Advice on new career with pregnant women and new mums

[Pupuce]

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

Good luck, Pupuce.

When will you be able to start dealing with mothers? Will you advertise yourself in magazines or through an agency? As clients approach you, do you tell them that you like to work on GF principles or do you follow the woman's lead? I certainly don't think you're going to be able to complain that your job is boring - every day is going to be different!!

Pupuce - I think this all sounds fascinating - I am considering training as a bfc and will be really interested to know how you get on.
I have been really impressed with the way you work the GF routines, in fact it seems that you have really made them your own. However, speaking as someone who would have well approached you/someone like you had the service been available where I live for some problems I encountered with my dd when she was small, I would have to say I would have wanted to know that youfollowed these routines and agreed with them, as I really dont. Being upfront is always the best.
GOOD LUCK - you really deserve it!!!

Thanks for the kind words... Bloss give it up - you won't convince them ! Glad she was helpful to you.

SueDonim - I hope to start caring for mums this summer but will only start doing it for money in October (if I have any client!!!!). So I am a free doula in the meantime... anyone interested ???
I don't want to work on GF principle (and that would only be relevant if I do any post natal doula work) - I can see that GF is not for everyone.

Susanmt : If asked I would say that I have used GF's routine with my son but when I have had advice from a doula myself, it never occured to me to ask her if she was pro-AP (and I know she was)... she gave me the advice I was looking for and style of parenting was not an issue.
It is a bit of a double standard for me to say upfront I AM A GF DISCIPLE (which I am not ) whilst others who don't agree with her are not asked to say I REALLY DO NOT BELIEVE IN GF' STUFF.
What do you think ?

My work is not going to be about raising babies but pregnancy and labour. If asked (during pregnancy) whether to put a baby on a routine...my answer would be : it depends what you'd like to do and what you mean by routine... if the answer is yes I want to have a routine, then I would say GF is a good example but not to be used before a baby is at least 2 weeks old and to remember X, Y and Z (which would be based on my experience).... but if no one asks me I am not going to say : And I hope you plan to use a routine, here is GF's book BTW.

Aside from the routine, there are loads of good common sense advice in GF' book which you can find in other books as well. I use this advice all the time (and I don't think it is GF specific and should be used with a pre-warning : it's in GF's book)

Marina [stage whisper] shhhh....don't tell anyone about my covert mission to infiltrate the press- its a secret!

Pupuce, I'm convinced you are the right person for this job as I could never be as impartial to GF as I know YOU could be with AP or any non-routine. Its really the best of both worlds for your clients, good luck again from me

[lizzer skates off yonder to find some thicker ice! tum-tee-tum...]

Good luck pupuce, I would love to have you as a doula but don't live anywhere near you unfortunately. Good luck with it all.

Why is it always called a routine and not a choice of parenting??

Good luck Pupuce as someone who is just entering a new venture myself I know the emotions felt excitement and just a little bit scary too

That's nice Star - Thank you
Good luck for your career !

Pupuce, I think it does need to be said, because GF has become SUCH a controvertial topic in the recent past. People I know who don't have kids have heard of it and I havehad discussions about it with people only weeks pregnant, not instigated by me!!
Personally I think that anyone involved in caring for pregnant women and new babies should make their philosophies on this clear.
BTW, maybe I'm being stupid here, it's a long time since I read the CLBB, but are you going to recommend the scheduled bf as a bfc, or demand feeding (without which I would not be a breastfeeder as I took the advice of a bfc to have a weekend 'feed-in' where I stayed in bed all weekend with dd aged 3 weeks until my supply caught up - it was bliss!)
Just interested! I thnk it all sounds fascinating.

I promised to keep you up to date... so here it is !
I have left my employer on Friday.... felt very happy to do so but a bit anxious (DH is a SAHD and I was the only one bringing a salary so leaving safe employment is not necessarily smart)... never mind!
I have now set up my business for which I had loads of advice and support on here... it is called Nurturing Birth. You can have a look at the website (not 100% finished - pictures still to come for example)
www.nurturingbirth.co.uk

I will have a stand at the Kent parenting show this week-end (at the Hop Farm Country Park in Paddock Wood)... if any mumsnetter happens to drop by... please come and say hello (don't need to say what your nickname is)... so we'll see how business will go.

Any suggestion is welcome !

Susanmt - sorry I had not seen your question before.
As a birth doula it makes no difference what I believe in as it isn't about my belief or my experiences but about empowering women to have the birth they wish for. As a bf counsellor I will recommend BF on demand but will spend time explaining what "on demand" is which is actually one of GF's points... the reason "on demand" doesn't always work is because some mums don't understand what that means and wait too long (i.e. baby cries of hunger) before they feed him -
As a postnatal doula I am also not there to tell them what to do but to give them support and help them in their daily arrangements... if they are routine, well I'll support their routine (GF or not) if they are not routine, then I'll still help them. They are not my family and I can't pretend that what works for me works for them ! It's like if I did co-sleeping and recommended it to all my mums.... it is a personal choice !

Great website, pupuce. Although my birth experiences were generally quite happy, I think I would have really benefitted from a doula for the first one in particular. If only I'd known that such a thing existed!
I hope it works out well for you.

Go, Pupuce! I think the website already looks great. Very best of luck to you, living your dream, you lucky woman.

Congratulations Pupuce.
It is great to read through this thread and watch the progress of your idea from dream to reality.
Very well done on making the break from a secure job to do something you really want to do.
I wish you every success.

Good Luck, very interesting website (wish I had had access to someone like you when I was pregnant)Its all very inspiring- I feel I am at a real crossroads in my life and you have inspired me to really look at myself and take some decisions instead of faffing around feeling sorry for myself!! Thank you and again Good Luck

pupuce, it's a great website, best of luck!

Well done Pupuce. I really admire you for what you have done from Feburary to October. A huge, brave step; in something you believed in, wanted to do, and actually went ahead and did it!!!

Brilliant!! Couldnt get onto your site, but will come back to look later. Good luck at the show.

Congratulations Pupuce, wish you and your husband lots of success for the future with your chosen careers. Can't seem to get into the website either.
PS Do you have any advice on an arrangement you can set up for someone to help you if your baby arrives early? Don't know if this is your field but basically I am due next April and my Mum is coming 10 days early (all she can manage) to hopefully look after my daughter when I go into labour (family live 4/5 hours away). I have just moved to a completely new area and am now terrified I may go into labour early and have no-one to leave my daughter with should I go into labour early. Is there someone you can employ for this sort of scenario? I could get other friends to come and stay from further away but they have their own children, work etc, to worry about, MIL going away until after the birth, etc, am beginning to panic about going through childbirth on my own while partner looks after daughter! Should I start a new thread?

Thanks to all for your nice comments - Apologies for the link not working...
Just cut and paste : www.nurturingbirth.co.uk .... that should work !

Janus : first of all you can ask your MW what happens if you do indeed become stuck - i.e. can you bring DD to the labour ward (I have seen it done).
You could get in touch with a babysitting agency and see how fast they can provide a baby sitter... I do know your problem, I have NO relative in this country and only a handful of friends that I could have considered leaving DS with... and even these were not that simple... so had a home birth.... and it was when he went to bed (strong contractions started at 1800... he goes to bed at 1845.... nature's way!).... these things always work themselves out. You could look into getting a birth doula and get her to look after DD (it won't be the cheap option but it is a possibility!)

When are you due ? Was your DD born before or after her EDD and was it a long labour ?

Just wanted to add my congratulations - must feel really satisfying to see your web site up and running - I think you're very brave - but I'm sure you'll be a big success as you're very good at it!

Pupuce, don't want to nick your thread but bascially due 5th April, dd was an e-section so won't feel comfortable with a home birth as we actually lost her heart beat etc and can't go through this happening whilst at home (know likelihood is million to one but...). She was a quick labour, went from 1cm to 10cm in less than 5 hours so this is why I'm worried! Will think about it a bit nearer the time I think! Thanks for your comments.

Fabulous website. Hope it all goes well.

Pupuce did you read the article in today's Independent? Woman called Nikki Bradford has written a book about Childbirth/labour and speaks very highly about the role of Doulas - all helps to spread the word doesn't it? I'm sure there are still lots of women out there who have still never heard of one. The book's called 'Childbirth doesn't have to hurt' !

I hadn't but now I have, Thanks

Here is more on what medical research says about doulas in labour :

www.goedkoop.vispa.com/medicalviews.html