Aisha Takes the Plunge! Midwifery College Enrollment

Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim

Narrated Abu Said:  Some people from the Ansar asked Allah's Apostle (to give them something) and he gave to everyone of them, who asked him, until all that he had was finished. When everything was finished and he had spent all that was in his hand, he said to them, '"(Know) that if I have any wealth, I will not withhold it from you (to keep for somebody else); And (know) that he who refrains from begging others (or doing prohibited deeds), Allah will make him contented and not in need of others; and he who remains patient, Allah will bestow patience upon him, and he who is satisfied with what he has, Allah will make him self-sufficient. And there is no gift better and vast (you may be given) than patience."  [Bukhari Volume 8, Book 76, Number 477]

Your Duas Will Help Me Obtain the Skills Needed 

to Make a Difference in the Births of Women, insha'Allah.

“Whoever relieves his brother [or sister] of a hardship from the hardships of this world, Allah shall relieve him of a hardship from the hardships of the Day of Judgment. And whoever makes things easy for a person in difficulty, Allah will ease for him in this world and the Next. And whoever conceals (the faults of) a Muslim, Allah will conceal him in this world and the Next. Allah is forever aiding a slave so long as he is in the aid of his brother.” [Sahih Muslim, al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and others]

What better way to relieve your sister of hardship than by helping to provide her with natural midwifery care during the labor and birth of her child?

It's with as much nervousness as excitement that I announce my application to Midwifery College of Utah!  I've been considering my role and my vision and mission in the birthing community of Saudi Arabia for quite a while.  I've come to the conclusion that I need to increase my professional skills if I really want to make a difference for women and children.

I've researched a myriad of midwifery schools and training programs.   I've chosen MCU for their academic training via distance learning as well as the degree programs that they offer.  It is my intention to earn a BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MIDWIFERY.  

There were many other programs that offered just general midwifery study without the bachelor degree.; however, because I do not already possess an underlying degree, I felt it prudent to pursue my studies at a bachelor level.  This will also give me the credentials needed to pursue my work in Saudi, insha'Allah, since the level of study is beyond just vocational certificates.

The cost of the program is roughly $24,000 USD.  Of course I haven't told my dear, supportive husband this number yet.  It also does not include shipping books and supplies, compensating local institutions and preceptors for clinical practice and observations, traveling for workshops/clinical training/exams, etc.  I'm sure by the time I factor in all these extras, that figure will at least double (especially if I have to do an internship overseas for clinical practice for the required out-of-hospital births that will not be available in Saudi).

I expect the program to take up the next four years of my life, insha'Allah.  Of course, I still plan to continue my writing for Saudi Birth Story, Saudi Life Motherhood and Parenting columns, and freelance articles for Arab News; as well as home schooling my children, completing the AMANI Birth project and training Childbirth Educators and Doulas, working with Al Bidayah Center to open their breastfeeding center in Riyadh, and whatever other life commitments are on my plate.  Please make dua for me!  

May Allah make it easy; give me strength, commitment, and stamina; provide the rizq (funds) to follow through; and make my efforts a blessing to the births of our Ummah...

AMEEEN!

Read on if you'd like to read my goals for my training and interest in midwifery, as submitted on my application to MCU... 

Comparing Birth Experiences: USA/KSA/MSR

Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim

Amani Sitting in front of a symbol of Saudi in Belgium

I am honored to have been asked to participate in the Mummy in Provence blog series on birth stories from around the world.  I love her project to focus in the differences of birth around the globe.

I hope you enjoy reading this interview about my experiences with birthing.  It is from the perspective of comparison between birthing in the United States, Egypt, and Saudi.  I also hope you will visit the original blog post and browse the many different birthing cultures represented in the series.

Let me know if you'd like to share your birth story on Saudi Birth Story.  It's always an honor and a pleasure to share my readers' birth stories.  Now on to the interview..Comparing Birth Experiences:  USA/KSA/MSR...

Repeat Cesareans

Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim

As I read a sister’s blog I came across a sweet post listing the top ten reasons she loves her husband.  It was number ten that struck me most:

10. He gets sad when he thinks about children whose mothers work, are not breastfed, do not co-sleep, are left to cry it out, and who go to kafir schools.

Masha’Allah, he sounds like a really caring man.  I began to wonder about her birth experiences.  Of course I expected to find gushing stories about the compassion of her husband during her labors.  But what I read was fitting for a different topic.

Instead of finding a story about the husband’s role in her birth, I found one of pregnancy complications and repeat Cesareans. 

I am always honored to share birth stories from around the globe.  Please let me know if you’d like to share yours.  Now on to the story…Repeat Cesareans…

Natural Pregnancy Spacing

 Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim

A sister recently asked me about my own experiences with natural spacing of pregnancies.  I thought this might make a good post for others as well.  As a mother of eight, it is probably easy to guess that I don't employ the use of pharmaceutical birth controls.  But that wasn't always the case.

Insha'Allah, I will have a guest writer (either here or on Saudi Life Motherhood) in the coming weeks who will discuss contraceptives in more depth.  I always enjoy sharing the work of guest writers.  Please let me know if you are interested in contributing.  Now on to my post...Natural Pregnancy Spacing...