Waterbirth International was founded in 1988 with one purpose in mind:
"To make waterbirth an available option for all women."
To accomplish that incredible vision changes have to be made to the way we treat women in labor and the way we welcome babies into this world. To that end, Waterbirth International has been working non-stop for almost two decades providing education, training, programs, consultations and referrals for parents and practitioners alike. And there have been major accomplishments on all fronts. We are very proud of the fact that we have assisted in the installation of birth pools in over 200 hospitals in the US and several dozen in other countries around the globe, including Mexico, Costa Rica, Switzerland, Taiwan, China, Turkey, Germany, Argentina, Ecuador, Australia, Philippines and India to name just a few.
We have also assisted over 6000 couples with portable pool rentals for water labor and waterbirth. We take care of our clients who come to us for information, reassurance and great portable pools for home, hospital or birth center. Countless more couples have watched our videos and DVDs and shared them with family, friends and providers. All of this has helped change the consciousness of birth and parenting.
Waterbirth International is one of the projects of the broader organization, Global Maternal/Child Health Association, which is our 501(c)3 umbrella organization. Global Maternal works with other NGOs, nonprofits and projects around the world, including the Gentle Birth Education Centre in Lagos, Nigeria, a mountain health clinic in Guatemala and other worthy projects. Global Maternal has donated educational materials and birth supplies to many clinics and orphanages over the past 20 years. Our projects in the former Soviet Republics just after the breakup of the Soviet Union brought over 1 million dollars worth of donated medical supplies and clothing to nine different sites in four countries, including, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. Global Maternal remains committed to approaching a vast array of global problems by focusing on the source experience of birth from the mother's perspective and especially from the view of the baby entering the world. If we want to create a peaceful society it is best to begin with birth.
New for 2007, we have taken on BOLD (Birth on Labor Day) as a project. BOLD's mission is to make maternity care mother-baby-friendly through global education, truth and action. Through performances of the play, Birth, by Playwright, Karen Brody and BOLD Talkbacks that follow the play, we are asking communities to start taking a serious look at how to improve the birthing climate for pregnant mothers. What do mothers want? What do they deserve? What do babies need? These are some of the tough questions BOLD is asking. These are the questions that will be addressed at the Gentle Birth World Congress.
Waterbirth: Easier for Moms...Better for Babies!™
http://www.waterbirth.org
The Wellness Institute is dedicated to providing the highest quality clinical psychotherapy Training available, focusing on skills that are effective, practical and ready-to-use. The training follows a holistic approach, which includes the body, mind, emotions, and spirit of each person involved. Utilizing hypnosis to access the power of the unconscious, we call the work Heart-Centered Therapies.
