The hormones you experience after a natural, gentle birth are unbelievable! Its just incredible how a womans body can feel... Yes it was painful, but it wasn't a bad experience. And i wish that every woman and baby could experience a wonderful birth.
LG - I had no fear of birth - I knew about the extraordinary capacity that our bodies have to look after ourselves, I had been through a miscarriage that progressed very much like a labour and had experience the hormones and mind altered state as the body helps you cope with the pain! That is probably one of the reasons I was so upset that my OB denied me any form of birth experience - I had some experience - I knew I could labour to lose a baby - I wanted the pain and saw it as part of coming to terms with losing my first.

I probably should have run away when at one of my antenatal appointments my Obs reaction to my wanting a natural birth with no pain relief or epidural was "Well, if you need it, I am going to tell you you need it and that will be it!"

Yes, birth has been highly medicalised. Thank goodness for BellyBelly trying to break this down and educate us so that we can make informed choices!