Midwifery on the Mexican border!
Donation protected
Beloved Family and Friends,
I’m excited to tell you about the calling that has recently taken hold of my heart and mind. It is one that has been slowly building for over 5 years now, beginning when I became an auntie. I have always loved holding babies (who doesn’t?), but seeing and holding my oldest niece McKenna for the first time truly changed my life and identity. Since then I have gained 2 nephews and 2 more nieces (and another nephew on the way!), which have been extremely meaningful relationships in my life.
After hearing about the birth experiences that my 3 older sisters had, I began forming my ideas about what birth should be. I strongly feel that all women deserve to have a happy and healthy pregnancy and birth experience, without shame or fear being placed on them from an external source. The birth culture of today reflects the other aspects of our culture, in that it is expected to happen quickly and in a consistent and methodical way, although birth by nature is not that way. It is unique to each mother and child, and I believe that every birthing mother should be empowered and encouraged to trust that, except in extreme circumstances, a woman's body knows how to give birth to her child.
In early 2014, I decided to live out these beliefs by becoming a doula, a birth companion. I took classes taught by a DONA (Doulas Of North America) certified instructor who was a former doula and midwife, and I felt inspired to learn as much as possible about the childbearing year. In the next 6 months, I was able to assist as a doula at 3 of my close friends’ births, and I will never forget those incredible experiences. Since then, I have been slowly gaining birthwork experience from local doulas and midwives.
It was only once I heard about Maternidad La Luz that I truly recognized my desire to be a midwife, the primary care provider for a woman in the prenatal, birth, and postpartum periods. A long-time prayer of mine has been to find a place to use my Spanish language skills in a meaningful way. Since last summer, my prayer has become one of finding a place where I can use my Spanish and deepen my experience as a birth worker as well. Maternidad La Luz fulfills both of those desires.
MLL is a midwifery education program in El Paso, Texas certified by the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council which will allow me to become a Certified Professional Midwife, or CPM. MLL is also a birth center that provides women from El Paso and neighboring Juarez, Mexico a safe place to give birth. Many of these mother's will be high-risk due to poor nutrition and other unhealthy life factors. I could not stop thinking about their 1-year intensive program, and I realized that similar to a pregnancy, I felt something beautiful (midwifery) growing within me, and although I had previously felt too afraid to play the very medical role of a midwife, I knew that it is what I needed to pursue.
Lack of bravery is not a good reason to hold back from playing such a crucial role that I feel so drawn to, for babies will always be born, and women will always need a strong support system to surround them if they are to take on the beautiful task of giving life. Soon everything began falling into place in my life in order to be able to pursue this program. I knew it was time to embrace the fact that I was already on the path to being a midwife.
As the MLL website says, it “integrates the principles of the Midwives Model of Care in all aspects of pregnancy, birth and postpartum care. We recognize that pregnancy and childbirth are normal, healthy life processes, not diseases. The Midwives Model of Care includes:
1. Monitoring the physical, psychological, and social well-being of the mother throughout the childbearing cycle;
2. Providing the mother with individualized education, counseling, and prenatal care, continuous hands-on assistance during labor and birth, and postpartum support;
3. Minimizing technological interventions; and
4. Identifying and referring women who require obstetrical attention.
The Midwives Model of Care results in less chance of complications, fewer interventions, and a healthier birth for you and for your baby. The application of this woman-centered model of
care has been proven to reduce the incidence of birth injury, trauma, and cesarean section.”
This is the type of care I want to provide! More than anything I have always said that my greatest gift is presence; being able to be a good friend and a good listener to others. For a long time I doubted that this was a skill worth cultivating, because it is not obviously tangible. Now I recognize that this is clearly a necessary aspect of providing loving birth support, and that is something I know I am able to give. I feel that I will be a caring, compassionate midwife and friend to anyone I am fortunate enough to serve.
This is where YOU come in. In order to assist the women of southern Texas/northern Mexico, and to hopefully provide the Midwives Model of Care for the rest of my life, I need support. One of the two main factors I need help with is lack of bravery. I am looking for the encouragement and reassurance I need to move forward with such an intense program and such a meaningful profession. You can pass that on to me by text, email, a letter, comment, etc!
The other main factor of course, is lack of money. I need to pay for the training and experience I will receive at MLL, not to mention the cost of the move down there, and all of the living expenses for a little over a year. Due to the intensity of the program, students are unable to have employment while enrolled. Therefore my expected cost of living is figured below, determined with information from the MLL website:
Tuition and fees for the 1-year CPM program: $7,750
Cost of living in El Paso, TX per month (amount according to MLL): $500-$800
Required books for the program (amount according to MLL): $500-$750
Cell phone and car payments (both required for program): $150/month
Other costs (moving, health insurance, scrubs, etc): $950
The total minimal amount required, then, is about $17,000. I have chosen to only ask for assistance with $10,000 because I am trying to save as much money as possible for this program so as not to rely solely on support from others. These are not small numbers, but since being accepted into the 1-year program at MLL, I have felt confident that this is the path I must take, and I am registered to begin classes and my birth center shifts March 1, 2016. This will represent countless hours of unpaid care for pregnant and birthing women, and attendance at 100 births.
Would you please take part in this vision of empowering women to have a healing birth experience? Every little bit of bravery and financial support makes a difference, not just to me, but to the women and their families who I will be able to serve.
With love and gratitude,
Thank you!!!
I’m excited to tell you about the calling that has recently taken hold of my heart and mind. It is one that has been slowly building for over 5 years now, beginning when I became an auntie. I have always loved holding babies (who doesn’t?), but seeing and holding my oldest niece McKenna for the first time truly changed my life and identity. Since then I have gained 2 nephews and 2 more nieces (and another nephew on the way!), which have been extremely meaningful relationships in my life.
After hearing about the birth experiences that my 3 older sisters had, I began forming my ideas about what birth should be. I strongly feel that all women deserve to have a happy and healthy pregnancy and birth experience, without shame or fear being placed on them from an external source. The birth culture of today reflects the other aspects of our culture, in that it is expected to happen quickly and in a consistent and methodical way, although birth by nature is not that way. It is unique to each mother and child, and I believe that every birthing mother should be empowered and encouraged to trust that, except in extreme circumstances, a woman's body knows how to give birth to her child.
In early 2014, I decided to live out these beliefs by becoming a doula, a birth companion. I took classes taught by a DONA (Doulas Of North America) certified instructor who was a former doula and midwife, and I felt inspired to learn as much as possible about the childbearing year. In the next 6 months, I was able to assist as a doula at 3 of my close friends’ births, and I will never forget those incredible experiences. Since then, I have been slowly gaining birthwork experience from local doulas and midwives.
It was only once I heard about Maternidad La Luz that I truly recognized my desire to be a midwife, the primary care provider for a woman in the prenatal, birth, and postpartum periods. A long-time prayer of mine has been to find a place to use my Spanish language skills in a meaningful way. Since last summer, my prayer has become one of finding a place where I can use my Spanish and deepen my experience as a birth worker as well. Maternidad La Luz fulfills both of those desires.
MLL is a midwifery education program in El Paso, Texas certified by the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council which will allow me to become a Certified Professional Midwife, or CPM. MLL is also a birth center that provides women from El Paso and neighboring Juarez, Mexico a safe place to give birth. Many of these mother's will be high-risk due to poor nutrition and other unhealthy life factors. I could not stop thinking about their 1-year intensive program, and I realized that similar to a pregnancy, I felt something beautiful (midwifery) growing within me, and although I had previously felt too afraid to play the very medical role of a midwife, I knew that it is what I needed to pursue.
Lack of bravery is not a good reason to hold back from playing such a crucial role that I feel so drawn to, for babies will always be born, and women will always need a strong support system to surround them if they are to take on the beautiful task of giving life. Soon everything began falling into place in my life in order to be able to pursue this program. I knew it was time to embrace the fact that I was already on the path to being a midwife.
As the MLL website says, it “integrates the principles of the Midwives Model of Care in all aspects of pregnancy, birth and postpartum care. We recognize that pregnancy and childbirth are normal, healthy life processes, not diseases. The Midwives Model of Care includes:
1. Monitoring the physical, psychological, and social well-being of the mother throughout the childbearing cycle;
2. Providing the mother with individualized education, counseling, and prenatal care, continuous hands-on assistance during labor and birth, and postpartum support;
3. Minimizing technological interventions; and
4. Identifying and referring women who require obstetrical attention.
The Midwives Model of Care results in less chance of complications, fewer interventions, and a healthier birth for you and for your baby. The application of this woman-centered model of
care has been proven to reduce the incidence of birth injury, trauma, and cesarean section.”
This is the type of care I want to provide! More than anything I have always said that my greatest gift is presence; being able to be a good friend and a good listener to others. For a long time I doubted that this was a skill worth cultivating, because it is not obviously tangible. Now I recognize that this is clearly a necessary aspect of providing loving birth support, and that is something I know I am able to give. I feel that I will be a caring, compassionate midwife and friend to anyone I am fortunate enough to serve.
This is where YOU come in. In order to assist the women of southern Texas/northern Mexico, and to hopefully provide the Midwives Model of Care for the rest of my life, I need support. One of the two main factors I need help with is lack of bravery. I am looking for the encouragement and reassurance I need to move forward with such an intense program and such a meaningful profession. You can pass that on to me by text, email, a letter, comment, etc!
The other main factor of course, is lack of money. I need to pay for the training and experience I will receive at MLL, not to mention the cost of the move down there, and all of the living expenses for a little over a year. Due to the intensity of the program, students are unable to have employment while enrolled. Therefore my expected cost of living is figured below, determined with information from the MLL website:
Tuition and fees for the 1-year CPM program: $7,750
Cost of living in El Paso, TX per month (amount according to MLL): $500-$800
Required books for the program (amount according to MLL): $500-$750
Cell phone and car payments (both required for program): $150/month
Other costs (moving, health insurance, scrubs, etc): $950
The total minimal amount required, then, is about $17,000. I have chosen to only ask for assistance with $10,000 because I am trying to save as much money as possible for this program so as not to rely solely on support from others. These are not small numbers, but since being accepted into the 1-year program at MLL, I have felt confident that this is the path I must take, and I am registered to begin classes and my birth center shifts March 1, 2016. This will represent countless hours of unpaid care for pregnant and birthing women, and attendance at 100 births.
Would you please take part in this vision of empowering women to have a healing birth experience? Every little bit of bravery and financial support makes a difference, not just to me, but to the women and their families who I will be able to serve.
With love and gratitude,
Thank you!!!
Organizer
Pamela Williams
Organizer
Springfield, OH
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