The other main problem though is the medical profession! They have this 'god' complex where they beleive that nobody other than a trained doctor could know what they are doing (I mean this in relation to EVERYTHING health related) If they just stopped their scare-mongering then alot of health issues could be so easily solved!
I really can't agree with such a sweeping generalisation. Yes, there are awful Drs just as there are awful midwives but I've worked for some wonderful Drs, been treated by a fab Dr who reccomended accupuncture and more time in the gym for stress related issues and recently I've befriended an ob who is finally qualifies after years of hard work. We haven't discussed birth much but one of the things that she has mentioned is how frustrated she is with patients who start asking for inductions at their 39 week appointment. She's all for midwife care for straightforward births because she's really into giving her all for the complex ones but her patients feel that since they've paid her for her expertise that she should hover around while they give birth.
TBH in the brief discussions that we've had I've come to realise how much of the stuff that we lay at obs feet is patient driven. An ob can warn a patient all they want about the side-effects of epidurals but if the patient insists that they get one then the ob would be remiss to refuse it.