Frédérick Leboyer, French obstetrician and author, Died at 98

Frédérick Leboyer was born on November 1, 1918, and died on May 25, 2017.

He was a French obstetrician and author.

Leboyer was best known for his 1974 book, Birth Without Violence, which popularized gentle birthing techniques, in particular, the practice of immersing newborn infants in a small tub of warm water — known as a “Leboyer bath” — to help ease the transition from the womb to the outside world.

Leboyer also advocated low lighting and noise in a warm room to limit the supposed shock of birth,[Reynolds, Concise Encyclopedia of Special Education and that a newborn be laid on its mother’s stomach and allowed to bond, instead of being taken away for tests.

Frédérick Leboyer passed away at 98 years old.