Midwifery and Lactation Education

I presume most of you know that I'm studying to become a homebirth midwife and I've been working on the accreditation process of becoming a Le Leche Leader and starting a group in Delaware. Currently there isn't an active LLL group in Delaware. Well I started attending Delaware Tech Community College this past semester and I am enrolled in the nursing program.
The only reason I'm enrolled in the nursing program is because my GI Bill isn't approved for DEM (direct-entry midwife) distance learning programs. Since September 2007 I've been trying to figure out a way to get the DEM programs approved with no luck. I am having great difficulty with the nursing program. It is so difficult for me to do well in something I have NO interest in and that I feel isn't going to help me at all with being a midwife. I secured a preceptor, a seasoned midwife who trains new midwives, over a year ago but obviously the timing isn't right with having two young boys. Nevertheless I've been trying to figure out a way to use my GI Bill in such a way that it will give me skills that will me as a midwife. A couple weeks ago I learned of an on-line program in human lactation taught through Wichita State University(WSU). My GI Bill is approved for WSU. The program normally consists of nurses and those that are working on their masters or doctorate. All others are approved by a case-by-case basis. I've written one of the instructors and heard back from them. I told them about my clinical experience with breastfeeding and the great IBCLC's (international board certified lactation consultant) that I worked with. Great news I was approved for the program and was told I would be well suited for it!!! I am thrilled beyond words. I have also figured out which pathway I can take to become an IBCLC. I have over 500hrs+ breastfeeding counseling. A year as an LLL Leader accounts for 500 more hours. I'm hoping to become a leader by the end of summer. I already have a meeting room reserved at a nursing home. I'm on it like white on rice! Just want to clarify I'm not becoming a LLL Leader to become an IBCLC. I want to be both! In fall I will be taking the Human Lactation course at WSU and a sociology course at the local community college.A couple weeks ago I was thinking I might attend a massage therapy school until I FINALLY figured out a way to use my GI Bill for midwifery education. Let me explain this as simply as possibly. In august a new brand of GI Bill will become effective, it's called the Post 9/11 bill. It pays for ALL of your education of an approved program, a yearly $1,000 stipend for books & supplies and a monthly BAH (housing allowance). From my understanding regardless of how many credits I'm taking I still get the BAH. So I will stay enrolled at Delaware Tech and come fall apply for the new GI Bill, take one class per semester and then use my BAH to pay for midwifery school!

Wahla! I'm looking into Ancient Art Midwifery Institute(AAMI), the reviews are great by current students and the whole program is around $3500. I will enroll in AAMI in Januaray. I am still planning to learn prenatal and infant massage eventually.So while attending the local community college part-time I will simultaneously attend AAMI. I'm also going to take Sociology and Infant & Child Development because those courses are recommended (not required) to sit for the IBCLC exam. I already I have taken nutrition and psychology, currently I'm in anatomy & physiology courses.

Then I will use the rest of my GI Bill up by taking courses in Spanish :O)
Until I'm a midwife I've decided I'm going to be a doula (labor support), I will attend my first birth in July as a doula! I'm going to be offering belly casting and placenta encapsulation as an extra service. I'm very excited about this!