Teri at Passion for Birth held a contest a few weeks back asking the question, "Why I Became a Childbirth Educator."  Guess what?  I was one of the winners!  As a winner, you get to select one of three prizes, Teri's Idea Box or Staying Energized, which are full of fabulous ideas for creative teaching, or her Trust Birth Poster (which I chose, as I already bought the other two when I first began teaching!).

Teri runs Passion for Birth (and keeps a very regular blog I love!).  She was my Lamaze mentor, and I actually met her a few years before I ever thought of becoming a childbirth educator at a La Leche League conference.  She presented a session on something about lunchboxes and oranges -- the basic idea was, teaching or facilitating a group in a more dynamic way, using things like small toys, objects, pictures, etc., to make ideas more graspable and practical for adult learners.  That appealed to me in the breastfeeding arena, so it was with great joy I learned (from my doula trainer!) that Teri offered this Lamaze program.

So, here is my answer to that question!

 I began my journey as a new mother, breastfeeding a little baby.  I was led to La Leche League International, and there I grew to love mothering through breastfeeding.  I joined the ranks and became an accredited LLL Leader, to help other mothers as I had been helped                 
    
Soon I realized how birth affects breastfeeding.  I took a step back and became a DONA-Certified Birth Doula.  As a doula, I began to see how what a woman knows affects birth, which in turn affects breastfeeding.  Taking another step back, I looked into childbirth education.  With a recommendation from my doula trainer, I found Passion for Birth.
    
I still love my roles as a breastfeeding counselor and a birth doula, but I am passionate about being a Lamaze-Certified Childbirth Educator.  I feel the reason I was pulled to work first with breastfeeding mothers, and then with birthing families, was only to get me where I am now:  I interact with expectant couples in an informative, exuberant way to help expand their options, ideas, and confidence in choosing the birth that best fits their unique experience.