always a good student and could have been even better had I taken advanced courses my final years of high school, but by then I was burned out. The dislike of school started in 5th grade with one bad teacher. She thought it was more appropriate to give kids dum-dum suckers (aka “dumb dumb” awards) when they made a mistake rather than reward kids who did well. That was it for me. If a teacher could blatantly tell a group of 11 year olds that she doesn’t like kids then why should I like teachers. I feel like I had horrible luck through most of my high school years with teachers who did not care. There were a few exceptions but for the most part I dreaded school each day.
Signing up for college classes brought back that dread and I felt like I was having a panic attack setting up my schedule (college and panic seem to be going hand and hand for me). Then I found out about a fabulous site Rate My Professor. Dread GONE! Reviews for all 4 of the teachers I chose were great. Not one negative thing about any of them. Beginners luck? I hope not! I think this website is my new best friend đ
So as an update I am registered for all 4 classes I need to get started and stay on schedule (thanks to all the amazing donors I had towards my tuition). Class starts January 20th and I don’t have to sacrifice my work schedule, my daughter has daycare provided at my husband’s new job for cheaper than we ever imagined, and the hours work out perfectly to where I don’t have to worry about transportation.
WOW!
That is all I can think to say right now. I am honestly still in shock and just feeling overwhelmed with excitement đ
When I started this journey I was genuinely thinking it was not going to go well. I knew I would receive some help from friends and family but being holiday time and deciding on such short notice that I wanted to raise money for tuition I knew my first student loan was just around the corner. I was WRONG!
24 hours before registration I was $270 short of my goal. I was excited that over half was taken care of, but thought one last Facebook reminder wouldn’t hurt. In a couple hours I was up $50 more and when I got a text from a birth class student that said “we just donated the rest” I burst into tears. My sister also informed me that my Christmas gift is another donation towards tuition putting me $40 above my goal! Before revealing that I had met my goal I got a text from another dear friend saying she had been praying that I would meet my goal today. My heart is filled with joy right now. I will be able to take ALL the classes I need to stay on track and get my school journey off on the right foot. This is such and enormous burden off my shoulders I cannot even begin to express my gratitude towards everyone who has donated, prayed, and wished me well!
I promise to keep everyone update with how school goes. I feel extra accountable knowing that people are investing in my education. I will not let you down!
College life here I come!
5. This country NEEDS more CNMs. The biggest difference between most midwives and most OBs is their philosophy on patient care. Where OBs are looking for a problem or focused on their own schedule midwives are focused on their client; what does this mom need, what are HER preferences, how can I make her more comfortable. “For normal births, midwives offer care at a lower cost, use lower intervention rates, have lower mortality and morbidity as a result of fewer interventions, and fewer recovery complications.” So why are less than 10% of babies in this country born with midwives? I plan to be an evidence based care provider, like all should be, and to give my clients every opportunity to have the birth of their dreams.
4. My motivation is to help others not myself. The transition from doula to midwife seemed like a no brainer to me. I’m actually surprised more doulas do not go to midwifery school. It filled my heart to help moms through tough labors, to support people as they became parents, and to encourage friends to keep going when they wanted to give up. To know I will soon (yes I’m calling 8 years soon!) be back to serving families is what gets me excited for and will get me through school.
3. Now that I’ve witnessed the miracle of life again and again I can’t stop. Attending births as a photographer and doula has been the greatest experience of my life so far (aside from my own birth đ ). It is truly indescribable. The day I am able to be the care provider and have midwifery be my full time job can not come soon enough. When I thought about giving up attending births all together to simplify my schedule, I was on the verge of tears. Deciding to become a midwife means I will get to have this amazing opportunity on a weekly basis.
The 2nd birth I attended 9/29/12
2. I don’t want to “work”. You know that old phrase “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”? That is what I want! That is what I will have! I know the 2 am calls and 24+hr labors are tough, but I don’t care. Working in a birth center has given me a first hand look at all the hard work that goes into being a successful midwife that clients never see. I am ready for the challenge!
1. This is my calling. Plain and simple, I prayed and prayed about this and one day it just clicked that I HAD to return to school. I was good at birth photography but not amazing, and I was a good doula but could not commit full time. Between my family and co-workers constantly telling me “sooner or later you’ll be a midwife”, I should have known it would only be a matter of time before I’d have to say, “you were right”. Everything in my life has led me to this decision. If I had gone to college right out of high school it would never have been for midwifery or even nursing for that matter. I had to go on this journey to find the right career for me. There are still moments when I think this will be impossible, but I know God has a plan and I wouldn’t have this drive if I wasn’t meant to complete this mission.
My “Support” Page has been updated and my fundraising campaign is ready to go! I am super nervous and excited to see how this goes. I truly hope my expectations are blown out of the water and I have plenty of funds left over to start a “Future Midwife Scholarship” (creative name ideas for the scholarship are welcome). This dream is not for me; it is for the families that deserve to have access to midwifery care.
Well it’s official, I’m a college student!
I have to admit, every time I walk into the building I feel like I’m going to have a panic attack. This is so foreign to me. I honestly don’t understand how high school kids do it. Then again I guess it’s not a big decision for most, it’s just a give in. Everything in high school is to prep you for college, but for us who have no idea what they want to do at that point, it’s all just gibberish. I never attended any prep meetings, toured campuses, or spoke with advisers, I just graduated and went straight to work. It took 3 trips, 1 assessment activity, and a 3 hour placement test, but I did it. Not only did I do it, I actually did it well. This gave me hope; I haven’t lost all my knowledge!
So class enrollment start December 6th! My tuition will be about $500 which at this time I do not have. I plan to start a fundraising campaign in 2 days, giving me 1 month to raise the funds. I hate asking for money but I can’t do this alone! I believe God will put the people I need in my life to make this dream a reality!
Check back Wednesday for details đ
I did a “live preview” of about 10 themes for the new blog before deciding on this one. It may change again, but the name of the theme was too perfect to pass up for now “the chaotic soul”.
I feel like I am ALL OVER the place right now. I wonder how I’m going to balance all of this. I know there will be times I will doubt, but I also know I am MEANT to do this. I am meant to help mothers and their babies have a better birth experience than the one so many expect now. I am meant to serve my community through midwifery. I am meant to show others how the body is made to birth. I am meant to serve families with patience and understanding. And I am meant to witness the miracle of life again and again.
I am very excited to announce my new plans for the future.
If all goes according to plan I should be entering my final year of schooling in 2020 (hence the name of this post and the new name for the blog).
Bump, Birth, Baby is not gone forever, I plan to change the focus of the blog to documenting my studies, interesting things I learn, and it will be a place where I can vent about the stresses of school. When I return back to “Bump, Birth, Baby”, it will be as a CNM and I will focus on building my new network of referrals I can send clients to.
Going to school was something I thought I’d never do. For a moment I regretted not going straight out of high school, but then I realized there is NO WAY I would have EVER gone for nursing let alone midwifery. It is going to be a long journey but as one of my co-workers says to me frequently in regards to schooling, “7 years is going to pass anyway and at the end of it you can be doing what you’re doing now or have a new career”. Truly though, I know I am not getting that late of a start. I should be a CNM the same year I turn 30.
Your support on the journey means to world to me. I cannot do this alone and I appreciate all the people rooting me on and giving me the tools to succeed.
Stay tuned for more updates, a fundraising campaign, and lots of new knowledge about bumps, births, and babies.
bumpbirthbaby.net 