Childbirth & Lactation Education Cert.

Dear friends! I love being a birth doula. I love it! I am so lucky that I had a baby with a doula by my side and my path was shown to me. However, it's not been steady work, as I am one of few doulas in the tri-county region and tend to travel much further for my clients, meaning I can take on less of a case load. I was recently awarded a scholarship from Birth Arts International for some new certifications that would help me sustain my practice better. The opportunity would allow me to offer more services to mothers in the areas of Childbirth and Lactation education. My work is my passion! Independent education affords mothers the opportunity for both empowerment and an infrastructure for continuing support prenatally and postpartum. Upon completetion of lactation certification, I will be able to to take the exam for the International Board Certification for Lactation Consultants. Sadly, even with the deep discount on the actual courses, I don't have the means to pay for the books even if I can pay for the course work, which I cannot. I also need to cover my IBCLC membership fees and attend a conference to cover a good portion of my certifying units before I am eligible to take the exam. The clinical hours alone that I require are a minimum of what would total six sustained months of 40 hour work weeks. It's like going back to school, but without the benefit of financial aid. I never thought I would need to try to crowdfund my endeavors, but I have to try, because other doors to sustain my family have not been opened. I accept and hear that as a sign that I am already on the right path and I am accountable for making my own success instead of seeking it conventionally; which is both exciting and daunting. These certifications would allow me to make contact with more mothers as an instructor, establish a more predictable income for my family and finish my IBCLC certification once the course work is complete.Once completed, I pledge to approach the community about instructing free childbirth classes for teen and disadvantaged mothers. I also dream of being responsible for the sex ed unit in the high school curriculum and instructing courses geared toward teen mothers. I am also already in the works of starting a Le Leche League within the county, which not only supports breastfeeding mothers, but counts toward some clinical hours! Help me help the community! I have two more weeks to enroll or I lose my scholarship, please consider being a donor! Thank you for your time! I look forward to embarking on my next professional journey in supporting mothers to be if it is afforded to me by the grace of my community!