Waiting is hard.....

I started my breastfeeding journey with the horrible birth of my Retired Nursling. I had failed at her birth I was determined to be successful with her nutrition. With the support of Dr Google and my husband I went on to breastfeed my darling until she was 13 months when she quite suddenly. I was not ready to give up the dream so I pumped for her for two more months until she looked at me and said "no mom the other milk" :( that was a sad day.

From that weaning day I put my nose in every breastfeeding article, journal, etc. I wanted to know all there was to know about breastfeeding.

I started to go to La Leche League meetings when I was pregnant with my second so that I could learn everything I could about breastfeeding before she was here. Even though I was successful the first time around I wanted to be a master when my baby arrived.

She came out and latched on like a pro and has been nursing for 20 months and counting. I see no end in sight and I am okay with that!

By this time I have read pretty much every article there is on breastfeeding. I set a quest to become an LLL Leader so I purchased The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding and was in love. More information, more stuff I didn't know! I must have all knowledge!

By this time I had already landed a job with the WIC office where I could use my skills to help women breastfeed and I had also become a regular at the LLL meetings so I could share my knowledge there. I had joined an online breastfeeding forum and got to share my wisdom there as well. I shared so much they even asked me to be admin!

By this time I had started to look into how I could make breastfeeding not only my passion but my profession. I wanted to help all mothers who wanted the help. I didn't care if I got paid or not I just wanted to help so a friend pointed me in the direction of the IBCLC or International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. Its like a light went off. I HAD to do this. Its like God had come from the heavens and said "hey stupid apply" so I looked into it. It was lots that they required of you to even be considered to take the test not to mention that hefty $600 fee attached to it! I was nervous about the fee but my husband said "money doesn't matter just take the test because I know you'll pass". I wasn't so sure but with his blessing I pressed on!

After going over all of the pre-requisites I saw that I had everything but hours and lactation specific classes. It took me 3 months to complete the 90 lactation specific hours and 1 year to get all of my hours but I did it. I applied for the test in March, handed over my money and prayed to God that I was not wasting my money or time.

July 28th came very quickly. I found myself in the parking lot of the testing center about 45 minutes early shaking, nervous, and skimming. I had all of my books and was skimming all the information I highlighted. I pulled out my flash cards and skimmed them over. Then 10 minutes before test time came and I had to go inside the building....

They asked for my ID, my passport, and my finger print! If anything is going to make you nervous its when you have to voluntarily give up a finger print! The lady smiled while typing my information into the computer and asked for me to take off my jewelry. My bracelets with my lady Saints had to go into the locker that held my phone, purse and keys, I had to remove my rosary as well. She let me keep my earrings and my wedding ring then she ushered me to the back room with my picture ID.

Here I was met by a short little old lady that pointed to some rules on the wall that I was told I had to follow but I have no idea what they said to this day because I was so nervous I think my eyes were starting to blurr. She made me show her my pockets were empty gave me a dry erase board and marker and showed me what computer I would be at and that the test would start after I answered the prompted questions.

I sat down a nervous wreck but I took a deep breath forced myself to relax and started to type and read......


They give you 4 hours to take the test but after 2 hours I was out and second guessing everything that I had entered. I called husband and told him that I felt "okay" about the test but not 100%.  I rushed home to read my books that were telling me every question I answered was wrong. When I took the test I got a paper at the end that said "results at the end of October". Three freaking months of waiting and waiting and waiting!!

people would ask me at least once a week "did you hear anything??" "how did you do?" "When do you find out?" I'm like dude I have no clue I have to wait!!!!! And boy did they wait until the END of October!


Until today that is... October 27, 2014 I got a text message from a good friend that asked me if I had received any "special mail". I was at work at least 3 miles from my mailbox "No I didnt get any special mail did you get any special mail?" At this point I had texted my husband 5 times to tell him to check the mail... no response... more waiting the results are right there why is he not responding we were just talking about dinner!!! I know i'll call him! called once...voicemail..... called twice... voicemail... I am on the verge of ripping my hair out I get a text "why do you need me to check the mail? are the results in?" DUH?? WHY ELSE WOULD I BE CONCERNED FOR MAIL??? WE GET NOTHING BUT BILLS!!!!!!! "no mail yet. I will take the girls for a walk and see if we can find him in the neighborhood"

mail truck being stalked doing his job

He sends me this picture of the mail truck with the message "hes in the neighborhood" I have worked myself into a nervous fit by now i have to pee like a race horse. I go pee when I get back to my desk                 I see I missed a text message from hubby:

 

Certificate fresh out the mailbox

 

Yes ladies and gentlemen I passed the exam!!! I am a board certified lactation consultant!!!!!!(Well starting November 1st)  How freaking stoked am I but holy cow that was the longest wait ever!!!!!!! 

All framed up with my name tag!

***edited*** I would like to thank my husband who encouraged me to take the exam and spend the money even though I was super apprehensive. Even after I had psyched myself out he still believed in me and my capabilities. I am so happy to be married to him and have him on this journey!