Nursing/Midwifery students (or wannabes LOL)....

[Ambah]

Tegan that is great that you are doing a birth attendants course... I hope you find it really fulfilling, and do really well, all the best sweetie!

[Lil_Pearl]

A great doula course is through Optimum Birth..it's "top notch". There are four modules that you can do in your own time (if you don't live in QLD- as I don't - you can do it distance), and you attend three birthing women before registering. It is a very comprehensive course, run by Dr. Christine Vose (an independent midwife and doula herself, who told me that if she had her time again, she'd have been a doula all along). She is a brilliant mentor, who has personally marked all my exams, even though there are other people to do that, also...and she gives fabulous feedback!

[Trish]

Liana, I just had a look at that site and it looks great. I take it you have finished the course ?? How was it, do you think it's as good as a class as such?? Have you done your 3 births yet??

Sorry, I know, always full of questions

[Ilithyia]

Hi girls!

Just found this thread and thought i would post.

I have just started my Bachelor of Nursing this year. My goal is Midwifery! I first enrolled and was accepted in 2005 but had to defer cause i found out that i was pregnant with Briley. I got a letter from JCU last year asking if i wanted to continue with my enrollment. I ofcourse said yes. At the time my partner and i were actively TTC but did'nt think it would happen for ages. Boy were we wrong!! I found out i was pregnant a week or so later!

So now i am 22 weeks pregnant, have a 10 month old daughter and am studying. Its hard work but its the path i chose to take. My goal is VERY clear in my mind and i can't wait to reach it. Uni is quite draining. More so for me cause i am pregnant but its very time consuming.

I am very lucky to have a great support network. My grandmother watches Briley most days and my mum takes her on Fridays as this is her day off. I also have Brent's aunty and my sister if i need them. My IL's are going to be moving into our granny flat in the next few weeks (very scary!!!) so MIL will probably watch Briley from then on.

Nursing has been something that i have always wanted to do but never had the nerve to apply. I am very weird with sore's and stuff like that but i am willing to get past all that to be able to help bring someones child into this world. But more than that i think about what i will be able to offer say if i came across the scene of an accident or something like that. I am not sure how i would react now if something like that were to happen in front of me now. But will the Nursing skills behind me later i like to think that i would just go into auto-pilot and just help.

I say too anyone thinking about giving Nursing a go to have a good think. If you really think that Nursing is what you want too do then do it. You might regret it later on if you don't!

[trini246]

I am currently a 2nd year nursing student & hope to pick up midwifery when im finished because where im from we dont have a mid course so i decided to do it later on

I love the course & those starting this year im sure you will too if you need anything just ask

[StudentMid]

Congrats to those that have gotten in, and *hope* to those who are still waiting!!

I'm going into 2nd year in just 11 days and am excited and a bit overwhelmed. I've had 5 births this year already and when I am asked what year I'm in, I have to remind myself that I'm a second year and say it proudly . I get treated very differently even now and it's a big reminder that in just 2 years, I'll be registered and Real.

[SamanthaP]

Oooh I'm scared of that too, Emma. I start next week though with an intensive workshop. Drug calc test on Thursday morning! Anyhoo, I'll see you on the weekend!

[studyingmumma]

Hi all,

thank you so much for all of your congratulations. I still think I am on a bit of a high after the offer yesterday. I went onto SATAC today as soon as the offer was up and accepted it, so it is now official. I should be able to start enrolling in subjects by Monday and then just have to work out a study plan with one of the program directors. Because all of the subjects that I completed in my nursing degree last year are subjects that the midwifery students did too I should be able to get them transferred to the midwifery degree or get credit for them. So it means I only have the specialist mid subjects and I am trying to get them all spread out over the full three years so that I can allow as much time as possible for my follow throughs and I am aiming to get myself a 3rd year undergraduate position in a hospital if possible!

I just can't wait to get into it now and to start getting my books and everything too. It is all just so thrilling and cannot wait to sink my teeth into the subjects! The best thing too, is that my best friend was accepted into UniSA post graduate midwifery this year so alot of the subjects we will be doing, we will do together which is even better. We have been best friends for about 7 years and fell pregnant and had our boys at the same time, so to be sharing this with her just means the world to me!

charli'smumma - I was studying a 3/4 load last year with my 4 kids, and although hard it has been doable. The only difference with this course will be doing the follow throughs of the pregnant women which may take a bit of juggling but will be so worth it. I found just really wanting it helped me get through the days I felt it was all too hard. Stick to what you want will get you there - you can do it!

Okay, off to do some last minute stuff before bed, thank you again for all of your kind words and I look forward to sharing this time with you all!

[BellyBelly]

Tegan,

Good on you for doing a Doula course first! I think it's the best way to do it, to go in with a view of normal birth - lots of people who I know who did Rhea's course in previous years have gone on to do midwifery have been disappointed that it goes into medical birth right away and that is the focus - I think all midwifery and medical (obstetric / doctor) degrees should begin with the same normal birth course - they should do the course we do!

I did lots of research before choosing to do Rhea's course, she is very well regarded in the industry and is lucky enough to rub shoulders with the like of Sheila Kitzinger and Janet Balaskas, so we were all very jealous. I hope one day I will get to meet them too!

I looked at online options which are great for those in more remote places or if you are unable to get to classes, some of the Doulas I asked about the whole thing found the online aspect great for them, others found it harder to be more disciplined and not get distracted. Personally I loved having a class to go to, as I made a whole heap of friends with the same passion and interest I had, I had instant back-ups to work with, I had access to lots of pregnant women when attending Rhea's pain workshop classes which is a course requirement (I had two couples ask me to attend their birth in one class!) and you have access to all Rhea's books and resources which saved me stacks of money having to buy books. Plus I loved my child-free days and no distraction during the learning

There aren't a huge amount of courses and options at the moment, I am sure more will immerge as it gets busier / bigger and there will be more options available. At the end of the day, we all have what it takes to become a Doula or Birth Attendant, it's just tapping into that and getting out there and exposed to birth. My first birth was so much different to what I do now, although the first mum I supported did a brilliant job of letting herself take over and do her thing, so I didn't feel that there was a huge amount I could do - just reassure, be there and get her drinks and all the practical things. *aaah the memories*. It also is a good stepping stone to mid, this year three out of three of Rhea's students got accepted into mid, but I am not sure this is what I want to do. At first I wanted to, but now, being there and seeing it all, I would much rather be with a mother from start to finish one on one, not get involved with the medical aspects, not have to deal with policies and paperwork etc. I love what I do because I love talking to a mother after her birth and hearing that she had a fantastic experience - might not have gone the way she hoped - but she felt held, supported and that she had the best outcome possible.

[Antheia]

Lisa and Trish, i've just emailed you the info on Birth Central. Sorry it's taken a while! Let me know if there's any problems.

[Trish]

Kelly, Rhea's course is great if you live in Victoria, but I don't. I emailed the one in Sydney (can't think of the name now) and they never responded to me. Is there any that you recommend up here.

[BellyBelly]

Sorry I was just replying generally!

I have some resources here. NSW there are a couple of places, one Life Options run by Denise Love (I think she is now a doctor - Dr Love hehe!) but she is one of the long term Doula women in Australia who used to do something like 3 births a week!). She doesn't do birth support now but trains Doulas and other things. She also started up the other Doula training place in NSW, Birth Central. The links are all in the article.

Do you mean is Jan Robinson still practicing?

[Trish]

Sorry Kel, didn't mean for it to sound rude. Umm Jan Robinson is a midwife not a doula, I realised this after I posted which is why I removed it

Birth Central was the place I emailed but got no response from

LOL @ Dr Love. I will have a look at the links, Thank you for them.

[BellyBelly]

Yep I know Jan, lots of women I know have her there As far as I know she is still active but who knows - the birth world changes so quick! Denise Love used to run Birth Central and I don't know when you emailed but there was a while where the online side of it was very disorganised - perhaps call? I can't recommend Denise enough - women love her and she's very mother figure like...

[Lil_Pearl]

When I was living in Sydney, I tried to get in touch with Denise Love, but her business is now run by another woman (who's name I forget, and who was going to be my doula w/ my daughter but then said she'd be out of town)....I think many are missing Denise Love being on the scene...I believe she is still working as a doula...but perhaps is just not into the business side of things any more....anyway, I couldn't find her anywhere.

Trish...I'm just about completed...the first half of the course is all about pregnancy/birth, etc, and then I'm onto the 'starting up your business/legalieties', etc stuff. It's wonderful...as bellybelly said, it depends on the person, as some people don't like distance due to having limited motivation, but I'm so passionate about the course that it's just FUN! I truly love it, and it's structured in a very concise, intelligent way. With each module, you recieve books, lectures, an exam, and a C.D rom or two with various lectures, demonstrations, and presentations - all by Dr. Vose. So, if you think you'd thrive by distance, I can't recommend it enough. Also, it comes at a fairly good price for what you get - $220 per module, which you can pay as you go. (and the course includes about six-eight books to add to your "doula library". I have added to my doula library over time, mainly buying fantastic books from Capers Bookstore, online. Capers is full of great things for doulas, childbirth educators and midwives (as well as parents and parents-to-be), and I'm going to be getting a model pelvis and baby and such in time (these things all cost a great deal). As well as that, I just keep my eye open for good quality books and pregnancy yoga DVD's, etc when they're on sale, to add to by lending doula library. But yes, it does cost a bit, and I'm having to do it gradually. I've also gone through just about every book on any pregnancy/birth related subject in a couple of libraries and photo-copied relevant articles as a resource for parents....so there are a whole heap of options. Online articles are good too....just make sure you reference everything!

I haven't done my births yet for a few reasons....recently moved and been busy with the house; only started my course when my daughter was a new-born (and now 8 months) so I've been busy with her....but I'm now getting a bit of a nudge by Dr. Vose, telling me to "go go go" as I'm well and truly ready....I can't wait! So, I've just started to advertise my services on this site...and will be leaving a calling card all around town within a couple of weeks. I've attended a birth (other than my own two) in the past, as I've always wanted to be a midwife, so I'm just looking forward to it all.

Feel free to ask any questions, Trish...I'm happy to answer them!

[BellyBelly]

I chat with Denise all the time via email, she runs Life Options, Doula course is in Waterloo, they also do HypnoDoulas. Capers is VERY expensive, get it stacks cheaper from Seek Books and eBay. One book was $20 cheaper on Seek.

[Trish]

Thanks for the info girls. Kelly I had Jan there when Tehya was born. She was only as a support/backup midwife and I found her to be a very calming person. There were a few times I didn't agree with her but that was soon sorted out

I will have a look a both Life Options and Birth Central again. I do like the idea of Optimum Birth too as I like the idea of being able to pay as I go.

[BellyBelly]

Most of them do have a payment plan - so it's best to call around and chat. You usually pay a deposit and then pay in installments, I think they all do that? All up my course was $2000 which I paid throughout the year. It's so worth it though, for me it wasn't just learning about birth but myself too, it was an amazing journey. I've found more nurturing in myself that I never thought I had and it makes a difference with how I interact with family too - especially when there is pain involved ROFL! e.g. my daughter got badly scratched by the cat the other night and was howling in pain, and all the birth stuff came flooding in on coping with pain - I am long gone!!!