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Original poster

Advice on new career with pregnant women and new mums

130 replies

Pupuce · 14/02/2002 21:58

All right.... I need some advice. Some of you know that I am going to be out of a job in a few months (other thread) and I am seriously considering a change of direction...
I love the subject of pregnancy and care of babies... and whilst some of you believe I regurgitate GF stuff only I am much more open minded than that.
What sort of training are you familiar with (I read some of you have worked with Michel Odent) that might help me get more professional experience in these fields (I don't mind retraining) - I am not sure what sort of job I would do (yet), but it would have to be with pregnant mums and with mothers of young children... Any suggestion/experience/advice MUCH appreciated

OP posts:
GRMUM · 20/03/2002 15:52

In my book of mythology Priapos is the greek god of fertility - anyway I don't think you will want his name -he's the guy on the postcards that people always send from Greece - the one with the huge erection!!!
As far as Greek words go I can suggest:
TOKETOS which means birth and some dictionaires also put that it means the "laying in period" (40 days here in Greece and many women still stay at home for those 40 days with someone to help them)
STORGI which means loving care
MAYA which means midwife
Going back to Gods and Goddesses of fertility I found a brilliant website here type in fertility to their site search engine and it will give you many great ideas!!
Good luck with finding a name and all the best with the new venture.

Original poster
Pupuce · 21/03/2002 14:50

Thank you for those ideas... didn't know Mumsnet had such Greek experts ;-)
I will look into these and will let you know the resukt. It may be a while yet - so more suggestions are welcome !

OP posts:
Original poster
pupuce · 08/05/2002 09:38

Hello everyone- Wanted to update you on my new career... still with corporate employer until October but have some time to train now as my current job is not keeping me fully occupied (that's fab BTW and I know I am lucky in that regard)... Starting BF counsellor training today... and the Doula training next week... it is all very exciting. I have a "Start your own business" workshop next week so should know better then how the hell I am going to make money. I know it will never be the same kind of money as what I make now, so DH is going to work - he is a SAHD... turning into yoga teacher/alternative therapist. These are great changes ahead - all sound very exciting.... when not a bit scary (financially mainly).
Thank you all for the great support I have receive on and off line !

OP posts:
ScummyMummy · 08/05/2002 10:32

Fantastic, Pupuce. Good luck with all these new ventures!

tigermoth · 08/05/2002 10:44

Good luck, pupuce. How exciting when plans start to become reality

SueW · 08/05/2002 10:52

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request.

Lizzer · 08/05/2002 11:02

Brilliant Pupuce! Good luck with everything - I'd let you advise me on anything (except 'you know who' of course!)

Original poster
pupuce · 08/05/2002 11:10

No SueW - can you give me more details ? I'll e-mail you offline.
Thanks

P.S. Lizzer - I am debating you know who to death with the bf counsellors it is a very interesting debate as you might imagine. At least some of the things they are saying are very interesting.

OP posts:
Lizzer · 08/05/2002 11:24

Pupuce, hmmmm...very interested in that news, are you sticking to your guns or realising she IS a complete nut after all?

ScummyMummy · 08/05/2002 11:29

Ooooohh Lizzer, you skater on thin ice you! I like it. Sorry, Pupuce!

Original poster
pupuce · 08/05/2002 12:11

No she isn't a nut... you can't be if you are clever enough to make millions writing the obvious ;-)

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Janus · 08/05/2002 12:12

Pupuce, best of luck to you and your husband with all your plans. I certainly could have done with a breastfeeding counsellor as my HV told me when my daughter was not gaining sufficient weight (in her opinion) that I should STAND UP to breastfeed, for at least 45 minutes a time. What a nut!! I had a huge complex then that I was to blame for my daughter's weight etc and made me totally question what I was doing and made me tense for a while when breastfeeding. I finally decided she was insane and carried on as normal! Could definitely have done with seeing someone who was properly trained in that area. I bet you'll be so busy! Good luck again.

Marina · 08/05/2002 12:25

Good luck Pupuce, nice to know you're about to embark on your new venture. Have fun and keep us posted!
Lizzer, I saw something in one of the weekend papers, possibly Sat Telegraph or Observer, that there is the beginnings of a Gina backlash. Have you been infiltrating the press?

aloha · 08/05/2002 12:50

Just to say Good Luck, and if I ever have a daughter I'm now undecided between Maya and Lucina as names. They're both lovely. What did you choose Pupuce?

Original poster
pupuce · 08/05/2002 13:08

Name yet not 100% sure but I will let you know.

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Alibubbles · 08/05/2002 13:26

Pupuce, good luck with the Doula training. Out of interest, who have you decided to go with in the end?

Have you come across the book Mothering the mother, recommended reading before going on a doula course, if you can't get it, I'll look mine out, it's somewhere amongst the 300+ books I have on childcare etc!

Original poster
pupuce · 08/05/2002 13:35

Yes I have the book - thanks.
I am going to train with Michel Odent and with Birth and Bonding International (2 different trainings). I have associated myself with Doula UK (as you have) versus the (IMO too business/money oriented not vocational enough) Top Notch doulas (now called British doulas).

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jodee · 08/05/2002 15:29

Good luck Pupuce - what an exciting new step for you all!

Croppy · 08/05/2002 15:32

That is what I and no dount many others don't undestand Pupuce. Why do people buy her book when it is stating the bleeding obvious anyway? We all get there in the end so why be so bossy about it all?

Alibubbles · 08/05/2002 15:49

Pupuce, I know what you mean about Top Notch! They emailed me and asked if I was interested in training to be a doula with British Doulas, I sent a curt note back and said for your info I have already done it through yourselves, and have not had any offers of work from them. I prefer local contacts and referals, and thats what I'll continue with.

Be prepared to sit and listen to Michel Odent for hours on end, it is not particularly interactive. If someone cites an experience or an example, he states constantly " one case does not make a statistic"! Nonetheless, he is very knowledgeable and very interesting, so much so I subscribed to his medical journals for a while as they make fascinating reading on all sorts of controversial subjects.

sis · 08/05/2002 16:34

Good luck Pupuce, glad you made the work problem into a great opportunity!

Original poster
pupuce · 08/05/2002 16:48

Croppy - Because it isn't bloody obvious to everyone - and regardless there is a lot of useful advise in that book... even if you can't stand the tone. But to each his own !!!!

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Croppy · 08/05/2002 16:52

I was only quoting your good self regarding it being "obvious"!!!!!!

tigermoth · 08/05/2002 22:24

I recently read a short newspaper article on Gina Ford. One fact made me ponder: apparently she slept in the same bed as her mother to the age of 10 years. She said never got a good night's sleep and was always tired during school hours. Even today, she is a bad sleeper and blames this on sharing a bed when young. If one assumes her mother was a fan of attachment parenting, is the CLLB a product of Gina's rebellion?

Eek ... have I now upset pupuce and Serena in one go!

I'm sure you'll both rise above it, and Pupuce, I'm positive you know more about Gina's background than me

bloss · 08/05/2002 23:49

Message withdrawn

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