me! Me! ME!!!

So - everything I did for me had to do with doulaing/midwifery.

1. Paid for the deposit, and put the rest needed to the side for the Doula Training Workshop in August.


2. Got a subscription to Mothering Magazine - I need to get one to Midwifery Today too, but I'm dragging my feet.


3. Paid off my 401(k) loan - which relates because that's one more monetary monkey offa me back


4. And paid off the so-called 'EZ Loan' my credit union suckered me into.

So technically, I didn't do anything really FUN - but it was all worthwhile, certainly. *sigh*

I've finished one of the books I have to read for DONA - Birth Partner. I had an old edition (1989!) but - it was still very useful. It's odd - I think that this is going to be rather - simple. The learning process at least - it's going to be the practical that's going to be a hoot and a half. I've started on Pregnancy, Childbirth, & the Newborn - but that book is SOOO chockfulla knowledge, I'm going to have to take it slow. I'm also going to part of a CBE series that the midwife who I am going to try & network with is running. I missed the first class *poutpout* which was last Monday, but at least I'll be able to attend the last two - for free! I'm still looking for a class that will cover the requirements - I figure the more stuff I have done before the workshop - the more I'll be able to focus on getting births AFTER the workshop.

My computer is going to be really important to me - it's interesting - when we came down here looking at apartments, the local newspaper was running a series of articles about the DREADFUL infant and maternal mortality rate in Memphis - and I want to see if 1) anyone has tried to get a grant program for doulas started in Memphis to help those momma's & babies and 2) if they haven't - whether I can get one started up. *sigh* After reading about the main causes of premature birth (constant societal stress (poverty, abuse, drug use), poor maternal nutritional health) I'm not sure how much a doula might be able to help, but heaven KNOWS midwives certainly would. It'll be - interesting, to say the least.

My boss is pregnant, and she's due right after the training, and I'm trying to figure out a way to mention the whole doulaing thing to her. *sigh* I know that AFTER the training, depending on how births and so forth work out, I'm going to have to talk to her about my 'moonlighting' (ah, for the day that this WILL be my only job!!), but - I'm not sure if it'll be in time. I've been seeing so MANY pregnant women - and as I'm not quite ready, I'm not approaching them, but everytime I see one, I wonder how WOULD I approach them? My shyness is going to have to die a rapid death. *nods*