Elisabeth Bing | |
|---|---|
| Born | Elisabeth Dorothea Koenigsberger 8 July 1914 Berlin, Germany |
| Died | 15 May 2015 (aged 100) New York City, United States |
| Nationality | German |
| Other names | Elisabeth Koenigsberger |
| Occupation | Physical therapist |
| Known for | Proponent of natural childbirth |
| Notable work | 1940s–2000s |
| Spouse |
Fred Max Bing (m. 1951) |
| Children | 1 (son, Peter) |
Elisabeth Dorothea Bing (née Koenigsberger; 8 July 1914 – 15 May 2015) was a German physical therapist, co-founder of Lamaze International, and proponent of natural childbirth.[1][2] She trained as a physical therapist in England after fleeing Nazi Germany due to her Jewish ancestry. Her hospital work there made her interested in natural childbirth, and she taught it to parents in the United States after she moved there in 1949. To promote natural childbirth methods, she co-founded the American Society for Psychoprophylaxis in Obstetrics (now Lamaze International), made several TV appearances and radio broadcasts, and wrote several books on the subject. She became known as the "mother" of the Lamaze method in the United States.