A Plea for Help

This is a Forwarded Message FromBarbara Harper:

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

I am finally realizinga 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 wasfacing bankruptcy Peggy did a heartfelt plea asking their readers toconsider ordering a Life-time subscription. I think the subscriptions were $1000 or $1200, I can't remember now. I do remember that Icouldn't imagine not reading my Mothering. So, I bought two and gaveone 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/herpractice - to work with the nurse midwives to install pools in theirfacilities? To educate an entire hospital on the benefits of allowingwomen freedom of movementin the water.

How much is it worth to see waterbirth become the normin the US, like it is in the UK? I think we only need a few moreyears 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 tolet go of 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 thatout. 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 andkeep waterbirth alive and thriving. We need your help. Barbara Harper needs your help. Thewaterbirth/gentle birth movement needs your help.

Blessings,BarbaraBarbara Harper, RN, CLD, CCE Founder/DirectorWaterbirth International www.waterbirth. org
503-673-0026 -office (out of US or in Portland)800-641-2229 - toll free
503-710-7975 - cell phone

We LOVE helping women get into Hot Water!!