Update on training.... Looks like I will be using Seattle Midwifery for training. It is very comprehensive, and looks to be a great way to make contacts as well. Now to raise the $600. before the class starts on the 15th of April, sigh. The next class offered after that isn't till July.

Yes. If you have other positive reccomendations, I would love to hear them. I am calling NAPS today- there are only two training orgs listed that they will accept (CAPPA and NONA). I would love to know other options.

:iagree: Yep. From what I can gather so far, there is extensive training in lactation- two levels of certification for this area- don't know more than that yet, but I will get as much training in this as possible.

Thanks for all the info. What is it about CAPPA that you would not recommend? About the money.... it is less about trying to make it on this income alone- the Dude is working too.... this is more about making a fair wage for the work that I do. As an experienced respite caregiver for special needs folks, I am making the same amount per hour that 16 yr old babysitters get for taking care of 1 healthy 4 yr old. It is back-breaking, emotional work, and it is just too much for me with not enough financial rewards (heart-wise, it is rewarding, but I am finding it to not be enough to continue at this pay rate). There are two levels of lactation consultant here.... I will at least do the minimum, but if I get certified at the higher level (which I probably will do after the doula training), I can do that too, yes. That is the plan at the moment. Thanks again for taking the time to talk with me about this! It has helped a great deal.

Thanks, Heather! Alldoulas.com has sections on their forums for new and wanna be doulas. Perfect!

Quoting the woman who sent me info on local doula training and orgs: "The Northwest Association for Post-Partum Support (NAPS) is THE important organization in the Northwest for you to be certified with because being listed by them will get you jobs. Before you train with anyone get their packet to be sure it is within their guidelines. " and "The two largest certifying organizations that offer Post Partum Doula training are: Doulas of North America http://dona.org/ The Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association http://www.cappa.net/ " I haven't contacted them yet, but have started collecting titles from DONA to start reading. As for the nannying, all of my current jobs (nannying or not) end this June, so I would like to be able to be doing the doula work by then. My friend said she could get me recs for families now without my even being certified. THe nanny part is this- most doulas work with newborns to 3 months- I would also like to work with them till about 5 or 6 months- offering fill in part time work (usually between mom's maternity leave and daycares that don't take babies till 5 or 6 months). Thanks for those forum recs- will check those out. My Dude is working full time, so this is in conjunction with his salary. From what I hear, I can work the same amount of time per month that I am now, but make 2 to 3 times what I make as a respite caregiver, and be able to form relationships, and be with babies again. I miss those two things.

Thanks! The woman I talked to said rates now were $23 to $50 an hour in our area, with minimum 8 hours. How much time did you spend on record keeping- that's the one thing I am fretting about- everything else is right up my alley.

Thanks ladies, I PMed you both.

bump

I am considering this career move right now, but before I make the call to start the training, I would love to have a conversation with someone doing this. I am not interested in becoming a pregnancy- birth doula, but very interested in postpartum doula care combined with my nanny care for babies birth to 6 months or so. I would love to hear how you deal with the business part of this, how scheduling your time works, what you love/don't love about the job. Not sure of what other questions to ask. Thanks, LB

I'd love the book recommendation........ please and thanks.

My hearing got more vivid and my dreams much more nightmarish. I would hear things in a dream that felt so real. Also made me pee my bed twice cuz I thought I had walked to the bathroom, sigh. it says on the insert that it is very common to sleepwalk, eat, have s*x, and some folks have even slept-driven. you need to call your dr. asap for sure.

I voted 11 to 11.5, but could have easily said 12. As stated in other thread, I need tons of sleep. Don't know why, just do. My thyroid disorder has always made it hard to sleep, but now that my levels are better (due to serious meds management, and 2 kinds of thyroid), I am actually sleeping better. I could easily sleep from 9 to 9 if allowed. As it is, I am working hard to get 7 to 8 hours a night, and sometimes I use a sleeping pill. Don't like to do that, but it sure helps my attitude if I can get some rest a couple nights a week!

I voted other. If I had my way, I'd sleep from 9 to 9. No kidding. Have always needed tons of sleep. I am getting to bed by 10 at the latest, and getting up at 6, to do before school care for the Neighbor Boy. I hate being up that early. I know the birds are singing, it is quiet, etc. but I would just so rather be sleeping! I have been doing this all school year, and it still is killing me. I used to stock up on sleep on the weekends, but am now working on those days, so have to be up early then too. Need. more. sleep!!

We use youtube a great deal for continuing ed, as the Dude calls it- music, comedians, you name it- the Dude loves sharing stuff from his day with us- he loves to make us laugh.

Our tv "broke" once, when preteens were getting up in the middle of the night to watch movies. They never figured out it was just unplugged, lol. The Dude "fixed" it after a couple of months when the bad habit was gone.

We often just sit and talk, or sit together reading our own books, sometimes speaking up to share a passage with all. Listen to books on tape, or dh reads. In the summer, we sit outside in plastic chairs and dream about the garden or watch the sun set. Sometimes dh will take us for a drive (he likes to drive). We do give in and watch movies, but try to make them meaningful. I have a literature-movie curriculum we still use to talk about what we watch sometimes.

Since before the kids were born (he started reading whends was in utero), when the Dude is home, he reads to us for 1 to 2 hours, while we do stuff with our hands. Ds usually models with clay, wax, or legos, and dd and I will hand sew. sometimes I sketch. If there is laundry to fold, we do that while he reads too. We have taken care of tons of classics this way! Sometimes, now that they are teens and the Dude is traveling so much, we will just talk. Other than that, we play a lot of games. We do videos and fold laundry mostly once a week, sometimes a bit more if the Dude is gone, and I am wiped from work. We haven't had cable (so no tv) for 20 years- before kids!

My kids and I have listened to him speak 3 times now. He is amazing, and really draws you in. He is a hero to my kids- they have been known to listen to him even when I was listening to another speaker! He always recognizes my kids and makes a point to talk to them at his booth, too. He is a wonderful man! Enjoy!

I have a few good ones. "Creativity is a celebration of one's grandeur, one's sense of making anything possible. Creativity is a celebration of life- my celebration of life. It is a bold statement: I am here! I love life! I love me! I can be anything! I can do anything!" Joseph Zinker "We have art in order not to die of the truth." Friedrich Nietzsche And although this one could be thought of as just for fun, it helps me every day..... "Just keep swimming,just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming." Ellen DeGeneres as Dory in Finding Nemo

Cool! Woot!

:iagree::iagree: Ditto. I also really liked their recipes- before we discovered all our food issues.

Several of my fave birthday outings have been bird-watching based. One of my all time fave birthdays was when we had just moved to NJ, and we went to this local park that has a walking trail. In the middle of the park, there is this amazing area with benches, and about 12 feeders. The birds don't care about the people, and you can move around from bench to bench and watch the great birds. The kids were little, about 3 and 6, so the Dude's gift to me was playing with them so I could sit and watch. I remember- this was the first time I saw cardinals. Such a good memory. The kids and I love to go to the Woodland Park Zoo and sit in the tropical bird house for hours at a time- I always take my sketch pad. I love that that birdwatching has rubbed off on them. So no, you are not the only one, and who cares, really if it is weird. Birds are beautiful, and amazing to watch! Enjoy!

We LOVE Character First and still refer to it, even though the kids are teens, and we used it several years ago. It is ideal for secular families. I have no idea who Bill Gothard is, but I saw it at a homeschool convention, and fell in love right away. Very good stuff, secular or no.

I enjoy them, and just feel thankful that folks are willing to send them. Seems like every year we get fewer and fewer cards, and I feel blessed to be on anyone's list- I will take whatever they send, letter, or no.