A New Year- a New Plan!

So I’ve decided postpartum doula-ing insn’t something that interests me as much as birth work by far… so I’m not going to persue that certification right now.

I am still dedicated in getting started with PfB…. I’m almost at my goal to pay for it! I’m going to take the March Class instead of the April class- so that I will only need to miss 1 day of class- not 2. I need to start working on a backup arrangement ASAP for this!

I currently have 2 clients, and 2 more that may hire me, which is wonderful! Hopefully I can keep staying this busy, I love it!

Midwifery school- on that front exciting new things will be occuring in some months- but right now it’s on the DL! I’m working hard on prerequsites! I’m doing a math and A&P this summester- in the summer I’ll be taking 2-3 more classes, and again in the fall.

 

So not too much to say… just working hard on some things, and needing to keep working on others. But I needed to make a quick update at least- it’s been about 3 weeks since I did! What with the holidays things were crazy, so it was hard to find the time.

Oh- and we’ll hopefully close on the house SOMEDAY! It really is frusturating… I want to be in it now! But we can only be patient… it’ll happen soon, I have to believe.

woohoo~ lots of new stuff!

so- I may have found an applipicable midwifery program and a way to get it approved so that I can work in florida. If it does work out (and I think it will) then I’ll be starting school in January!!!

 

I have so many new to dos….. I need to get on it.

 

Just wanted to post a quick update, in case anyone is reading!

 

ok- be back later.

overwhelmed- just a tad.

I find myself very much looking forward to blogging now thar I’ve started this.

I was intensly productive yesterday- I got everything finished for my birth plan consults. My hubby is  so wonderful- he make me to birth plan templates- one is a flow chart- the other is just catagories. I make an additional 2 templates, and examples for all 4 types. I also wrote out 2 articles on planning your birth, as well as got my binder together and make a “lesson” plan. I am so proud I got all that done.

And today my birth plan consult became a full out client, which is great. I’m really looking forward to her birth- I think it’ll go really well, she’s so sure of herself and confident in her ability to handle this.

I think the meeting went really well. I’m excited to be offering this new service- I think it’ll be very good for many parents.

So- now onto preparing for my VBAC prospective client. I really hope I can attend her birth- it would be such an honor.

In other news- house stuff is driving me out of my mind! It’s already such a busy week, and the frequent calls back and forth to the mortgage co, realtor, inspectors, and anyone else are stressing me out. I’ll be so glad when we finally have everything settled. We just sent them a counteroffer, so G-d willing they accept and we can set up a closing! I’m praying hard about it.

I am also feeling a tad down- I was really hoping to have thanksgiving in my new home. It is my favorite holiday, and I really wanted to cook dinner in my own kitchen.

Yesterday my Realtor said something really nice- she said I should teach classes on natural living. J I thought that was such a lovely complement.

So- today I would like to polish up and right out one birth story for DONA, and maybe work more on the online breastfeeding class. It’d be nice if I could finish one more module of that tonight. I also need to finish up the stuff for my meeting tomorrow and email my new client some follow up info from our appt today.

I am also sort of thinking of offering private childbirth education classes….. I know I’d like to teach, but maybe it’d be best for me to do private lessons only- that way I could easily schedule them in a clients home and if I had to reschedule due to a birth it would be easier then with a class of 4 or more couples. I also really prefer the private aspect more then the group one. I hope to do the same for infant massage, and possibly VBAC classes in the future. Maybe even pre-conception lessons!

I also have a bit of an idea to make a website… I’m not sure, but it is in my mind right now. Maybe next year! I cannot believe it is almost 2009…. I need to get cranking with my midwifery studies!

lastly- I need to start thinking about what to give Rob for chanuka….. he wants an iphone I think, or a computer…. but I’d like to do something more for both of us. I’ve been thinking about buying a jumbo tranpoline… we will have a huge backyard if we get this home, so we’d have ample space- and it would be a wonderful workout. I’ve also thought about just doing a few gifts, or not spending so much, and then cooking something special each day or planning a fun evening event.

a VERY busy doula-y week!

I did take the math test- albeit one day late, but oh well, at least it got done! It was not as bad as I expected… until I got the results. I have to take 2 math classes before I can even take the class I NEED! So- it’ll be a math filled year for me…. L

I have 2 visits scheduled for this week, which is really great, b/c it is only really a ½ week! One for an interview with a VBAC mama, and one is a birth plan consultation. It’s a new service I’m starting to offer, and I’m really excited. I’ve been working hard to get everything set up for that meeting. The birth plan consult will be like a prenatal visit, and if the family then wants to hire me they can, and the consult fee will go towards their Doula package, and the visit will count as one of their prenatal meetings. I think they’ll be a really valuable service; having a GOOD birth plan will really serve my clients well, whether they have me at their birth or not.

I’m still slacking on my DONA Cert. stuff- I need to start making that a priority! I just don’t seem to have time, especially with working on getting my Birth Plan consults set up and organized. Realistically- there is no way I can make that deadline anymore, plus it’ll cost about 200$, and we need that money right now because……

We got a counter-offer from the bank!!!! We’re accepting it, and I am just wonderfully excited, a little nervous and slightly confused. J I am so happy and hopeful. What a wonderful birthday gift would a new home be!

So my new goal for the DONA stuff is by January 1^st 2009. I hope that by then we can have the money to spend, and we’ll be all settled into our home. My goals are to finish the Breastfeeding Basics program by Monday (12/1/08), and to finish all the essays and other things by 12/5, and to have it all copied and put together in a folder, with an extra copy for insurance by the 10^th.

 And I had a great idea for the bumper sticker dilemma: I can just glue magnets to them, so they’ll be removable!

I’m so pleased to have accomplished so much stuff. What with all the stress of buying a house it is great to have gotten all this done and I’m working hard to be able to finish more of my goals.

For all my gifts for my birthday and the coming holidays I’m hoping to be able to buy the postpartum Doula distance course and pay for my neonatal resuscitation, or at least most of those two things. Pretty much all of our other money will be going to our new house. Life is my most expensive hobby. J I’m praying that G-d will bless us with all that we need, and that I will keep getting more and more clients. I sure could use the experience and the money, and it is so nice to be busy. It seems like I am most productive when I am overwhelmed with things to do.

So now off to go finish my to-do list for today. I need to meet up with my realtor, finish just a few things for the birth plan consult, talk (again) with my mortgage broker, get together my things for the meeting with the VBAC mama, hire a home inspector, and hopefully have just a tad bit of time for myself! If I do I’ll spend it reading (I just started yet another book!) and maybe even taking a nice relaxing LONG afternoon shower. I just love those- it seems so decadent.