Roryrory, i did not feel attacked
And I completely agree that having arbitrary time limits seems totally stupid.
I guess every situation is different. I really did feel that my MW was my buffer between me and the hospital system. She didn't push anything on me. She always gave me a choice. Like for example when it came to the Hepatitis shot, which I declined. Or when it came to the Vit K, where I chose the oral dose. I later found out that she (and her BC collegues) regularly get into trouble over this as the hospital is not happy with their vacc rates. But they don't care as they do what they believe in. They just have to be careful with how they word things, so it isn't perceived as if they discourage women from those procedures.
And I do really know how low intervention her attitude is as she is pregnant herself now and is planning a home birth. So she isn't just paying lip service.

Actually, this is the biggest beef I have with some health care providers. That they mislead women by saying they are pro-natural birth or pro-BFing. But once they gain the woman's trust, they start undermining the natural process. if they were up-front from the start, a woman could make a choice based on whether her beliefs are matching the approach this health care provider has.
It is such a sad state of affairs that we have to have this deep-seated mistrust towards the very people who are meant to help us.

Rant over...

Sasa