Options?

As the day draws nearer that I can register for classes, I start to get nervous and excited. I want to make sure this is the path that I really want to take.

I looked into the accelerated classes (all 3 Anat & Phys in 6 weeks, Yikes!) and I knew it wasn't for me. I wanted to make sure I really knew this stuff, not just passing it off with a grade so I can start the program faster. After talking with Tony, I knew it was better for me to take my time, understand it, and go with the flow of things. I'm under no specific deadline to become a midwife. It will happen when it happens.

So I feel a lot better about the time allotment, but while browsing through some home birth options in the Portland Area, I came across Right at Home Midwifery. I was really impressed with what I read and found on their site. Looking at their Bios, all 3 midwives are CPM or direct-entry Midwives. This got me thinking further: do I want to do this instead? Why not skip the whole nursing school thing and start directly into the Midwifery field?

This is something that when I first starting looking into midwives when I was pregnant with my son that confused me a lot. My first thoughts were "of course CNM's are better, they have nursing experience and are more qualified right?" and because of my insurance, I went with a CNM who is very helpful and I love working with her. However, now I'm not only looking into the difference in education between CNMs and CPMs, but the different regulations/restrictions put on CNMs and CPMs by the government.

I've been doing some research and reading around on this subject and this is a summary of what I've found:

- CNMs generally work in a hospital setting, they are great for low-risk pregnancies/deliveries, but the second anything goes wrong (i.e. breech, hemorrhaging, birth "taking too long") they are no longer qualified to help and an OB/GYN takes over. *This brings up another argument about birthing without interventions which I will talk about later* There seems to be less written restrictions on them, because of their background in Nursing and normal hospital/clinic regulations are already set in place.

- CPMs almost always work in a home and birth center setting, they are also best for low-risk pregnancies/deliveries, but are not deterred by slight complications. (I've read many stories of breech home births, hemorrhaging, twins home births etc that were successful and would've required more intervention had it taken place in a hospital). There are a LOT of regulations and restrictions put on them (more or less depending on the state), which makes sense to a degree since they want to make sure these professionals are qualified and knowledgeable before they start delivering babies and taking care of women. Also, after just surfing the internet to discover how to become a CPM, I'm still unsure and confused. There are so many different options and roads to take, that until I talk with a few CPMs, I will probably still be unsure.

My conclusion? One thing I did find is that CPMs schools require similar prerequisites to their programs as the nursing program. So at this point, my plan is still the same, get into those classes and learn! I still have a year or so before I really need to start seriously making decisions.

Any thoughts? Do you have experience with either CPM or CNM?

Back and Forth

The more I think about this, the more back-and-forth I go. I know this will be something I'll enjoy helping others in - and I'll love knowing more about my own body, but it's a huge time commitment for the next 6 or 7 years depending on how classes go and other unforeseeable things.

I had a meeting with an advisor and few other students who are also pursuing nursing and that was a little disappointing, although I'm very glad I went. I had taken for granted that I would be able to take the classes I wanted, when I wanted. I was planning on getting all my prerequisites done by spring, and starting in the fall for the Nursing Program. This will prove to be more difficult than I thought. Since I haven't attended Clark in over 5 quarters, I'm considered a new student, so while all continuing students got to register starting May 23rd, I have to wait until July 21st. The students/advisors at the meeting made it sound like it was more difficult to get into these classes than it was the actual program (which only accepts 40 students per quarter). That's one thing.

The other is actually getting into the program. In order for me to start in Fall 2012, I need to apply this October and have ALL my prerequisites completed. Soooooooo that's not going to happen according to plan.

Plus I don't know how I forgot in all of this that I want more kids! Which will be fine if I magically get pregnant with then next month or two and have the baby before I start the nursing program, but if not, I don't know how flexible Clark is on taking maternity breaks (even if only for a week or 2).

The good thing that happened is I better understand the program requirements and the application process, and one of the students there is taking classes from different community colleges in the area in order to get his prerequisites done faster - which is a great idea that I hadn't thought of before. There's even one out there that will cover all of my Anatomy and Physiology classes in 1 quarter, instead of 3.

eh. I don't know what I'm thinking now. I would love if there was a magic button that just gave me all the knowledge/experience/classes I needed in an instant so I could start and not have to go through this long and probably hard and painful process.

But if life were easy, then it wouldn't be hard.