Heather, 27, and Adam Barrington, 29, have traveled to Hawaii to have their baby among the dolphins at the Sirius Institute in Pohoa, Hawaii. The Barringtons, from South Carolina, have decided to participate in a “dolphin-assisted birth,” a birth water delivery, in which the pregnant mother bonds with a pod of dolphins before and after the birth of the child. The couple claims to have first been inspired to bring their baby into the world in water, and hopefully around dolphins after reading, “The Ancient Secret of the Flower of Life,” by Drunvalo Melchizedek. “It is about reconnecting as humans with the dolphins so we can coexist in this world together and learn from each other,” said Heather in a Fox News story. Kathryn Moore, a junior studying marketing from Denver, Colo., said, “Honestly, I want to have my baby with people. I’m not really an animal person.” Heather and Adam believe a dolphin-assisted birth will create a relaxing environment and benefit both the mother and the baby. Heather said, “Dolphins are very intelligent and healing, which in turn calms mother and baby for the whole process.” However, Kristen Mauai, a senior studying elementary education from Hau’ula, is not convinced that having dolphins around would be calming during delivery. “Personally, I would be so scared to see a dolphin while I’m giving birth,” said Mauai. The Sirius Institute, where the Barringtons are going to have the baby, is a “research consortium with the purpose of ‘dolphinizing’ the planet.” Dolphinization, according to the Sirius Institute Website, "is the raising of the consciousness of humans to the level of the dolphins and to integrate the Cetacea (dolphins and whales) into the cultures of the Earth." A recent addition to the institute is the Dolphin Attended, Water, Natural and Gentle Birth Center (DAWN) prompted by what the institute says is an increase in the demand of dolphin-assisted births. According to Medical Daily, dolphin-assisted births are rare, but dolphin-assisted therapy (DAT) has been successfully practiced for 25 years in the treatment of patients with mental and physical disabilities. In the end, Heather says, “showing him or her all the love possible, is all that matters.”
Writer: Homer Wolman~Multimedia Journalist
