My passion

I recently discovered my passion in life. It is something that has been building slowly since I first gave birth myself. It has especially become evident in the last 2 years as I went through the pregnancy and birth of my second child.

I have always been very interested in pregnancy and birth, even as a child. I didn't really know why, but I wanted to have a natural, drug and intervention free labor with my first baby. I was able to mostly accomplish that goal and my interest in the subject grew. During my second pregnancy I really struggled with depression and anxiety. I also had to deal with gestational diabetes and a very unwanted induction. I managed to go through that labor with minimal (as minimal as you can get with an induction anyway) interventions and only one dose of IV pain meds. During that labor, I felt very lost and alone and couldn't focus enough to cope properly. I really wish I had been able to use a Doula myself!

 The only thing that kept me grounded and got me through the whole pregnancy and induction experience was CafeMom. So many women in that group taught me and encouraged me as I struggled through the whole thing. I became a moderator for the pregnancy group halfway through my pregnancy and found myself learning more and more so I could help other women understand their pregnancies and bodies. I also was able to share what I had learned about labor and natural birth. This was how I found my passion. At first I thought maybe I would want to be a midwife. Then I started having dreams where I would be coaching someone through labor. It was odd and exciting at the same time. I realized this was something I really wanted to do with my life.

Up until this point I had been struggling to find a purpose. I am a stay at home Mom but I needed something more for myself. I also really struggle with anxiety, even some social anxiety. So choosing any profession, especially such an intimate one, has it's challenges for me. But I know I can overcome them and once I get started, I will be more comfortable in my role as a birth helper. At first I thought I would wait to follow my dreams until my kids are older. But my Mom encouraged me to go for it now and not worry about the obstacles until I come to them. Then a friend found out I could be her Doula even though I am in training. So off I go!

I'm excited and nervous. I won't be getting certified right now. Instead I will be absorbing as much information as I can through books and online resources. Then I will attend my first birth and go from there. I will probably start to market myself a bit and try to get a few more births under my belt at that point.