A Heartfelt Cry for Help

Most of you know that the Guppy was born at home, in a birthing tub in my living room.

During my labor, the birthing tub and the water it held was a godsend. While in transition, sliding into the warm water, I felt relieved of much of the pressure and intensity of the contractions. It truly was Nature's Epidural.

The water held me buoyant, helping my mind as well as my body float through each contraction and relax between pushes. After only thirty minutes of soft, gently pushing, the Guppy emerged softly and sweetly into the water and into our hearts. For me, choosing to give birth in the water was the best decision I ever made. I loved it. She is forever my water baby.

During my pregnancy, there was one wonderful website that I kept referring to time and time again for some birth inspiration. I would spend hours reading peaceful birth stories and studying the facts surrounding waterbirth. I was amazed at what such a wonderful resource this organization was, not only for pregnant mothers but for the entire birth community as a whole.

I am, of course, speaking about Waterbirth International. What an inspirational and badly needed organization. Unfortunately, Waterbirth International is now in trouble, and needs a miracle.

I was forwarded this email today:

Barbara Harper wrote:.

I cannot yet imagine a world without the voice and work of
Waterbirth International - we get calls and emails every day from women who need help convincing one hospital or another to let them labor or birth in water. If we die - a big part of the movement dies. Waterbirth has shown us all that women know how to give birth and babies know how to be born. Waterbirth gave us "hands-off", sit back and let the baby out. I see waterbirth mentioned on Blogs every single day, not to mention Baby Story on the TV. I took Waterbirth International to ACOG two years in a row - and was the ONLY booth showing birth
films to obstetricians and especially to student physicians. There were tears, laughter and outrage - just the thing to stir up those young crop of doctors.

I am finally realizing a life's dream.But now I am faced with letting this dream go.

Perhaps I have done enough.Perhaps it is time to quit.

About 18 years ago, maybe it was longer, when Mothering Magazine was facing bankruptcy Peggy did a heartfelt plea asking their readers to consider ordering a Life-time subscription. I think the subscriptions were $1000 or$1200, I can't remember now. I do remember that I couldn't imagine not reading my Mothering. So, I bought two and gave one to my obstetrician's office.

How can you help us stay open to take the next phone call? - to convince the next obstetrician to incorporate waterbirth into his/her practice - to work with the nurse midwives to install
pools in their facilities? To educate an entire hospital on the benefits of allowing women freedom of movement in the water. How much is it worth to see waterbirth become the norm in the US, like it is in the UK? I think we only need a few more years to make that happen. Do women really want waterbirth to be an
available choice in every hospital? I think so.

Can you help us by getting the word out on blogs and lists? I had to let goof all of the staff except one person to process orders. Miraculously, we made payroll today, but we can't hang on much longer. We need a miracle.

If I need to call every single waterbirth parent personally, I will. I don't want 25 years of work to end over a measly $200,000.

The work that we have done the last few years has been phenomenal. How God arranged for me to teach in hospitals and medical schools around the planet- Taiwan, Venezuela, Turkey, Mexico, Canada, Holland, Portugal, China, Trinidad, Croatia - I'll never figure that out. I laugh out loud sometimes when I get up in front of an audience of physicians in a medical school overseas - who all want to hear about waterbirth and the incorporation of Gentle Birth practices and principles into their routines.

Think about what you can do and call me if you want to chat or if you have some great ideas on how we can quickly move into the
black and keep waterbirth alive and thriving.

We need your help. Barbara Harper needs your help. The waterbirth/gentlebirth movement needs your help.

Blessings,

Barbara

Barbara Harper, RN, CLD, CCEFounder/Director Waterbirth
Internationalwww.waterbirth.org

503-673-0026 -office (out of US or in Portland)

Please, get the word out. Let's keep the waterbirth movement going strong. Let's give them their miracle.

A Heartfelt Cry for Help