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.

GOALS 2011

Here were my goals for 2010:

“Every quarter - submit AAMI midwifery studies assignments
June/July 2010 - visit USA for visiting family and do some midwifery networking and/or workshop
Dec 2010 - complete breastfeeding counselor certification
Dec/Jan - another short visit for apprenticeship and apply for 2 months following summer (I think this will become an annual Christmas visit and then every other summer visit)”

So what did I accomplish? I only submitted one quarter of work. I did not plan on having so many births this year or going to B---urma, or going to the USA on an unplanned visit, or my dad getting terminal cancer. And I feel OK with only that submission. I worked a lot on other assignments that I can submit this next year. I was able to do a lot of networking while in the USA for the summer and also while there managed to complete my Neonatal Resuscitation certification and my CPR for the Professional Rescuer certification. Still working on the lactation counselor certification. I did complete some reading for it and also got special permission for some of the readings to be altered so that the same assignments would also work for midwifery school. I did just get back from Bali (that’s another post) and did more births and initial prenatals there.

My goals for 2011 will be fewer as I can’t predict what my father’s health will do. But I’m doing fewer births here in Bangkok so that I can focus on my studies, and once the twins start school in August, I will have more time during the day for studies. Our house will also be under construction this spring so I’ll have to pick assignments that will work if my office area is in shambles. Once the construction is done, I should have a nice area for doing breastfeeding support and prenatals. And my library should be organized (I love my books!).

2011 Goals

Every semester – submit AAMI midwifery studies assignments

Feb – NARM secondary skills checkoffs (hopefully all of them)

June – NARM protocols finished

June/July – back to Bali to complete my apprenticeship!

August – begin intense studies for the NARM exam

Nov – quick 4 day trip to Bali to finalize all NARM paperwork

Dec 2011 - complete breastfeeding counselor certification

Dec/Jan – back to Bali for catching babies without stressing over requirements!

Longterm Goals
Fall 2012 - take NARM exam at the MANA conference
December 2013 - graduate from AAMI
Spring 2014 - Begin legal process and final language study to be the first licensed foreign/Western midwife in Thailand
2015 & Beyond - I can dream about opening a birth clinic here.

Goals 2010

Here were my January 2009 goals:

* Every quarter submit AAMI midwifery studies assignments

* June/July 2009 - gain a lot of experience during my short-term apprenticeship

* Dec 2009 - 1/2 way through breastfeeding counselor assignments and support

* June 2012 - apprentice, take NARM exam during our 1 year sabbatical in the US

* December 2012 - graduate from AAMI

* Aug 2013 - return to Thailand and begin legal process to practice midwifery while teaching CBE, labor assisting, and giving breastfeeding support

* Blogging more on my green blog. Updating my twin blog because, you know, babies grow.

* Doing my Bible reading BEFORE studying midwifery!

So how did I do with my 2009 goals? I did manage to submit 2 quarters of assignments and got honor roll one time! Had a fabulous apprenticeship in June/July and ended up doing a second one in Dec/Jan. Completed 2/3 of my clinical skills. Finished more than half of my Breastfeeding Counselor certification. I've done all of the support hours, just 4 more books to read and a couple written assignments to go. Did I update my twin blog last year? I don't even know, so probably I didn't LOL. And I did manage to do a lot more Bible study before midwifery study :)

After my apprenticeships this summer and winter, I was able to get a better idea of what I need to do to graduate from AAMI and get my CPM, so my goals for 2010 will show some of that. And here are the 2010 goals.

2010 Goals
Every quarter - submit AAMI midwifery studies assignments
June/July 2010 - visit USA for visiting family and do some midwifery networking and/or workshop
Dec 2010 - complete breastfeeding counselor certification
Dec/Jan - another short visit for apprenticeship and apply for 2 months following summer (I think this will become an annual Christmas visit and then every other summer visit)

Longterm Goals
June/July 2012 - (if no sabbatical) network with local midwives to finish NARM/CPM requirements
Fall 2012 or Spring 2013 - take NARM exam
December 2012 - graduate from AAMI
Spring 2013 - Begin legal process and final language study to be the first licensed foreign/Western midwife in Thailand
2015 - Open Birth Clinic!

New 2009 and Beyond Goals

The last time I wrote out goals was September of 2007 when my twins were just 3 months old. A lot has happened since then.

Here are the goals then:

17 September 2007
New Goals for 2007 and on

Dec 2007 - finish certificates in Natural Living and Natural Health with HAcres

Jan 2008 - do full-time enrollment with AAMI's midwifery program

Dec 2008 - complete CBI doula certification births

between these dates, I'd like to find some lactation education/consultant courses as well

June 2012 - finish AAMI course, apprentice, take NARM exam during our 1 year sabbatical in the US

Aug 2013 - return to Thailand and begin legal process to practice midwifery while teaching CBE and labor assisting

Wow, this is all so daunting, but seeing how many goals I met in the previous post make this seem a little more possible!

How did I do with those goals?
*I did not complete the Natural Living certifications yet BUT a lot of those books and assignments correspond with my midwifery studies so they'll be done when working on that segment.
*In Dec. of 2007 I got a scholarship for AAMI and enrolled. Deferred enrollment until the babies were one yr old and started up "full time" August 1st 2008.
*Finished the Doula Certification, so now I'm a certified doula!
*In October of 2008 I did enroll with a lactation counselor program. I've had many opportunities since then to help women with breastfeeding.

And now for my goals for 2009 and beyond:

Every quarter submit AAMI midwifery studies assignments.

June/July 2009 - gain a lot of experience during my short-term apprenticeship

Dec 2009 - 1/2 way through breastfeeding counselor assignments and support

June 2012 - apprentice, take NARM exam during our 1 year sabbatical in the US

December 2012 - graduate from AAMI

Aug 2013 - return to Thailand and begin legal process to practice midwifery while teaching CBE, labor assisting, and giving breastfeeding support

It's hard at this point to give specific dates for accomplishing things as really it's just from one quarter to the next. I'll try to at least give a rundown each quarter for what I accomplished.

I have a few other personal goals, such as getting back to more walking and yoga. Blogging more on my green blog. Updating my twin blog because, you know, babies grow. Doing my Bible reading BEFORE studying midwifery!

Have a blessed 2009 everyone!

My Goals Revisited

Hi Everyone!! Been a long time since posting, but after a twin pregnancy and now 5 week old twins, posting wasn't so important for a while. Now in the process of updating all blogs.

In my Feb. 4, 2006 post, I listed my goals for the next few years. I figure now that the babies are here and I have a few minutes during the day, I need to know where I was to know where to pick back up. Next post, I'll update my goals.

Here's what I put in Feb. 2006 and what I did with that goal.

2 more children fit somewhere into the scheme of this...And I'm sure the dates will change (well, who would've thought this would come true so fast. twins definitely fit the "2 more children" bit!)

Feb 2006 - enroll with CBI (Childbirth International) Doula and
Childbirth Educator program (DONE)

June 2006 - finish certificates in Natural Living and Natural Health with HAcres (not done, started up again this week, should finish in about 3 months)

June 2007 - finish CBI training unless certification births not available (July 2007, finished my Childbirth Educator portions, just waiting for feedback and certification in the mail. Doula portion, I need two more births... not easy with nursing two babies... maybe a long time before this happens)

June 2007 - enroll with AAMI (Ancient Art Midwifery Institute), beginning with their ITM (Intro to Midwifery) course (enrolled Dec. 2006)

Dec 2007 - finish ITM (finished July 2007 barely meeting the due date, exactly one week before the babies arrived!... a different post coming up about the course)

the next 3 goals are still in the plans

Jan 2008 - enroll with AAMI's midwifery program or NMI (National Midwifery Institute)

June 2012 - finish AAMI course, apprentice, take NARM exam
during our 1 year sabbatical in the US

August 2013 - return to Thailand and begin legal process to practice midwifery while teaching CBE and labor assisting

My Goals

2 more children fit somewhere into the scheme of this...
And I'm sure the dates will change

Feb 2006 - enroll with CBI (Childbirth International) Doula and Childbirth Educator program

June 2006 - finish certificates in Natural Living and Natural Health with HAcres

June 2007 - finish CBI training unless certification births not available

June 2007 - enroll with AAMI (Ancient Art Midwifery Institute), beginning with their ITM (Intro to Midwifery) course

Dec 2007 - finish ITM

Jan 2008 - enroll with AAMI's midwifery program or NMI (National Midwifery Institute)

June 2012 - finish AAMI course, apprentice, take NARM exam during our 1 year sabbatical in the US

August 2013 - return to SE Asia and begin legal process to practice midwifery while teaching CBE and labor assisting