My Baby Has Inspired Me to Become a "Student" Again

Ever since having my baby I have been looking for the right way to immerse myself into this new world that I love so much. The crunchy world. The granola world. The natural world.

With this blog I am able to write about all of those things that I have become so passionate about and I'm so grateful for that. However I still wanted a way to really put myself out there to help others. I want to help and inspire others to have natural births because no matter how much they hurt, they are purely amazing. I want to support others through breastfeeding because I realize now just how important support is. I don't think I could have made it this long without a Facebook group and a sister in law to ask all of my questions too. I do feel that many women give up quicker than planned because they simply had no one to turn to during times of struggle with breastfeeding.

I want to be that someone.

Having a baby has really changed all of my focus and passions. My husband was right when he said that I'd write about my baby all the time after having her; but I don't think even he could predict how "into" this mama thing I'd be. I don't think he predicted we'd be cloth diapering our child; scrubbing our tubs with just vinegar and hydrogen peroxide; and breastfeeding an almost seven month old and rarely giving her a bottle. I just took this role of mama and went with it.

I'm so excited about how my new found passion for all of this is going to help me to help others. In January I will be enrolling to start my online training to become a Certified Birth Educator and a Certified Breastfeeding Counselor. I have been looking for months on the best way to involve myself in the birthing process and I truly feel like I have found it. Being a CBE will allow me to conduct and hold birthing classes at home, hospitals, churches (wherever really) and inspire others to feel empowered.

While being a CBE does focus on empowerment and the natural process of birth, I will also be educating couples on alternative methods to help them understand all aspects (and risks) of medical interventions during birth. In other words I won't be telling someone not to get an epidural; I'll just be informing them on everything that goes along with it while helping them to realize that birth is a natural process. And then I'll be a breastfeeding counselor to help support women through the journey of breastfeeding and to be that encouraging voice when you really do need an encouraging voice.

I've searched for months on the right program and finally found one exclusively online (with some local observations) where I can train from the comfort of my home from a well known and accredited for program. I'll be training through Childbirth International for the next year(ish)+ to complete both programs. I've heard nothing but great reviews and I can't wait to start.

I know that balancing a blog, product reviews, giveaways, studying, reading, cooking, cleaning and most importantly, baby raising will be a lot at times. So you guys will have to bear with me if I'm not posting as often (although I'm not starting until January) but I'm sure I can work it all out (I'm blessed to be at home all day to do all of this and to kiss and cuddle that baby girl of mine all day).

One day this beautiful baby of mine will see just how much she has changed my life. I've always felt like such a lost duckling trying to figure out what I truly wanted to do in life. I always had an inkling that it was just going to be found in me becoming a mother. And although my certifications won't be a full time job (because I'm not making it one), I know that I am heading into the direction that is meant for me. It's almost as if my little girl has changed all of my passions and even my destiny.

I still have many goals for myself and this blog, but they are always evolving. At the end of the day, my number one goal and job is to just be mama. I'm Mama to the baby girl who has literally changed my life and is helping to define me more and more each day. So thank you baby girl for being the best little gift I've ever been given and for showing me all of the things that I can do with my life. Thank you for opening my eyes to a whole new world and for opening my heart up to a love that is overwhelmingly amazing.