After being away for so long for me to post two days in a row is hard to believe, but this post is so important I have to share it everywhere I can!
New Birth Midwifery
is very excited to share a landmark study conducted by MANA (Midwives
Alliance of North America) of nearly 17,000 midwife led courses of care.
Here are the highlights, but please take the time to click on the link
to read the full article and please share this important information!
For planned home births with a midwife in attendance, key outcomes include:
-Over 93% women had a normal physiologic birth
-A cesarean rate of 5%
-Only 2.5% of babies admitted to the NICU in the first six weeks of life
-87% of women with previous cesareans had their babies vaginally
-Of the 10.9% of women who transferred from home to hospital during
labor, the majority moved for non-emergent reasons, like a slow,
non-progressing labor, or maternal exhaustion
-At six weeks postpartum, nearly all babies were breastfed
http://www.mana.org/blog/home-birth-safety-outcomes
Friday, January 31, 2014
Thursday, January 30, 2014
A new Midwife with New Birth Midwifery!!
New
Birth Midwifery is very excited to announce the addition of a new
midwife to the team! Eileen Kirk is a CPM and a graduate from National
College. Jenny met Eileen while visiting the Philippines in February
2013 and felt an immediate connection with her.
Take a look at her bio to learn more about her.
Eileen M Kirk, CPM
My name is Eileen Kirk and I am a Certified Professional Midwife. My journey into midwifery is still very recent, but my life passions have lined up well with this profession. At a young age my heart went out to the hurting and broken, especially young women and children. I hated to see injustice and watch people suffer. I have a very caring heart and people’s happiness is important to me. I love celebrating life and being apart of the ups and downs that come. I have always loved building friendships and connecting with people.
With that being said one of my dear friends invited me to be part of her birth in 2010. She was a first time mom and had a long, difficult birth with a tremendous amount of back
labor. At this point I knew absolutely nothing about birth or how to help and unfortunately her care providers were not helpful at all. This experience stirred in me a passion to learn about pregnancy, birth, and how I can help women
in such an intense time. This led me on a search for midwifery schools which didn’t take very long for me. I found a two-year intensive program located in the Philippines. This caught my interest quickly because I always wanted to study abroad and experience life in another culture.
As a young adult I went on several mission trips and enjoyed
gaining a different perspective on life outside the United States. My studies went really well in the Philippines and I gained a lot of hands on experience. I cared for many women that were malnourished and suffered from extreme poverty. I was able to attend over 200 births and was the primary midwife for 90 births. I completed my schooling through Newlife International School of Midwifery in July 2013 (accredited through National College of Midwifery) and passed the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) Board Exam in August of 2013. In January 2014 I joined New Birth Midwifery and will begin my career. I love being a midwife and I still can’t believe that I get to do this as my job!
Take a look at her bio to learn more about her.
Eileen M Kirk, CPM
My name is Eileen Kirk and I am a Certified Professional Midwife. My journey into midwifery is still very recent, but my life passions have lined up well with this profession. At a young age my heart went out to the hurting and broken, especially young women and children. I hated to see injustice and watch people suffer. I have a very caring heart and people’s happiness is important to me. I love celebrating life and being apart of the ups and downs that come. I have always loved building friendships and connecting with people.
With that being said one of my dear friends invited me to be part of her birth in 2010. She was a first time mom and had a long, difficult birth with a tremendous amount of back
labor. At this point I knew absolutely nothing about birth or how to help and unfortunately her care providers were not helpful at all. This experience stirred in me a passion to learn about pregnancy, birth, and how I can help women
in such an intense time. This led me on a search for midwifery schools which didn’t take very long for me. I found a two-year intensive program located in the Philippines. This caught my interest quickly because I always wanted to study abroad and experience life in another culture.
As a young adult I went on several mission trips and enjoyed
gaining a different perspective on life outside the United States. My studies went really well in the Philippines and I gained a lot of hands on experience. I cared for many women that were malnourished and suffered from extreme poverty. I was able to attend over 200 births and was the primary midwife for 90 births. I completed my schooling through Newlife International School of Midwifery in July 2013 (accredited through National College of Midwifery) and passed the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) Board Exam in August of 2013. In January 2014 I joined New Birth Midwifery and will begin my career. I love being a midwife and I still can’t believe that I get to do this as my job!
Friday, May 17, 2013
A call to Balance
I went to moms group on Wednesday at church and it was about keeping your schedule more open not committing to too much - even if the things are good things we can burn out when we take our focus off Jesus. It's so funny because this message of course isn't a new one, but surprisingly a message heard before in a different season of life hit me in a new way in this season.
There are always different seasons in life where commitments need to increase and decrease but I do think God gave me a slow month of May and June - one birth in the beginning of May and one coming up at the end of June so I could focus more on my family and regain some balance in my life. I went from barely surviving and keeping my house just picked up enough to pass to last night pulling everything out of my pantry to make it look attractive to buyers when we get it put on the market next month.
One thing that hit me hard on Wednesday was the different approaches to TV watching that my husband and I have. I grew up on the mission field where tv shows were Inspector Gadget watched every few months when a new tape (yes tape) was sent over in the mail from the US where my Aunt Michelle had so lovingly recorded as many episodes as she could. We would watch them over and over until they were memorized but that really didn't take long. And because the tv was a solid 1/2 hour drive away at the main center, mostly we played outside with our friends. My husband grew up with the TV being on most of the time, and so hopefully as we journey this path together we can create a nice balance between the two.
That being said, it is much easier to move to the side of too much TV than stay on the side of none at all. We have a TV in our bedroom and our daughter although she sleeps in her own room (she is two) she will wake up around 6:45 or 7am and want to climb in bed with us. Since neither my husband or I are ready to get up quite yet, we have been turning on the TV to give us 15 more minutes of sleep. It had been bothering me for some time that this was our routine especially since I felt like it slipped into our day more regularly then - while I made breakfast I would watch a show, then while she napped and I did chores I would watch a show and so on so forth, with E watching a show in the late afternoon while I made dinner. It might not sound like a lot (or it might sound like way too much if you grew up like me!) but my heart was being stirred to spend more time with Jesus and somehow days were passing and I was barely finding the time to utter quick prayers as I was doing other things.
Yesterday instead of watching a show to get 15 more minutes of sleep we got up when E got restless and had breakfast. I sat with her and ate too all the while had the prayer room live playing on the ipad instead of a show which I felt stirred my heart to be more loving towards my family and remember that my life is not my own. Then we went outside and played, had an appointment where the older kids played more with her while I talked to my client then she napped and I got caught up on some work then we went out to do some errands before coming home, having dinner and playing in the hot tub.
Today so far as started off the same - and I hope that this can be our new routine. Of course, in the time it took me to write this I have changed a poopy diaper, changed the batteries in a toy for my daughter, entertained her and loved on her. So - my quiet time is not so quiet, but again, life has many seasons and I am sure that this time is going to be one I will have many fond memories of so I plan to be proactive in enjoying them now.
There are always different seasons in life where commitments need to increase and decrease but I do think God gave me a slow month of May and June - one birth in the beginning of May and one coming up at the end of June so I could focus more on my family and regain some balance in my life. I went from barely surviving and keeping my house just picked up enough to pass to last night pulling everything out of my pantry to make it look attractive to buyers when we get it put on the market next month.
One thing that hit me hard on Wednesday was the different approaches to TV watching that my husband and I have. I grew up on the mission field where tv shows were Inspector Gadget watched every few months when a new tape (yes tape) was sent over in the mail from the US where my Aunt Michelle had so lovingly recorded as many episodes as she could. We would watch them over and over until they were memorized but that really didn't take long. And because the tv was a solid 1/2 hour drive away at the main center, mostly we played outside with our friends. My husband grew up with the TV being on most of the time, and so hopefully as we journey this path together we can create a nice balance between the two.
That being said, it is much easier to move to the side of too much TV than stay on the side of none at all. We have a TV in our bedroom and our daughter although she sleeps in her own room (she is two) she will wake up around 6:45 or 7am and want to climb in bed with us. Since neither my husband or I are ready to get up quite yet, we have been turning on the TV to give us 15 more minutes of sleep. It had been bothering me for some time that this was our routine especially since I felt like it slipped into our day more regularly then - while I made breakfast I would watch a show, then while she napped and I did chores I would watch a show and so on so forth, with E watching a show in the late afternoon while I made dinner. It might not sound like a lot (or it might sound like way too much if you grew up like me!) but my heart was being stirred to spend more time with Jesus and somehow days were passing and I was barely finding the time to utter quick prayers as I was doing other things.
Yesterday instead of watching a show to get 15 more minutes of sleep we got up when E got restless and had breakfast. I sat with her and ate too all the while had the prayer room live playing on the ipad instead of a show which I felt stirred my heart to be more loving towards my family and remember that my life is not my own. Then we went outside and played, had an appointment where the older kids played more with her while I talked to my client then she napped and I got caught up on some work then we went out to do some errands before coming home, having dinner and playing in the hot tub.
Today so far as started off the same - and I hope that this can be our new routine. Of course, in the time it took me to write this I have changed a poopy diaper, changed the batteries in a toy for my daughter, entertained her and loved on her. So - my quiet time is not so quiet, but again, life has many seasons and I am sure that this time is going to be one I will have many fond memories of so I plan to be proactive in enjoying them now.
Friday, April 20, 2012
"Just In Case..."
Yesterday I was having a nice chat with a good friend who is in the birth world and so when we get together, naturally the conversation moves towards birth. While we were talking, she mentioned that a friend of hers was planning to go to one hospital but after thinking through her options chose a different one because her original choice didn't have a level 2 NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) and so if her baby had any more serious complications she would be separated from her baby since she would be in one hospital and her baby would be in another.
One one hand that makes sense. On the other, as I have had more time to think about that - both as a midwife and a mom who delivered a baby in the hospital after planning my whole pregnancy to be at home (my daughter was born too early) I wouldn't plan my birth setting around a "just in case" scenario.
Ok - here is my opinion that could be contradictory. I believe that planning where you deliver around the "just in case" thought process is like not planning to get divorced from the person you are going to marry and are very much in love with, but getting a pre-nuptual agreement "just in case."
One one hand that makes sense. On the other, as I have had more time to think about that - both as a midwife and a mom who delivered a baby in the hospital after planning my whole pregnancy to be at home (my daughter was born too early) I wouldn't plan my birth setting around a "just in case" scenario.
Ok - here is my opinion that could be contradictory. I believe that planning where you deliver around the "just in case" thought process is like not planning to get divorced from the person you are going to marry and are very much in love with, but getting a pre-nuptual agreement "just in case."
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Sometimes you just need a day off...
Last night was rough. Eleanor has been sick once before, but not teething at the same time and I guess both at the same time was just too much for her little body to handle. We went to small group last night and had a good time - she played with the other little girls there and stayed up way past her bedtime without being crabby even! Then, on the ride home, she feel asleep almost immediately. I thought to myself, "Great! She will transition to her crib easily and we can make it an early night!" Wrong.
I rocked her to sleep when she woke up when we arrived at home, and it was a process getting her back to sleep but nothing unusual for a teething baby with a slight cold.
But then the real fun started at 12:30am - like it always does. I tried everything. Finally I brought her down to our bed (which I never do) hoping I could cuddle her to bed, but she just wanted to play. So - we went back up stairs. I laid blankets down and laid down myself on the floor thinking she would just fall asleep seeing as there was nothing to do. Wrong again. She found cords and proceeded to chew on them! Yikes. So I put her in her crib and again laid down on her floor. Screamed.
So, in desperation, we went for a car ride at 2am. She feel asleep before we had been driving for 10 minutes. I got her back in the house, carried her in her (not so light) car seat managing not to wake her up and set her on the floor in her room. Before I had the chance to close her door - the dog shook making his tags on his collar jingle. She woke up. So - again we went out. This time it took a bit longer to get her to sleep. But she finally did fall asleep and I opened the windows in the car, covered her with a blanket, brought her monitor out to the garage and went to bed myself feeling a bit bad at my unorthodox way of putting my child to bed.
She slept for 2 hours. Then I brought her upstairs, made her a bottle, tried a few different things and she seemed to be calm. She normally falls asleep on her own when it's the wee hours of the morning and in fact I slept for 1/2 an hour but then she woke up screaming. My husband then went up to try and try as he might she would only stay asleep in his arms.
So I went up and scooped her up and we both slept off and on in the papason chair in the living room. She threw up once but I think that was just from her overexerting herself and not sleeping enough so we got cleaned up and slept some more. At 7:30 am she was awake and crawled around playing while I slept for another hour.
Then my nanny arrived, and seriously I could have hugged her! She only comes over once or twice a week, but if ever there was a day I needed her it was today! I handed her the baby, explained the situation and that I wouldn't be going to my midwifery meeting that morning but back to bed and I was gone.
I slept for 2 blissful hours, showered, did a home visit for a client of mine, got a coffee and then got my nails done. Frivolous I know, but sometimes, you need to. Lucky for me I had a groupon for just that - a mani/pedi - that was expiring soon so I managed to sneak in an appointment. Now I have beautiful fingernails and toenails and came home to a sleeping baby. Bliss.
I have to admit that I have nannied for some SAHM's before and although I was grateful for the job and the extra cash, I wondered what they did that made them need a nanny when they didn't have another job besides raising their kids. Although I don't think I would have a nanny if I wasn't also doing midwifery part time besides raising my daughter - I was sure grateful to be able to check out for 8 hours today.
But then the real fun started at 12:30am - like it always does. I tried everything. Finally I brought her down to our bed (which I never do) hoping I could cuddle her to bed, but she just wanted to play. So - we went back up stairs. I laid blankets down and laid down myself on the floor thinking she would just fall asleep seeing as there was nothing to do. Wrong again. She found cords and proceeded to chew on them! Yikes. So I put her in her crib and again laid down on her floor. Screamed.
So, in desperation, we went for a car ride at 2am. She feel asleep before we had been driving for 10 minutes. I got her back in the house, carried her in her (not so light) car seat managing not to wake her up and set her on the floor in her room. Before I had the chance to close her door - the dog shook making his tags on his collar jingle. She woke up. So - again we went out. This time it took a bit longer to get her to sleep. But she finally did fall asleep and I opened the windows in the car, covered her with a blanket, brought her monitor out to the garage and went to bed myself feeling a bit bad at my unorthodox way of putting my child to bed.
She slept for 2 hours. Then I brought her upstairs, made her a bottle, tried a few different things and she seemed to be calm. She normally falls asleep on her own when it's the wee hours of the morning and in fact I slept for 1/2 an hour but then she woke up screaming. My husband then went up to try and try as he might she would only stay asleep in his arms.
So I went up and scooped her up and we both slept off and on in the papason chair in the living room. She threw up once but I think that was just from her overexerting herself and not sleeping enough so we got cleaned up and slept some more. At 7:30 am she was awake and crawled around playing while I slept for another hour.
Then my nanny arrived, and seriously I could have hugged her! She only comes over once or twice a week, but if ever there was a day I needed her it was today! I handed her the baby, explained the situation and that I wouldn't be going to my midwifery meeting that morning but back to bed and I was gone.
I slept for 2 blissful hours, showered, did a home visit for a client of mine, got a coffee and then got my nails done. Frivolous I know, but sometimes, you need to. Lucky for me I had a groupon for just that - a mani/pedi - that was expiring soon so I managed to sneak in an appointment. Now I have beautiful fingernails and toenails and came home to a sleeping baby. Bliss.
I have to admit that I have nannied for some SAHM's before and although I was grateful for the job and the extra cash, I wondered what they did that made them need a nanny when they didn't have another job besides raising their kids. Although I don't think I would have a nanny if I wasn't also doing midwifery part time besides raising my daughter - I was sure grateful to be able to check out for 8 hours today.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Birth Marathon!
Birth is a beautiful thing - no matter if it happens so fast you barely have time to put your thoughts in an order that makes any sense at all, or so slowly you want to pull your hair out because you don't know what's keeping this little one from joining his family!
I was about to leave my house on Wednesday morning to start gentle labor induction (read breast pump and herbs and environmental helps etc)to encourage labor to really kick into gear when I get a call from my other client that she is in labor - oh and by the way - she lives 35 minutes from me and the contractions are only a few minutes apart and she has a history of going fast!
So plans change quickly to us (my assistant and I) going to my other client's house and not too surprisingly everything is all done and mom and baby are happily tucked into bed a little after noon so after we get some lunch and debrief the birth, we call my first client and ask if she still wants us to come over today or wait until tomorrow.
She wants us to come today still. So we go around 3pm and as long as the breast pump is going she is having strong contractions but otherwise they almost completely stop. The labor pattern is so mystifying that I end up calling my dear midwife friend from the Philippines to talk through the situation since she had attended a woman in a similar situation not too long ago.
In the end, we all decide it's for the best to go to bed at 1:30am. Baby had been in a good position, but then at one point shifted and as long as mom was in a running start position he was fine, otherwise not. We all slept and then woke up around 7am the next morning.
Around 10:30 we found a wonderful chiropractor who was willing to come out and help baby get into a better position and so with some adjustments and a little acupuncture and breast pump action labor finally got going and strong!
Soon after we were joined by a handsome little man and joy permeated the room as all the hard work finally paid off.
Thank you Lord for beautiful births.
I was about to leave my house on Wednesday morning to start gentle labor induction (read breast pump and herbs and environmental helps etc)to encourage labor to really kick into gear when I get a call from my other client that she is in labor - oh and by the way - she lives 35 minutes from me and the contractions are only a few minutes apart and she has a history of going fast!
So plans change quickly to us (my assistant and I) going to my other client's house and not too surprisingly everything is all done and mom and baby are happily tucked into bed a little after noon so after we get some lunch and debrief the birth, we call my first client and ask if she still wants us to come over today or wait until tomorrow.
She wants us to come today still. So we go around 3pm and as long as the breast pump is going she is having strong contractions but otherwise they almost completely stop. The labor pattern is so mystifying that I end up calling my dear midwife friend from the Philippines to talk through the situation since she had attended a woman in a similar situation not too long ago.
In the end, we all decide it's for the best to go to bed at 1:30am. Baby had been in a good position, but then at one point shifted and as long as mom was in a running start position he was fine, otherwise not. We all slept and then woke up around 7am the next morning.
Around 10:30 we found a wonderful chiropractor who was willing to come out and help baby get into a better position and so with some adjustments and a little acupuncture and breast pump action labor finally got going and strong!
Soon after we were joined by a handsome little man and joy permeated the room as all the hard work finally paid off.
Thank you Lord for beautiful births.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Baby Constipation
If you thought it was unpleasant for you to be constipated, let me tell you - it all takes on a new meaning when your 7 month old baby is the one having troubles. She can't say what's bothering her - just that things aren't right. One night - the night we hit google big time asking for remedies - she woke up from a sound sleep and just looked at us sadly before bursting into tears. Talk about ripping a parent in two! That night we found ways to help her fix it and continued to have to help her (mostly with qtip covered in a lubricant) while I searched for the reason why this might be happening. I thought for sure it had something to do with the fact that I could barely get her to drink 20oz of milk when she was supposed to get between 20 and 28 so I would try harder to get her to drink more, but when she didn't want it there was nothing I could do.
I had already completely eliminated bananas from her diet and tried to make her cereal more soupy but she wouldn't eat it if it was too liquidy. Then, we went to my in-laws in Iowa for Christmas and I didn't want to bring a 1/2 empty box of baby cereal with me so I bought a new box while at Target. I was giving her Gerber brand cereal - not rice, oatmeal and whole grain so I thought I was doing good, but then because the box was smaller, I bought the Good Earth brand. I gave that to her and once she got that in her system the constipation totally disapeared! I love accidental discoveries like that and I hope that this post will help another mom struggling with the same issue figure out the problem faster for her baby.
I had already completely eliminated bananas from her diet and tried to make her cereal more soupy but she wouldn't eat it if it was too liquidy. Then, we went to my in-laws in Iowa for Christmas and I didn't want to bring a 1/2 empty box of baby cereal with me so I bought a new box while at Target. I was giving her Gerber brand cereal - not rice, oatmeal and whole grain so I thought I was doing good, but then because the box was smaller, I bought the Good Earth brand. I gave that to her and once she got that in her system the constipation totally disapeared! I love accidental discoveries like that and I hope that this post will help another mom struggling with the same issue figure out the problem faster for her baby.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
TIme Passes and Things Change
I realize that my last post was more than a year ago which means quite possibly no one reads this anymore, but as I learn more and more of what it means to be a midwife and a mom I have more to write. The problem is, until now, I haven't figured out how to write in here about things other than midwifery until now.
So - I changed the title. Now I can write about either mommyhood or midwifery or both as they collide :) And I do have some burning posts that I have been mulling around in my head as I learn first hand what this mommy business is all about. So stay tuned!
So - I changed the title. Now I can write about either mommyhood or midwifery or both as they collide :) And I do have some burning posts that I have been mulling around in my head as I learn first hand what this mommy business is all about. So stay tuned!
Monday, August 23, 2010
Progress...
First and foremost, I (with much help from my wonderful husband!) published many new updates to my website! So check it out! www.newbirthmidwifery.com I welcome suggestions and constructive criticism :)
I love being married - when I get discouraged, I have Cullen in my court, fighting for me, and encouraging me like no one else could. When I get impatient (which can happen often since I am not very patient!) he encourages me by reminding me of all the progress I have made in promoting New Birth Midwifery.
I got a lot of great promotional materials for next to nothing thanks to vistaprint's online sale/try things for free deal. So that has been helpful. I have been able to go to coffee shops and other places to put up business cards and informational flyers on midwifery.
But best of all, I have met with 3 moms-to-be about becoming potential clients and those have gone very well. I have a few more to meet with this week before I go on vacation with my family, and I know that personal referrals are going to be the best way for me to really make a go of my business. So - if you know of a mom-to-be who is looking for a natural birthing option who lives within 1.5 hours of me (or who lives in some far-reach country (I will travel to far places to deliver babies!) please tell them about New Birth Midwifery!
On a more personal note, I have been asked to be an advisor for a freshmen cell group at Bethany this year! Julie is their mentor, and having been a mentor at Bethany (2008-2009) I am so excited to be an advisor (basically go to cell groups and do one-on-ones with the mentor each week) this year!
I love being married - when I get discouraged, I have Cullen in my court, fighting for me, and encouraging me like no one else could. When I get impatient (which can happen often since I am not very patient!) he encourages me by reminding me of all the progress I have made in promoting New Birth Midwifery.
I got a lot of great promotional materials for next to nothing thanks to vistaprint's online sale/try things for free deal. So that has been helpful. I have been able to go to coffee shops and other places to put up business cards and informational flyers on midwifery.
But best of all, I have met with 3 moms-to-be about becoming potential clients and those have gone very well. I have a few more to meet with this week before I go on vacation with my family, and I know that personal referrals are going to be the best way for me to really make a go of my business. So - if you know of a mom-to-be who is looking for a natural birthing option who lives within 1.5 hours of me (or who lives in some far-reach country (I will travel to far places to deliver babies!) please tell them about New Birth Midwifery!
On a more personal note, I have been asked to be an advisor for a freshmen cell group at Bethany this year! Julie is their mentor, and having been a mentor at Bethany (2008-2009) I am so excited to be an advisor (basically go to cell groups and do one-on-ones with the mentor each week) this year!
Saturday, August 14, 2010
There's No Place Like Home...
The advantages and and joys and of giving birth where you live.
By Pam England
"I know that I'm healthy and everything's going well with my baby and I know everything's going to be fine."
Those words, uttered by an extremely pregnant Dawn Louro on CBS's Morning Show in February, sound more innocuous than momentous. But in some ways, they are revolutionary. Because Ms. Louro's calm assessment of her pregnancy came only weeks before she gave birth on television, before an audience of millions. At home.
In some circles, laboring or birthing at home is considered quite radical. Most first-time mothers probably doubt that they know enough to give birth anywhere, much less at home. They are surprisingly out of touch with the innate, miraculous processes involved in giving birth. Even though those mothers do not know birth technology either, they know it is out there. Daughters of our technological age, users of cellular phones and computers, understandably have faith in technology.
In addition, women who plan to labor and give birth at home typically get little support and a lot of anxious skepticism from those around them. Under such circumstances, it is not surprising that so few women today give birth at home.
But that may at last be changing and more than 20 years after Mothering first began writing about the possibility and the pleasures of delivering your child in his or her own home. Oprah Winfrey has done shows about alternatives to hospital birth. Chris Bohjalian's book Midwives has been a national bestseller. And then there was Ms. Louro's labor. "I just want it to be in my own home environment," Mr. Louro told the CBS correspondent. "I want to be able to get up, walk around, and have my whole family around me after the baby is born."
As a childbirth teacher, one of my greatest challenges is to inform people objectively about their choices and give them respectful support in their decision-making, so they are not left feeling coerced or guilty about whatever informed choice they eventually make. That is what I wish to do here. Homebirth may not be right for you, for reasons of physical health or personal philosophy. It also may be the perfect choice for you, but one you hadn't considered until now. In a childbirth class I taught recently, the topic arose spontaneously. A couple, one of whom was a physician, said they were thinking of a homebirth. The class erupted into animated discussion, provocative questions, and a sense of hopeful excitement.
At the end, one mother turned to me and sighed happily, "I feel more relaxed just knowing that a homebirth is a possibility," she said, "whether or not I choose it."
IS HOMEBIRTH SAFE?
The Farm is a 1,700 acre commune in Summertown, Tennessee, founded in 1971 by Stephen and Ina May Gaskin. The trained and skilled midwives there have professional consulting relationships with physicians and refer mothers with complications or risk factors to the hospital.
In 1992, a major study compared 1,700 homebirths attended by The Farm midwives to a sample of 14,033 physician-attended hospital births. The findings were dramatic and heartening: The cesarean rate among mothers who received prenatal care at The Farm was only 1.5 percent compared to 16.5 percent in the doctor-attended group. The transfer-to-hospital rate was 13.5 percent. There was no significant difference between the two groups for perinatal death, bleeding, birth injury, or respiratory distress syndrome.
This excellent outcome for those choosing homebirths has been found in other studies as well. In a famous 1977 project, Dr. Lewis Mehl studied birth outcomes from the medical records of 1,146 elective homebirths in the San Francisco area. The results: the perinatal mortality rate among women who elected homebirth was 9.5 per 1,000 births and compared to a rate of 20.3 per 1,000 among California women who gave birth in the hospital. In other words, as Dr. Mehl concluded, "the [homebirth] outcomes were better than average and the complications rates lower than expected."
And then there are the subjective, anecdotal reports from women who have chosen a homebirth. According to a wide-ranging 1992 survey, "91 percent of . . . women who had had their last baby at home said that they would prefer to have their next baby at home, compared with 15 percent of those who had had their baby in a hospital. Among the few women who had experienced both a homebirth and a hospital birth, 76 percent preferred giving birth in their homes."
THE ECONOMICS OF HOMEBIRTH**
Homebirth is significantly cheaper than a hospital birth. But that doesn't mean it will save you money. Why is that? Consider the following: In 1997, a normal hospital birth cost between about $4,000 and $6,000, with a complicated birth costing many thousands more. In comparison, most homebirth midwives have an inclusive fee of about $2,000, which not only covers labor and delivery but also all prenatal care and several postpartum visits.
In some states, homebirth midwifery is covered by private health insurance. Unfortunately most HMOs do not yet reimburse licensed homebirth midwives, which in effect limits consumers' freedom of choice. It is extremely difficult for some people to make a "choice" which requires substantially greater out-of-pocket expenses.
If your healthcare coverage is limited only to in-hospital birth, write the benefits manager at your place of employment; they seem better able to exert leverage on insurance companies and HMOs than can individual consumers. Issues like this also are being considered in some state legislatures. Write a letter to your local representative or call and make your opinion known.
FINDING A MIDWIFE
Rare is the doctor who will actually attend a homebirth. But a few do. To see if any practice in your neighborhood, contact HomeFirst Health Services through their Web site: www.homefirst.com.
It's extremely likely, however, that you'll need to find a midwife to attend your birth. Midwives come in several varieties. Nurse midwives have an RN and have completed postgraduate training at an institution accredited by the American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM). Direct-entry midwives have trained as midwives but without obtaining an RN (which is the usual route of entry in many countries overseas, including most of Europe). The Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC) has begun accrediting direct-entry midwifery training programs. Two other organizations offer certification to direct-entry midwives: The ACNM and the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM). Not all midwives are certified.
How can you find a midwife who is compatible with your personality and birthing goals? Begin by asking friends or acquaintances who've had a successful homebirth for a recommendation. You can also contact one of the national midwifery agencies for referrals (see below). But most important is to meet and develop a rapport with any midwife you're considering. She will, after all, be key to the success of your home delivery. You should feel you can trust and rely on her. And, as her client, she will probably wish to feel the same towards you.
THE LAST WORD
Almost every homebirth that I have attended has been a profound experience for everyone involved, including me. After the last such birth, I formulated a few principles regarding homebirth. They can, I think, stand as a summation of why the experience affects people so powerfully, and why it is a moment few new parents ever will forget:
- Pregnancy and birth are natural physiological events, so normal birth does not belong in hospitals.
- The natural course of labor is already perfect, and should be interfered with as little as possible.
- Pain is part of an essential and healthy feedback mechanism in labor. Women can learn to cope with it, especially with the proper encouragement and support.
- Medical management of pregnancy and birth should be limited to those which are medically complicated.
- Unnecessary medical interventions complicate normal labor, creating additional risk and the need for more intervention.
- Comfort and security help mothers cope with labor. Comfort and security exist at home.
Pam England is a certified nurse midwife in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she directs the Art of Birthing Doula Training Program. This story was adapted from her book Birthing From Within (Partera Press, 1998). To order a copy, call Partera Press at 505-268-8206 or visit the Web site: http://www.birthpower.com
To Learn More
These are a few excellent books and articles that address homebirth:
Declercq ER, Paine LL, Winter MR. "Home Birth in the United States, 1989-1992. A Longitudinal Descriptive Report of National Birth Certificate Data," Journal of Nurse Midwifery, 1995; 40 (6): 474-82.
Duran, AM. "The Safety of Home Birth: The Farm Study," American Journal of Public Health, no. 82 (3):450-453.
Goer, Henci. Obstetric Myths Versus Research Realities: A Guide to the Medical Literature (Bergin & Harvey, 1995)
Hannon, Sharron. Childbirth: A Source Book for Conception, Pregnancy, Birth, and the First Weeks of Life (M. Evans and Company, Inc., 1990)
Mehl, Lewis, et al., "Outcomes of Elective Home Births: A Series of 1,146 Cases," Journal of Reproductive Medicine, no. 19 (5):281-290.
**Editor’s Note: The numbers quoted in this article for the costs of a hospital birth and a home birth are out of date as of 2005. The latest statistics from 2005 (World Health Organization)on a hospital birth are as follows:
• Uncomplicated vaginal birth = $7,000
• Complicated vaginal birth = $9,000
• Uncomplicated C-Section = $12,000
• Complicated C-Section = $16,000
These prices are just for the hospital stay, and do not include doctor’s fees for being at the birth which start at $1,500, and also does not include prenatal care or newborn care.
A midwife in MN generally charges between $3-4,000 which covers everything - prenatal care, newborn care, labs, 24 hour access to your midwife, continuity of care, at least 1 if not two assistants at your birth and more. The only things it doesn’t cover are:
• tub rentals or purchases which can be between $1-250
• Your homebirth box which has all the disposable items you need for your birth like chux pads etc which will be about $75-125.
• Your midwife may also ask that you buy old picnic table liners from a dollar store to put under your tub to protect the carpet, and you will want to have old sheets and towels. (but that is usually purchased for less than $25)
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Website!
My new website is up and running! Please take a minute to check it out: www.newbirthmidwifery.comI have now ordered business cards, am in the process of making brochures and researching marketing strategies as to how to get my name out there. P.S. These are not the things you learn in midwifery school, so it's a trial and error basis!
I am renting a booth at this event called "Just Between Friends" in Eden Prairie from August 11-14, and would love to see you there! It's a garage sale put together professionally so it is almost like shopping in a department store but getting garage sale prices for gently used (or sometimes new!) items. Their website is www.jbfsale.com This would be a great place to get some great deals on maternity clothes, baby and kids clothes along with having the chance to talk to me about midwifery, home birth and I'm sure other vendors as well about relevant products or services. I will also plan to have a drawing for a pretty great prize (to be determined) if you come and sign up at my booth.
Hope to see you there, and please remember to check out my website!
Monday, June 28, 2010
A New Start
Some of you know that I was working at a free standing birth center in MN recently. Some of you may not know that I am no longer. It's a very long story, but the jist of it is that it wasn't the right fit for me at this time in my life. It was a time of Cullen and I doing some deep soul searching, talking to trusted loved ones, and praying hardcore about our future.
In the end, we decided that I would be done working at the birth center, and would start my own midwifery business. The peace that came flooding in over the next couple of days after Cullen and I made that decision astounded us. Really, we shouldn't have been at peace with me leaving a steady paycheck and starting a business that in time will be profitable, but in the beginning will mean me needing to take on jobs that pay less than we are used to me earning and aren't steady due to the nature of midwifery and me needing to have flexible employment. But God is abundantly faithful and provides for his children in ways beyond our wildest imaginations, and is proving that to us in the daily walk of life now.
The name of my new practice is New Birth Midwifery. I am really excited about this because it has a double meaning, showing the new birth that we have in Christ when we are born again (2nd Cor. 5:17), but it also has significance for those who do not yet know and believe who I hope to reach out to as well in this business. The fact is that most women still go to the hospital to have their babies. Actually, about 95% do. The hospitals in general are starting to realize that pregnant women are not sick and should not be treated as if they are, however, it is hard to change policies that have been in place for long periods of time. Some hospitals now have "birth centers" in which nurse-midwives do most of their care, this is a huge step in the right direction, however, there are still other options out that that will allow a woman to be more involved in her care, that will gently encourage her to be pro-active in becoming knowledgeable in her pregnancy and birth along with her husband and family.
Of course I could talk about this subject for hours, and write pages on it, and maybe as I continue to write, it will eventually amount to that, but for now, I will sign off on a happy note, knowing that all is well and hoping that if you're reading this and live in MN (within 1 1/2 hours of the Savage area) and are pregnant and want to talk about your options you will call or email me. If you know of someone who you think might be interested in midwifery care, please send them the link to this blog. I will be putting up a website soon, but for now, this will do.
In the end, we decided that I would be done working at the birth center, and would start my own midwifery business. The peace that came flooding in over the next couple of days after Cullen and I made that decision astounded us. Really, we shouldn't have been at peace with me leaving a steady paycheck and starting a business that in time will be profitable, but in the beginning will mean me needing to take on jobs that pay less than we are used to me earning and aren't steady due to the nature of midwifery and me needing to have flexible employment. But God is abundantly faithful and provides for his children in ways beyond our wildest imaginations, and is proving that to us in the daily walk of life now.
The name of my new practice is New Birth Midwifery. I am really excited about this because it has a double meaning, showing the new birth that we have in Christ when we are born again (2nd Cor. 5:17), but it also has significance for those who do not yet know and believe who I hope to reach out to as well in this business. The fact is that most women still go to the hospital to have their babies. Actually, about 95% do. The hospitals in general are starting to realize that pregnant women are not sick and should not be treated as if they are, however, it is hard to change policies that have been in place for long periods of time. Some hospitals now have "birth centers" in which nurse-midwives do most of their care, this is a huge step in the right direction, however, there are still other options out that that will allow a woman to be more involved in her care, that will gently encourage her to be pro-active in becoming knowledgeable in her pregnancy and birth along with her husband and family.
Of course I could talk about this subject for hours, and write pages on it, and maybe as I continue to write, it will eventually amount to that, but for now, I will sign off on a happy note, knowing that all is well and hoping that if you're reading this and live in MN (within 1 1/2 hours of the Savage area) and are pregnant and want to talk about your options you will call or email me. If you know of someone who you think might be interested in midwifery care, please send them the link to this blog. I will be putting up a website soon, but for now, this will do.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Long Delays
Well, it's not even so much of a delay as almost a whole new life I'm writing from now because it's been so very long since I've last written. About a year now I would suppose! I used to be such a faithful blogger (at least once every other day if not more!) while I was in the Philippines, but then I came back to the U.S, and I became a mentor. For some reason, I just didn't feel it was appropiate to share the intimate details of my mentee's lives online...
Anyway, I am writing on the weekend of graduation of my girls. It has been a fun, challenging, wonderful, sometimes hard year, but one that I know has grown and stretched me more than I could have ever imagined. I am so thankful for how it has brought me to a place of even deeper desire for God and readiness to go, do, or wait and stay as He calls.
The pressures continue to abound as to the next step in life, sometimes they are from outside sources, well meaning people in my life who want to know the next step, but other times they stem from my own anxious heart that still has a hard time with the "be still and wait for Him" part. I have always (well for most of my life) been ready and willing to go, but not so excited about the waiting part. It's funny to think that God doesn't do things the way that we expect Him to, and so that means that when we think we are ready, he says we are not, and we need to stay. It's not that he wants to frustrate me with the process, instead he knows the big picture and knows that His plans for me far exceed anything I can plan or imagine.
I am getting married in less than 1 month now, and that to me blows my mind. This time last year, I had just been dating Cullen for one week! And now I am looking forward to spending the rest of my life with him. I am so blessed. Once again, by my simple obedience to coming back to Bethany, moving back into the dorms that I lived in before as a student when what I really wanted to do was to be overseas delivering babies and taking care of poverty stricken mothers, I was blessed beyond measure. I had no idea that my coming back to the U.S. at that time would mean marriage in just 1 short (and yet looooong) year! It would be so much easier to obey if I knew the blessings that are in store for me, however, if we knew the trials that lay ahead would I also be so quick to obey?
I am in the middle of stressed out madness, busy beyond belief, but in everything God is good and faithful. I wonder though how brides handle the planning process if they don't enjoy planning parties or events? I do enjoy that kind of thing - or I did before I decided to try and plan a "party" for 350 people, maintain and grow a healthy relationship with my fiancee, love God, love my family, love my girls (all 7 of them!), nanny and do all the things that mentors do. If it can burn me out, I feel sorry for those who are not planners by nature.
I feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel, but I vary between being excited that it is finally visible to being anxious that it is approaching too quickly and I just don't have enough done or figured out yet! Now is the time for little details, and as much fun as it is to figure it out, I would enjoy it so much more if I had more than 24 hours in one day :)
See, now most of you probably have stopped reading by now, and I don't blame you, but as I type I realize just how soothing this is, and how much pressure it can relieve just to write out what is pent up inside rather than trying to find room for it there. And besides, it has been about a year since my last post, so I don't feel too bad.
I go on the mentor retreat tomorrow, and I am very excited about that, it will be a time of fellowship where the old mentors are able to pass on the baton to the new ones who are excited to take our place. After this week, I have a day and a half off before I start my new full time job as the kitchen PT supervisor! It's really because I'm a glutton for punishment I think that I've accepted a job that gives me full time hours for 2 weeks before my wedding, gives me the week before my wedding and one week after off and then back! It is a new exciting adventure that I am truly excited to venture out on, but the timing is crazy. The reason why I have to start now is because the new students (BCOM) arrive on August 24th, and Leah needs me in the position to be completely trained and prepared to accept them and work with them for a week so they know me before I take two weeks off for the wedding. Phew. Good thing I work well under pressure! I've only had 3 or so meltdowns since I've been planning this wedding since February - the unfortunate part is that Cullen has borne the brunt of those, but he still loves me, and for that I count my many blessings.
And here, I will end for now. I hope to blog more often in the weeks to come.
Anyway, I am writing on the weekend of graduation of my girls. It has been a fun, challenging, wonderful, sometimes hard year, but one that I know has grown and stretched me more than I could have ever imagined. I am so thankful for how it has brought me to a place of even deeper desire for God and readiness to go, do, or wait and stay as He calls.
The pressures continue to abound as to the next step in life, sometimes they are from outside sources, well meaning people in my life who want to know the next step, but other times they stem from my own anxious heart that still has a hard time with the "be still and wait for Him" part. I have always (well for most of my life) been ready and willing to go, but not so excited about the waiting part. It's funny to think that God doesn't do things the way that we expect Him to, and so that means that when we think we are ready, he says we are not, and we need to stay. It's not that he wants to frustrate me with the process, instead he knows the big picture and knows that His plans for me far exceed anything I can plan or imagine.
I am getting married in less than 1 month now, and that to me blows my mind. This time last year, I had just been dating Cullen for one week! And now I am looking forward to spending the rest of my life with him. I am so blessed. Once again, by my simple obedience to coming back to Bethany, moving back into the dorms that I lived in before as a student when what I really wanted to do was to be overseas delivering babies and taking care of poverty stricken mothers, I was blessed beyond measure. I had no idea that my coming back to the U.S. at that time would mean marriage in just 1 short (and yet looooong) year! It would be so much easier to obey if I knew the blessings that are in store for me, however, if we knew the trials that lay ahead would I also be so quick to obey?
I am in the middle of stressed out madness, busy beyond belief, but in everything God is good and faithful. I wonder though how brides handle the planning process if they don't enjoy planning parties or events? I do enjoy that kind of thing - or I did before I decided to try and plan a "party" for 350 people, maintain and grow a healthy relationship with my fiancee, love God, love my family, love my girls (all 7 of them!), nanny and do all the things that mentors do. If it can burn me out, I feel sorry for those who are not planners by nature.
I feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel, but I vary between being excited that it is finally visible to being anxious that it is approaching too quickly and I just don't have enough done or figured out yet! Now is the time for little details, and as much fun as it is to figure it out, I would enjoy it so much more if I had more than 24 hours in one day :)
See, now most of you probably have stopped reading by now, and I don't blame you, but as I type I realize just how soothing this is, and how much pressure it can relieve just to write out what is pent up inside rather than trying to find room for it there. And besides, it has been about a year since my last post, so I don't feel too bad.
I go on the mentor retreat tomorrow, and I am very excited about that, it will be a time of fellowship where the old mentors are able to pass on the baton to the new ones who are excited to take our place. After this week, I have a day and a half off before I start my new full time job as the kitchen PT supervisor! It's really because I'm a glutton for punishment I think that I've accepted a job that gives me full time hours for 2 weeks before my wedding, gives me the week before my wedding and one week after off and then back! It is a new exciting adventure that I am truly excited to venture out on, but the timing is crazy. The reason why I have to start now is because the new students (BCOM) arrive on August 24th, and Leah needs me in the position to be completely trained and prepared to accept them and work with them for a week so they know me before I take two weeks off for the wedding. Phew. Good thing I work well under pressure! I've only had 3 or so meltdowns since I've been planning this wedding since February - the unfortunate part is that Cullen has borne the brunt of those, but he still loves me, and for that I count my many blessings.
And here, I will end for now. I hope to blog more often in the weeks to come.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
March 2009 Newsletter
Dear Friends and Family,
It’s March 2009 now, and I have so much to share, I’m just about ready to burst! The most exciting news that I have for ya’ll is that I am engaged to be married to Cullen this fall! We are working out the details on a specific date still, but it’s looking like it will be September 12.
Cullen and I met online last May, and met in person last August when we both got to MN. I had been in the Philippines for 2 years getting my midwifery training, and he had been working as an electrical engineer in South Dakota and had been transferred here. We both were thinking that we would just be good friends, and I was hoping to make the move easier on him by introducing him to a good church (Bethany) and my friends so it wouldn’t be so lonely for him since he was relocating by himself, but God had other plans, and both of us have been very happy for that!
So we had been dating for 6 months, and he went out with my dad to a motorcycle show and at lunch (with my brother present as well!) asked my dad for his blessing to ask for my hand in marriage. I thought he would wait for a while to propose, but later that week, Friday actually, he brought me back to the park where we had first discovered we liked each other and got down on one knee. I was shocked, not expecting it at all, (I knew it was coming, but not so soon) and I was on a steady dose of cold meds so my brain was cloudy, but it was perfect, well except for him not hearing me say yes since I didn’t have much of a voice! But I clarified that quickly.
Another very exciting piece of news that I wanted to share with ya’ll is that Cullen and I will be leading a missions trip to Nicaragua this April! Cullen has less missions experience than I do (well, a lot of people do considering I was raised on the mission field!) and we wanted to do a trip together that would allow us to see each other in the missions setting, and find out what part missions will play in our future.
At first I was having a difficult time recruiting people to go with us, but when I sent out an email to the Bethany students here, all of the sudden I had more interest than I ever thought possible! We now have 10 committed team members, and a possibility for up to 19 total. Wow. God is working for sure, it’s not normal for this many people to be excited to give up their one week of vacation to go share the Gospel, and be His hands and feet.
We are able to visit the city dump and orphanage and get kids excited to come to the camp that we will be hosting for 3 days. Many of the kids we will minister to are not able to go to school because they don’t own the one pair of closed-toe shoes that is required for admittance. We will also be able to help do some construction and medical/mercy ministry to the families that live near the base. Adam and Rachel Todd are the missionaries that run the base, and they are graduates of Bethany.
The total trip cost will be about $950 per person, and this will cover airfare, food, lodging, transportation and teaching/construction supplies for the whole time we are there not only for the team members but also for the kids we will be ministering to.
Even though this team is made up of many Bethany students, most of them have not been overseas yet, and this will be a wonderful teaching opportunity for them as well to understand what missions is like, and help prepare them for their upcoming 16 month internships.
I would now like to close this letter by asking that you consider supporting me and the team either financially or by giving kids clothing, shoes, art/school supplies or sports equipment (that isn’t too big to pack) and also in prayer. If you choose to support me financially, the check can be made out to Bethany Church with a post-it note designating it for my trip to Nicaragua. That way it will be tax deductible. If tax deduction isn’t necessary for you, you can write out the check directly to me. I am attaching a support card which has more specifics for you on how to give.
Thank you so much for your faithfulness to the Lord in all you do, and for loving me and being a big part of my life for so many years now.
Always,
Jenny
It’s March 2009 now, and I have so much to share, I’m just about ready to burst! The most exciting news that I have for ya’ll is that I am engaged to be married to Cullen this fall! We are working out the details on a specific date still, but it’s looking like it will be September 12.
Cullen and I met online last May, and met in person last August when we both got to MN. I had been in the Philippines for 2 years getting my midwifery training, and he had been working as an electrical engineer in South Dakota and had been transferred here. We both were thinking that we would just be good friends, and I was hoping to make the move easier on him by introducing him to a good church (Bethany) and my friends so it wouldn’t be so lonely for him since he was relocating by himself, but God had other plans, and both of us have been very happy for that!
So we had been dating for 6 months, and he went out with my dad to a motorcycle show and at lunch (with my brother present as well!) asked my dad for his blessing to ask for my hand in marriage. I thought he would wait for a while to propose, but later that week, Friday actually, he brought me back to the park where we had first discovered we liked each other and got down on one knee. I was shocked, not expecting it at all, (I knew it was coming, but not so soon) and I was on a steady dose of cold meds so my brain was cloudy, but it was perfect, well except for him not hearing me say yes since I didn’t have much of a voice! But I clarified that quickly.
Another very exciting piece of news that I wanted to share with ya’ll is that Cullen and I will be leading a missions trip to Nicaragua this April! Cullen has less missions experience than I do (well, a lot of people do considering I was raised on the mission field!) and we wanted to do a trip together that would allow us to see each other in the missions setting, and find out what part missions will play in our future.
At first I was having a difficult time recruiting people to go with us, but when I sent out an email to the Bethany students here, all of the sudden I had more interest than I ever thought possible! We now have 10 committed team members, and a possibility for up to 19 total. Wow. God is working for sure, it’s not normal for this many people to be excited to give up their one week of vacation to go share the Gospel, and be His hands and feet.
We are able to visit the city dump and orphanage and get kids excited to come to the camp that we will be hosting for 3 days. Many of the kids we will minister to are not able to go to school because they don’t own the one pair of closed-toe shoes that is required for admittance. We will also be able to help do some construction and medical/mercy ministry to the families that live near the base. Adam and Rachel Todd are the missionaries that run the base, and they are graduates of Bethany.
The total trip cost will be about $950 per person, and this will cover airfare, food, lodging, transportation and teaching/construction supplies for the whole time we are there not only for the team members but also for the kids we will be ministering to.
Even though this team is made up of many Bethany students, most of them have not been overseas yet, and this will be a wonderful teaching opportunity for them as well to understand what missions is like, and help prepare them for their upcoming 16 month internships.
I would now like to close this letter by asking that you consider supporting me and the team either financially or by giving kids clothing, shoes, art/school supplies or sports equipment (that isn’t too big to pack) and also in prayer. If you choose to support me financially, the check can be made out to Bethany Church with a post-it note designating it for my trip to Nicaragua. That way it will be tax deductible. If tax deduction isn’t necessary for you, you can write out the check directly to me. I am attaching a support card which has more specifics for you on how to give.
Thank you so much for your faithfulness to the Lord in all you do, and for loving me and being a big part of my life for so many years now.
Always,
Jenny
Thursday, November 13, 2008
NARM
I just wanted to give a big Praise Jesus on my blog - I passed the NARM (North American Registry of Midwives) examination in October and it is all due to God giving me grace and strength. I am so filled with awe when I think about the journey that He has brought me on and how He has now seen fit to close the official schooling part of that journey (I will always be studying, but no longer in a formal capacity for midwifery) and is allowing me to concentrate on mentoring and discipling the BCOM students here.
Passing the NARM means that I can now apply to be licensed to practice midwifery in any US state where midwifery is legal and where they use the CPM credential as part of the licensing process. I am currently not pursuing getting my MN license because mentoring keeps me pretty busy but I am able to help at homebirths here and there with local midwives in the area and that is wonderful.
Thank you for all your support and faith in me through the past two years of preparing for this test and what lies ahead.
Passing the NARM means that I can now apply to be licensed to practice midwifery in any US state where midwifery is legal and where they use the CPM credential as part of the licensing process. I am currently not pursuing getting my MN license because mentoring keeps me pretty busy but I am able to help at homebirths here and there with local midwives in the area and that is wonderful.
Thank you for all your support and faith in me through the past two years of preparing for this test and what lies ahead.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
September 2008 Update
September 2008 Update
Dear Friends and Family,
My life has changed so much since returning to Minnesota 2 short months ago. Sometimes it feels like having lived in the Philippines for the last two years was just a dream. But then I remember the babies I delivered and the Christ-centered relationships I built with my patients and am blessed. The last two years in the Philippines were truly life changing and those experiences have molded me into the person I am today.
I am now settled into life here at Bethany College of Missions (BCOM). (http://www.bcom.org/) I am a mentor for 7 female college students and I spend 40+ volunteer hours a week with these girls encouraging them in all walks of life - in their spiritual, physical, emotional and social lives. The word ‘mentoring’ is becoming popular nowadays, with a wide variety of what this means in practical terms.
What does it mean to be a mentor at Bethany? The mentoring model here at Bethany is very close to the practical way Jesus mentored His disciples – he lived, worked and taught among them 24/7. So too, I’m
--Living embedded right in the midst of these girls’ dorm rooms, as their dorm rooms encircle mine. This means I am there for them modeling Christ in the evenings and weekends in the time and place where life-shaping decisions and disciplines are often made/learned.
--I eat my meals with them.
--I spend 2 hours a day working side by side with those on kitchen crew
--I lead a weekly 2-hour cell group time with them where we deal with the nitty-gritty personal issues of life.
--I meet with each girl one-on-one weekly for an hour to pray and encourage them on their journey in pursuit of God.
--I go to the prayer room with them throughout the week for chapel & prayer times.
--Once a month, I accompany them on their weekly outreach to the U of M campus where we intercede, share the message of Jesus’ transforming power and plant small-group churches. This campus of 52,000+ students is the largest in the nation and is teeming with internationals, so it is great prep for the mission field.
Mentoring at Bethany means something different than it does many other places that’s for sure! At BCOM, we are serious about preparing effective missionaries in a holistic way.
I am a support-raising volunteer, and aside from food and lodging, am responsible for providing my basic necessities while I mentor this year. I ask that you prayerfully consider continuing your financial support for me through this year, as the training I am receiving here is as vital a ministry as what I was doing in the Philippines for the last two years. Thank you for being involved in my life in this way.
The girls I have in my group are amazing. Their names are: Nicola, Tamsen, Naomi, Catherine, Autumn, Andrea and Lydia. Please add them to your prayer list. J I know this year will be a year of growth for all of us as we continue to seek God together. I am excited to learn much more about how to lead in a Godly way as I serve them and help them become the women that God wants them to be.
Mentoring is challenging in quite a different way than midwifery was. In the Philippines I enjoyed building relationships with the women, both before and after delivery. But here at Bethany the relationships are so much deeper and the task of forming Christ in these girls, to present them ready for missionary service after one year here, is much more time consuming. I believe that both of these experiences will tie together in the future, combining the medical expertise with the knowledge of leadership and discipling.
I will have the opportunity to attend births every once in a while with a local Christian midwife in MN, for which I am grateful. The first birth I plan to attend comes in October. Homebirth is much different than clinical birth like I am used to, so I am excited to learn this new facet of midwifery.
My commitment to mentoring at Bethany lasts through August of 2009. I am seeking the Lord for his guidance for this next step that he has prepared for me. I feel like it has to do with missions and midwifery, though the specifics are not yet clear. Please pray that God makes the path clear to me.
Thank you for staying involved in my life as I grow in leadership during this year. I will continue to send out updates, so if you know of someone who would like be on my distribution list, please email me and I will add them.
Blessings,
Jenny
Dear Friends and Family,
My life has changed so much since returning to Minnesota 2 short months ago. Sometimes it feels like having lived in the Philippines for the last two years was just a dream. But then I remember the babies I delivered and the Christ-centered relationships I built with my patients and am blessed. The last two years in the Philippines were truly life changing and those experiences have molded me into the person I am today.
I am now settled into life here at Bethany College of Missions (BCOM). (http://www.bcom.org/) I am a mentor for 7 female college students and I spend 40+ volunteer hours a week with these girls encouraging them in all walks of life - in their spiritual, physical, emotional and social lives. The word ‘mentoring’ is becoming popular nowadays, with a wide variety of what this means in practical terms.
What does it mean to be a mentor at Bethany? The mentoring model here at Bethany is very close to the practical way Jesus mentored His disciples – he lived, worked and taught among them 24/7. So too, I’m
--Living embedded right in the midst of these girls’ dorm rooms, as their dorm rooms encircle mine. This means I am there for them modeling Christ in the evenings and weekends in the time and place where life-shaping decisions and disciplines are often made/learned.
--I eat my meals with them.
--I spend 2 hours a day working side by side with those on kitchen crew
--I lead a weekly 2-hour cell group time with them where we deal with the nitty-gritty personal issues of life.
--I meet with each girl one-on-one weekly for an hour to pray and encourage them on their journey in pursuit of God.
--I go to the prayer room with them throughout the week for chapel & prayer times.
--Once a month, I accompany them on their weekly outreach to the U of M campus where we intercede, share the message of Jesus’ transforming power and plant small-group churches. This campus of 52,000+ students is the largest in the nation and is teeming with internationals, so it is great prep for the mission field.
Mentoring at Bethany means something different than it does many other places that’s for sure! At BCOM, we are serious about preparing effective missionaries in a holistic way.
I am a support-raising volunteer, and aside from food and lodging, am responsible for providing my basic necessities while I mentor this year. I ask that you prayerfully consider continuing your financial support for me through this year, as the training I am receiving here is as vital a ministry as what I was doing in the Philippines for the last two years. Thank you for being involved in my life in this way.
The girls I have in my group are amazing. Their names are: Nicola, Tamsen, Naomi, Catherine, Autumn, Andrea and Lydia. Please add them to your prayer list. J I know this year will be a year of growth for all of us as we continue to seek God together. I am excited to learn much more about how to lead in a Godly way as I serve them and help them become the women that God wants them to be.
Mentoring is challenging in quite a different way than midwifery was. In the Philippines I enjoyed building relationships with the women, both before and after delivery. But here at Bethany the relationships are so much deeper and the task of forming Christ in these girls, to present them ready for missionary service after one year here, is much more time consuming. I believe that both of these experiences will tie together in the future, combining the medical expertise with the knowledge of leadership and discipling.
I will have the opportunity to attend births every once in a while with a local Christian midwife in MN, for which I am grateful. The first birth I plan to attend comes in October. Homebirth is much different than clinical birth like I am used to, so I am excited to learn this new facet of midwifery.
My commitment to mentoring at Bethany lasts through August of 2009. I am seeking the Lord for his guidance for this next step that he has prepared for me. I feel like it has to do with missions and midwifery, though the specifics are not yet clear. Please pray that God makes the path clear to me.
Thank you for staying involved in my life as I grow in leadership during this year. I will continue to send out updates, so if you know of someone who would like be on my distribution list, please email me and I will add them.
Blessings,
Jenny
Saturday, September 13, 2008
BCOM Mentoring
My life has changed drastically since returning to MN a few short months ago. Life in the Philippines almost seems like a far off dream from the past already but it hasn't even been 2 months since that time.
I am now settled into life here at Bethany College of Missions. (http://www.bcom.org/) I am a mentor (think glorified Resident Assistant) for 7 girls and I spend 30 or so hours a week with these girls encouraging them in all walks of life - in their spiritual, physical and emotional and social lives. I am a volunteer, and raising support to provide for basic necessities for this next year. If you feel God leading you to give, please see the side bar on this blog for ways to help.
The girls I have in my group are amazing. I know this year will be a year of growth for all of us as we continue to seek God together. I am excited to learn much more about how to lead in a Godly way as I serve them and watch them become the women that God wants them to be.
Mentoring is challenging in a different way than midwifery was. Both have to do with relationships, but in different aspects. In some way they do go together and I know both will tie together in the future because my knowledge of midwifery is allowing me to come alongside these women and encourage growth but not hover or demand it. And learning this kind of leadership will allow me to be a better midwife someday.
I have the opportunity to attend births every once in a while with a local Christian midwife in MN, for which I am grateful. The first birth I plan to attend comes in October. Homebirth is much different than clinical birth like I am used to, so I am excited to learn this new facet of midwifery.
Thank you for staying involved in my life as I grow in leadership during this year. I will continue to send out updates every few months, so if you are not on my distribution list, please email me and ask to be added.
Blessings,
Jenny
Jenny
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Travels
My brother was so amazing in being willing to take some time off work to drive me to and from Iowa to take my NARM exam so that i could maximize studying time on the way there. We left around 2pm from MN and arrived a little after 6pm.
We had dinner, I studied a little more and then went to bed at 10pm. I was restless all night so sure that I wouldn't wake up to either of the two alarms I had set for 6:30am, but I woke up no problem, David and I had a great waffle breakfast compliments of the hotel and were on our way to the exam site.
I waited in the wrong area and I got nervous when no one showed up and it was almost 8am when the test was supposed to start, but a lady showed me where to go and I made it to the test in time. The first section of 175 questions took me until 10:30am, we took a 1/2 hour break and then the second section took from 11am to 1pm.
In some ways the test was easier than the final exam that I did pass at Newlife School of Midwifery (where I graduated from in June) but in other ways the questions were subject and a little on the frustrating side. I did my best and hope that I passed, but I won't find out for another 3-6 weeks! The wait might kill me :)
Because I finished the test earlier than expected, I was able to get to MN by 6pm, and I turned right around and joined the BCOM mentors for the tail end of the mentor retreat. So in the span of 12 hours I was in IA, MN and then WI! Yikes.
All went well, except when I was less than a mile away from the campsite in WI I HIT A DEER!!! Yikes. That was intensely scary! It came bounding out of cornfields and I had no time to stop, but since I was only going about 20 mph, it bounced onto the hood of my parents' car, then over the windshield and then over the roof into the ditch, but there was no blood, and when we went looking for the deer later, we couldn't find it so I don't think I killed it. It was a big buck though - about 1.5 times my size! I have never run over anything thus far - not even a squirrel, so that was frightening, but God definitely was protecting me. Thank you Jesus :)
We had dinner, I studied a little more and then went to bed at 10pm. I was restless all night so sure that I wouldn't wake up to either of the two alarms I had set for 6:30am, but I woke up no problem, David and I had a great waffle breakfast compliments of the hotel and were on our way to the exam site.
I waited in the wrong area and I got nervous when no one showed up and it was almost 8am when the test was supposed to start, but a lady showed me where to go and I made it to the test in time. The first section of 175 questions took me until 10:30am, we took a 1/2 hour break and then the second section took from 11am to 1pm.
In some ways the test was easier than the final exam that I did pass at Newlife School of Midwifery (where I graduated from in June) but in other ways the questions were subject and a little on the frustrating side. I did my best and hope that I passed, but I won't find out for another 3-6 weeks! The wait might kill me :)
Because I finished the test earlier than expected, I was able to get to MN by 6pm, and I turned right around and joined the BCOM mentors for the tail end of the mentor retreat. So in the span of 12 hours I was in IA, MN and then WI! Yikes.
All went well, except when I was less than a mile away from the campsite in WI I HIT A DEER!!! Yikes. That was intensely scary! It came bounding out of cornfields and I had no time to stop, but since I was only going about 20 mph, it bounced onto the hood of my parents' car, then over the windshield and then over the roof into the ditch, but there was no blood, and when we went looking for the deer later, we couldn't find it so I don't think I killed it. It was a big buck though - about 1.5 times my size! I have never run over anything thus far - not even a squirrel, so that was frightening, but God definitely was protecting me. Thank you Jesus :)
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
NARM Board Exam
This will be the shortest post yet, because I am running out the door to drive to Iowa for my test, but I wanted to ask that people who check my blog remember to pray for me and my two friends Laura and Tiffany who are all taking the NARM board exam this Wednesday, August 20th.
The test will take the whole day, is 350 questions I have been told and is very important for me to pass. :) Thanks for your prayers and interest in my life.
I won't find out if I passed or not for 3 more weeks, but here's to hoping! :D
The test will take the whole day, is 350 questions I have been told and is very important for me to pass. :) Thanks for your prayers and interest in my life.
I won't find out if I passed or not for 3 more weeks, but here's to hoping! :D
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Lois this is for you!
Making hummus at home turned into a family effort! I found garbanzo beans with Rebecca's help at the Super Walmart, then the twins were instrumental in helping me shell all of them as the rest of the family groaned at the effort it took. Then Rebecca and my dad went to a different grocery store to find me the Tahini that I needed, then our blender/food processor just wasn't cutting it so my mom bought a new one at walmart! Yikes. Good thing the hummus turned out good - of course that was a given seeing as my teacher was amazing! Thanks Lois! :) Loves to you.
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