Barbara Harper

Barbara Harper is a waterbirth activist.

The Oregonian newspaper once referred to Barbara Harper as "the Billy Graham of waterbirth" when they described her "missionary" style of promoting waterbirth around the world.[1] She has stated that she prefers to think of herself more as the "Mother Teresa" of waterbirth, having put all of her personal and professional resources into making waterbirth an available option for all women.

She has lectured in 43 countries, including many medical schools, nursing schools, midwifery programs and university women’s studies departments. Barbara has been interviewed by newspapers and magazines and has appeared on radio and TV shows to talk about her work with waterbirth and gentle birth.[1][2]

Early life

Barbara started her career in maternity as an RN. She was always passionate about mothers and babies, even in nursing school.[1] Her maternal grandmother, Estella Ethel Harper Lemonyon, was a nurse and midwife and worked in rural Mercer County, Ohio.

Waterbirth International

She founded Waterbirth International in 1987 after visiting Russia for the first time and sitting down with Igor Charkovsky, where she was "influenced by his faith in birthing women and their babies".[3] She also worked extensively with Binnie Dansby, in the early 1980s learning about cognitive-repressed experiences and memories of birth.

Gentle Birth Choices

Her research and experiences resulted in the publication of Gentle Birth Choices, book and DVD. She also produced Birth Into Being: The Russian Waterbirth Experience in cooperation with Alexi and Tatiana Sargunas in 2000, after traveling many times back to Russia.

Personal life

Barbara has three adult children, her two youngest sons were born at home in water. Her daughter, Beth, the oldest, was born in a typical 1970s style hospital birth.

Barbara moved in 2009 from Wilsonville, Oregon, a suburb of Portland, where she raised her children over a 17 year period, to the east coast of Florida.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 http://www.waterbirth.org/mc/page.do?sitePageId=38540
  2. ↑ Transcripts from Gentle Birth World Congress
  3. ↑ "Speaking with Barbara Harper" Edge Publishing, USA, 2008

Resources

External links