waterbirth Practitioner online certification course
A message from Barbara
Waterbirth is more than a method—it’s a return to our natural rhythms. Across cultures and continents, families and birth professionals alike have turned to the healing power of warm water to welcome new life. In homes, hospitals, and birth centers around the world, waterbirth has been embraced as a gentle, evidence-based option for low-risk pregnancies, offering peace, privacy, and physiologic support for both the birthing person and baby.
At Waterbirth International, we believe every provider deserves to feel confident supporting families who choose this path. The benefits are profound: immersion in warm water has been shown to reduce pain, ease tension, encourage optimal positioning, and shorten labor—all while preserving the autonomy of the birthing person. For babies, water offers a soft and loving welcome into the world.
This course was developed by Barbara Harper, founder and director of Waterbirth International, to share the knowledge, tools, and insights she has gathered over more than four decades of global teaching and advocacy. Whether you’re a midwife, doula, nurse, or physician, you’ll gain the clarity, credibility, and skills needed to support safe, transformative waterbirths in any setting.
Barbara’s work has touched communities in over 60 countries and continues to shape the future of gentle birth. To learn more about the vision behind this course and the woman who created it, we invite you to explore her story below.
COURSE SNEAK PEAK!
Here’s a quick preview of what you can expect—featuring highlights from the video lessons, clinical demonstrations, and Barbara’s signature teaching style that blends heart, science, and decades of hands-on experience.
Comprehensive guide to water birth: online certification course
Comprehensive Guide to Water Birth
Practitioner Online Certification Course
Instructor: Barbara Harper
This course is designed for:
Midwives & Birth Center Staff – Whether you’re already offering water birth or want to begin, this course provides a structured approach to safe implementation.
Obstetricians & Nurses – Learn the evidence-based benefits of water birth and how to safely support water laboring patients in hospital settings.
Doulas & Birth Workers – Understand how water birth works physiologically and how to provide the best support to your clients.
Educators & Advocates – Gain the knowledge and tools to educate parents and hospital staff on the safety and efficacy of water birth.
Waterbirth International’s Comprehensive Guide to Water Birth Practitioner Online Certification Course is a fully online, self-paced training designed to equip birth professionals with everything they need to support waterbirth safely and skillfully.
Led by Barbara Harper, this in-depth course spans more than 13 hours of expert instruction and is grounded in both science and decades of global clinical experience. Through a blend of video lessons, real-life demonstrations, and a beautifully designed workbook, you’ll gain the knowledge, language, and confidence to integrate waterbirth into your unique setting—whether that’s at home, in a birth center, or hospital.
The course is released in four parts, each building on the last to deepen your understanding of the physiology, protocols, and possibilities of waterbirth. You’ll also be invited to join monthly live Zoom sessions with Barbara beginning in May—offering mentorship, continuing education, and global community.
To ensure accessibility, course pricing is tiered by country, based on cost of living. This allows birth workers around the world to access the training at a fair and meaningful rate.
Materials included:
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Join Barbara Harper and Waterbirth International’s worldwide community of birth care providers, parents, and advocates.
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Waterbirth International is dedicated to advancing the science, safety, and accessibility of water birth through global education, research, and advocacy. For over 40 years, we’ve empowered birth care providers and parents with the knowledge to support safe, gentle births.
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