So...This is a Blog...

Earlier this month I wrote up the story of our miscarriage for a friends blog. (Want to read it? You can find it here...http://www.juliesaunders.ca/blog/jandys-story). The post itself was cathartic to write, I found I enjoyed putting my thoughts and feelings down on paper. And, I'd been thinking about doing this for some time, so...here you go. My FIRST OFFICIAL BLOG POST!

Like I said, I've been thinking about doing this for a while (so long that I actually have a list of topics I want to cover in my journal) but now that I sit down to actually do it, I have NO idea where to start.

so, 'lets start at the very beginning. Seems a very good place, to start!'

Before I had kids, I worked in health care, in a VERY different capacity.  I am a recreational therapist and I worked in long term care and retirement homes before moving into management for a home health care company.  I was a commuter.  I took the train downtown every day and had a rule that if I was working later then 10pm I allowed myself to take a cab home.  I remember trying to imagine what that was going to look like once I had my baby but figured that was at least a year away so I could wait, and figure it out later.  
​While I was on my first (and technically only) maternity leave, things changed at my company and eventually (it took a while and it was long and complicated) I was laid off.  
By that time I was pregnant again so going back to work didn't seem like a good idea anyway, so I didn't worry to much about it.  

I had been attending a drop in support group since the very beginning of motherhood.  It was a breastfeeding support group that I went to EVERY WEEK.  I met some of my very best friends there.  We cried together and laughed together.  We helped each other through struggles and cheered for  triumphs.  And we talked about all things parenting, but mostly breastfeeding.

We cried together and laughed together.  We helped each other through struggles and cheered for triumphs. ​

Because I didn't go back to work, I was able to continue attending the group through my second pregnancy and after the birth of my son.  I found I really enjoyed hearing of people's success' and sharing tips and tricks that I had learned along the way.  
Around February of that year, the moderator of the group approached me and asked if I'd be interested in attending a course with her.  At the end, I'd be qualified to teach pre-natal breastfeeding classes.  This intrigued me,  and I had no actual plans on what I was going to do for work so I signed up.  I traveled to Burlington, Ontario for 2 days and took this class.  I learned a lot, but not a lot about breastfeeding specifically.  
Then i had my son, life got REALLY busy (I had 2 kids under 2) and I didn't do anything else.  

Babywearing sidebar - with 2 kids under 2 I needed to be able to wear at least one, which is where my love and passion for babywearing came in!

In the summer of 2014 I started to do some serious research.  I liked what I was doing as a breastfeeding educator, but I didn't really feel like I had as much knowledge or skill as I needed.  I knew I could help, some, but not as much as I really wanted to, and that was frustrating.  
I stumbled on the International Breastfeeding Centre - Dr. Jack Newman's clinic (www.ibconline.ca) and found a course.  It was a LOT of money, but at the end of it, I'd be prepared to write the IBLCE exam and would be able really help parents who were having trouble.

After a lot of soul searching, and conversations with my husband, I applied.  I attended my first class on the day after my daughter started kindergarten.  
It took 1 year of classes and then almost 2 full years of internship before I was done.  I graduated in April of 2017 and wrote the exam in October.  I'll find out in December if I passed, but regardless, I know that I have skills and I can help.  And I love what I do.  I love the challenge, and the little wins.  I love the puzzle and I love helping you understand what's happening.

So, yah, that's me.  That's where I am today.  And this is my blog.  There will be more, so watch this space!

Thanks for reading!