2014 Goals, Reduced Speed Ahead

2013, like 2012, was a very hard year. The first half was studying, NARM exam, finishing up homeschooling. The second half was dealing with major medical issues (still ongoing), finding alternative options, taking care of myself… along with a few wonderful births in the mix. Due to medical issues, I’ve been granted an extension on my midwifery studies, which gives me a big breath of fresh air with less stress having to finish in less than a year.

Here were my goals for 2013:
Every semester – submit AAMI midwifery studies assignments
Every day – study for the NARM exam up until the 2nd week of Feb
February - fly to the US for 2 weeks, sit for the NARM exam and then enjoy some time with my mom
March/April - wait nervously for the NARM results
May - work on starting an ICAN of Thailand (Cesarean awareness chapter)
September – fly to Sydney, Australia for the Trust Birth Conference
December – finish the breastfeeding counselor certification (time to stop dragging my heels on this one!)
All year – not so many births.

So how did I do during 2013? I did submit AAMI work, I did study for the NARM exam and took the test in February and found out in March that I did PASS. I decided that ICAN will not work so well from here and am brainstorming other Cesarean awareness/recovery support options. I did attend the Trust Birth Conference in Sydney, an amazing experience where I met so many midwives and like-minded birth workers (another blog on that someday). I did attend a few births last year. One special birth comes to mind: first time mother, waterbirth, caught her own baby… amazing!

Here are my goals for 2014:
Every semester – submit AAMI midwifery studies assignments
Every day – work on midwifery studies a minimum of 30 minutes a day
June/July – hopefully visit the USA and while there recertify for CPR/NRP
All year – not so many births. Just enough to be able to start precepting an apprentice.

I really am slowing down. I have been push push pushing for about 8 years, when I first started with CBI studying to be a doula. 8 years, 1000s of study hours, CPM, 150 births later… I’m tired.

Longterm Goals
Fall 2016 - graduate from AAMI. This keeps getting pushed back. I’m making steps and getting closer. Was due to finish Dec 2014, but if I pace myself without overdoing reading/studying, which is hard on my eyes, I think I can finish by then. I’ve been given an unlimited extension, but if I focus on “unlimited” I’ll procrastinate, so let me make the Fall 2016 deadline public so I’m held accountable!
2016 - I am seriously considering going beyond my Masters in Midwifery. Naturopath Doctor is next.