Serving expectant families has got to be the most fulfilling job in the world!  I love being a midwife, being “with woman”!  Walking alongside young couples as they become parents and being part of that transformation is exhilarating!  Being invited to participate in the birth of new life as a family grows has got to be one of the greatest honors ever!

Another truth, however, is that this work is hard, VERY hard.  We give 110% to everyone.  All the time.  We miss sleep.  Our clients are often sad when we take time off for a family vacation or personal rest and relaxation. Our cell phones are with us, and ring, 24/7.  We leave our own families to serve other families, yet we do not get compensated well for what we do.  All of this can lead to resentment and, eventually, burn-out.

So, is it possible to keep loving what we do for the long-haul?  Can we keep the flame of passion for our work from growing dim?  Can we be good to ourselves and our families while still serving our communities with excellence?

I believe we can, but not completely on our own.  We need God’s wisdom and strength to finish well.

I would like to encourage birth workers with a few of the tidbits of guidance I believe God has given me:

~ Delegate the parts of managing your practice that are not your strengths or that you do not enjoy.  For me, it is the clerical side of things. For instance, I use a billing service for my insurance claims so I don’t have to worry about it.  It costs me 8% of what the insurance companies pay, but that is a small price to pay for my sanity.

~ Take time off, even if it means clients will choose another midwife who will be in town when they are due.  I try to take time off twice a year, at least one of those breaks is for a couple weeks.

~ Limit the size of your practice to what is easily manageable.  For me, that is 4 due dates in a calendar month.

~ Do not allow money to be the main motivating factor in any of the decisions you make.  That kind of motivation will eventually rob you of joy.

~ Eat very well and drink lots of water.

~ Budget for a chiropractic adjustment after every birth.

~ Charge what you are worth and don’t apologize for it.

~ Remember that you are not the world’s birth savior.

~ Love the people you serve. I mean, REALLY love them. That is what keeps the passion burning.

~ Do not neglect your relationship with Jesus. Ever. The work you do requires too much of you to be running on empty. You will crash and burn all too soon if your relationship with God is not your highest priority. In order to be the kind of midwife your community deserves, you need everything that intimacy with Christ gives.

“Yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.” Isaiah 40:31 (NASB)

Blessings,
Kristin Schuchmann, CPM, LM
Executive Director, Charis Childbirth, Inc.

---

Contact Us Charis Childbirth P.O. Box 6900 North Port, FL 34290 www.charischildbirth.org  Kristin Schuchmann ~ Executive  Director Cell (941)441-6410 http://happyhealthyliving.wordpress.com/ Susan Oshel ~ Director of Midwifery Studies Look us up

---

Update

Charis Membership

We at Charis are extremely grateful for our wonderful members.  This past year, your dues have made it financially possible for us to creatively correspond with people in areas of the world where internet is spotty at best.  Having all forms of communication available for us is essential if we are going to successfully train birth professionals in the far reaches of the earth.  As our community of members grows, there will be more funds available for even more world-impacting outreach. Thank you!

Membership is due every December 31 for the coming calendar year.  So, if you became a member on or before December 31, 2011, your dues should be mailed by the middle of December, 2012, to be sure it is received in time.  If you became a member sometime in 2012, then your membership is not due until December 31, 2013.

You can send your membership form and $30 dues to:
Charis Childbirth
P.O. Box 6900
North Port, FL 34290