The closing of one door...and the opening of another...all in the same day!

Class of 2013 La Leche League peer supporters

Gosh but I've been busy with the doors today.  I'm not sure that I've shared with you the fact that two of the loveliest parts of my week are the breastfeeding drop-in clinics that I work in as a breastfeeding peer supporter.  Below is a picture of me and the other 'pink ladies' graduating from the La Leche League course nearly 2 years ago.  (I was blonde then!!) I see so many wonderful mums in the clinic, and get to support them in their breastfeeding journeys.  Some of the mums have babies as young as three or four days, others are toddlers and older.  Naturally, I come away from each clinic buzzing with the ladies and babies who I've met, and wishing that I knew more about the subject, I'm always hungry for more knowledge.  This lead me to take the next step, and apply to train to be a breastfeeding counsellor.  To cut a long story short, there are a number of avenues open to someone like me to train, and some are more expensive than others.

I began my application to my chosen training body in June, and the two year course is paid for by a further two year commitment to working on the National Helplines.  The application process has been long, and has allowed time for my feet to get cold.  Something hasn't felt right for some time.  I find myself looking every day for an email from them, but two and a half months on, I haven't heard a word.

Over the last couple of days I've been considering withdrawing my application, and today I did it.  It felt scary;  I'd got my doula mentor and one of the IBCLC's at work to be my referees, and gone through the application, and now I'd changed my mind.  It also felt good to take a positive step, rather than hanging on in the dark and wondering if this was what being on the course itself would feel like.  I decided to trust that my wish to be involved in supporting breastfeeding mothers would itself be supported by the universe, and the education and opportunities I need will be shown to me in other ways.

I went shopping after that.  When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping! When I got home, I got a text from a mum-to-be wanting a doula for next year. Several texts later, and we agreed to arrange to meet when my doula business partner is ready!  Feels fresh and exciting, like a new door opening!

Footnote.  A new door opened just days later for me to learn the same stuff, actually on the job!!  Amazing!!! I wrote about it here.
These helplines are available if you need to speak to a breastfeeding counsellor in the UK:

ABM 0300 330 5453

NBFH 0300 100 0212 

NCT  0300 3300 771

LLL 0845 120 2918