January 2

It's Monday and I am starting in on my DONA certification requirements.

Before I can officially count any postpartum assistance, I have to attend an approved weekend workshop (~$600). They're offered in my area about once a month and I'd love to have taken it before my best friend's birth later this month, but there are 2 pre-reqs to attending a workshop: I must read several specific books and take a breastfeeding course.

I've chosen:
"The year after childbirth" - Kitzinger
"Misconceptions" - Wolf
"The baby book" - Sears
"Breastfeeding made simple" - Morhbacher

and also The Birth Partner to try to provide as much help to my friend during labor as I can, though it's not immediately required reading.

The breastfeeding course must be at least 3 hours long and preferably directed toward care providers, not necessarily parents (AND taught by someone with appropriate credentials i.e... not just an RN). Even still, it is an option to take the hospital's breastfeeding and infant care class and I'm working that out with them now. There are also online classes for $$ and possibly other community classes... La Leche League??