Sacred Mountain Midwifery

There is more news on the midwifery studies front.  I recently decided to attend Sacred Mountain Midwifery School in order to complete my didactic training as a midwife.  Over the past five years I have been reading midwifery texts and attending study groups and conferences, but when it was time to plan the completion of the PEP process for my CPM, I realized I wanted a concentrated review of all the skills I need to become a midwife, the things I have been studying on my own for the past few years.  I considered several programs and in the end chose Sacred Mountain Midwifery because I wanted extensive hands on experience (that is how I learn) and because I have been attending their yearly Women Helping Women Retreat and really enjoyed the teaching style of the co-founder Dr. Sarita Bennett (Ruth Ann is fabulous as well!).  In my search, I realized that I wanted to learn from a midwife who had been practicing for years and years (Sarita has almost thirty years of experience as a midwife) and (since my husband and I still plan to return to West Africa, hopefully Mali or Senegal) I wanted to learn from a midwife who practiced in a rural setting where immediate hospital transport was not always possible.  Sacred Mountain Midwifery seemed the perfect choice for me and after my first session there in October, I can hardly WAIT to go back.

Having a baby in May will make things a bit tricky.  I will be 38 and 1/2 weeks pregnant when I attend the May session and unless the baby comes early, I will most likely miss the June session.  My whole family will come for subsequent sessions and camp so that my husband can grab the baby if he/she is being fussy.  But it is a fabulous school and we are committed to working it out.  Anyone want to join me?  It isn't in the most practical location (a good four an a half hour drive from my house, a good bit winding through the mountains) but the setting is BREATH-TAKING and cell phones don't work (you can receive calls if you are on call and use their phone) which makes my weekends there a retreat as well as a learning experience.

Comments

[Vanessa the Pittsburgh Doula]

I would love to attend, but I can't afford it right now. It is several hours from my home also and sounds like a wonderful experience!

[Kat]

We started saving almost a year in advance and also stopped all our monthly savings to help pay. That was a bit hard to do but it is an investment in our future as well and so worth it! Maybe you can attend next year or the year after!

[Anna @ Midwife Salary And Career Center]

Good luck! I think you'll do great at Sacred Mountain :-) And practicing in Western Africa must be scary, exciting, amazing all at the same time. Been reading your blog but felt like I should say hi!

Best Wishes
Anna

[sheila sudlow]

Here in the uk i wanted to be a midwife a rang a college and they said oh not just anybody can attend the cource it takes someone really speical and she put the phone down! that is as far as it got without another word .but it doesnt matter i helped deliver my grandaughter on a carpet too late for hospital great experience but very shocked

[Stephanie]

Best wishes on both your studies and your new baby! And I'm praying that you get the experience that you need out of your international trip, whenever that is--just remember that overseas midwifery is so different from what we have here in the states!

[Kat]

Thanks! I don't know when I will get overseas, that is a dream of ours... I finish school at Sacred Mountain this month and just turned in my application to NARM yesterday!!! I was blessed with a baby that loves to go to births so I am continuing on with my current preceptors until next year when I will sit for the NARM exam.

[Susan Betke]

I am hoping to attend the April and possibly the may sessions before I have my 8th baby. I am due between the middle of May and beginning of June. I will probably take the June and July sessions off. It will be an 11 hour drive but I know it will be worth it!!! Hope to see you there.