I love this reply a woman has submitted to the newspaper, hopefully it gets published!!!

"I would like to congratulate all those women who have researched the models of care available when you have a baby. Water has been researched and proven a safe method of pain relief during labour and birth. However, as Ellen Connolly stated in her article many doctors still oppose the use of water for fears of safety. Yet, doctors still find it acceptable to over use procedures such as induction, epidural, elective C-Section, Pethidine, Gas, vaginal exams, Syntocinon drips, rupture of membranes etc etc etc as routine. The facts are that these are dangerous procedures, and interfere with the normality of labour, and can make labour go pear shaped very quickly. Yet, water as safe as it is, is being questioned? As suggested by a colleague of mine "Where do these people get there degrees???" and why are doctors being the primary care givers to normal healthy childbearing women? Women should be under the care of a single midwife who knows all woman's in's and out's and spends hours with the woman, not a scheduled 10 minute appointment that a doctor will give. Which may I add, 10 minutes after waiting hours because he is running late (again). Doctors have there place, with women who have a high risk pregnancy."