SPECIAL INTEREST Kingsville Doctor Practices Spiritual Medicine (continued) Alice-Echo News By Roel Garcia As part of this research and learning, Cole performed a water birth at a hospital. He is one of the few obstetricians to perform water births. "This couple came in and said they wanted to have a water birth," Cole said. "I wasn't going to do it. But later I saw and read an article about a California doctor who had done a water birth, so I decided to go for it." Cole had to go in front of committees to make it happen. Fortunately he got permission. Cole filmed the woman's water birth and used it on his video. Cole said the water birth is a gentle way in which the unborn baby can enter the world. "People say it's bologna because the unborn child is physically helpless," Cole said. "But they are forgetting the other two aspects, the mind and the soul, which are creative tools. Babies are very much in charge." Cole said reading and taling to the unborn child are also involved in the nurturing process. They provide a healthy and positive environment for the unborn child to grow. "A few years ago I was making my rounds and one of my patients told me what happened to her child while it was breast-feeding," Cole said. "She was breast-feeding the baby and the father came in whistling a song he had sung to the baby while in utero. The baby stopped feeding and looked up at its father. That's not a coincidence by any means." Cole stresses spirituality and said it is part of medicine. This spirituality eases both the mother and child. "It won't happen with everyone, but the most important factor is a positive, loving environment for the unborn child," Cole said. "It won't produce a perfect baby, but I'll put my numbers up against anyone's." Cole's non-physical view of life is different that most doctors. He began his practice in April and plans to stay in the area. "It was too expensive to move, so I'm going to be here for a good many years," Cole said. "I like it here in Kingsville. We've got the naval base, the university, Corpus Christi is close by and so is the Mexican border."