I am expecting that people may find this post controversial but here goes.

We are so lucky to be debating this, we are one of the first generations in the western world to be so focused on the "experience" of childbirth. I know it was always there, I know the hormones kicked in when you did 100 years ago but it was bl**dy dangerous. There was a very real chance you or your baby or both would not survive. We have now eliminated so many of the dangers of childbirth that we can make birth plans, we can have any number of drugs to reduce the pain, we can have intervention if it's needed or even if we just chose to.

I totally get that there are good births and bad births, some are exhilarating and some are disappointing. But if you end up with a healthy baby, a healthy Mum and no irreparable damage to either I would say that is an awesome outcome.

I don't want to diminish people's birth experiences, mine was certainly not ideal but compared to doing in a hut in Uganda it was perfect.

I don't want to be a Pollyanna about this but I think we might all be a little more accepting of our own experiences and other peoples choices if we remember that childbirth is dangerous and to run the gauntlet and come out the other side with a healthy baby is enough.