Wow - this post has progressed alot since I last looked at it!!

I was really interested to read Dach's message, and in alot of ways - completely agree with everything you have said.
Yes we are not expected to cope through other pain without medication, but accept that paracetamol affects your liver, anti-inflammatories lead to gastric problems, HRT may be leading to cancer etc, etc.
Some smart people in the world have invented these drugs to be beneficial to us, and to help in the modern world, but when have we gone too far?? Next time you are in a pharmacy, look behind the counter and see how many drugs there are in little while boxes that are there ready to give to people.
I feel its the lesser of the evils. Yes, there are ways of dealing with pain using drugs and medical intervention, and these are needed with alot of women that say may not have been able to give birth naturally 100 years ago. But there are far more people who can give birth without any complications, and perhaps many of people who could be doing this that aren't because the system supports drugs?
My niece was born after 31.5 weeks, and her mum had been hospitalised since 19 weeks pg. She had a stitch to hold her in, and was delivered by ceaser when she went into premature labour. Had the dr's not intervened, this woman would have lost her 3rd baby at a late pregnancy stage because the previous c/s scar was about to rupture. The girl would have been dead in less than a day if this had happened. This situation is something you never want anyone to go through. But now there is a gorgeous girl of 13months who is beginning to walk, talk and loves chocolate!! I'm all for medical intervention where required.

I would like a natural labour - not to be a matyr but because I'm hoping I'm one of the lucky ones who can give birth without intervention. My god - it will be the hardest thing I've probably ever had to do, but I'm committed to it. IN saying that, if for one second the baby goes into distress, I'll do exactly what they tell me to make things better. It will be disappointing for me, but nowhere near the level of grief I'd feel if something happened to me or bubs because of my pig-headedness to not listen to medical experts.

Nell - My mother often comments that she hated my sister when she was born. And thats a pretty tough thing for a mum to say. But it was a ghastly labour. In saying that, her next two were easy, and there were no problems at all. Have faith that maybe Matthew was a once off, and there is every chance your next one will be a positive birth experience.

Now - lets see what I think of this post in a couple of weeks time when I've popped spud out!! LOL - I may be singing a different tune!!

Fi