I have kids at my feet and typing on iPad, so I'll try and be coherent...

can you explain why you have faith in your body? It's not a trick question, I'm really curious. We all die, historically death rates in labour were higher for mother and baby. Diseases spread. Miscarriages occur at alarming rate. Why do we have faith in a body that eventually fails permanently with many small temporary failures in between? Having been a person who has been sick, had miscarriages, infertility, had a complicated birth, fairly extreme BF issues etc, these are all realistic reasons for me to NOT have faith in my body.
I believe our bodies have evolved over tens of thousands of years to birth in a way that is optimal. We don't not doubt other animals ability to birth, but we have little faith in a woman's ability. Yes women used to died in childbirth, but from what exactly? In the last century the vast majority was from infection (child bed fever) especially when doctors became involved and spread germs from patient to patient (often dead bodies too...ewwwwww) because there was no knowledge of hygiene. Hemorrhage was another one (which conversely has increased with modern interventions like induction). Both of these can now be treated through medicine such as antibiotics and in extreme cases iv drips and transfusions for hemorrhage. we also understand post birth complications better, such as retained placentas and products which can lead to infections. (there are other examples too, like gestational diabetes and preeclampsia which we once dangerous, but are now manageable)

So knowing that the hype about child birth being so 'dangerous' can be reduced to several risk factors, which can be managed, helped me understand that birth in itself was not a dangerous act, it was often the circumstances surrounding it.

Also, I believe youth, fitness and genetics were on my side when it comes to a complication free pregnancy and birth. It did take a lot of faith to trust in my ability, but I saw hospital as the place to go when things weren't going well. It was plan b, not plan a, and so I also had that as reassurance I think.

Breastfeeding has not been easy for me for many reasons, but I did not doubt my ability to do it. Perhaps I have a dogged optimism that stems from part arrogance and part faith. Surrounding myself with positive stories helped.

I'm not saying you are wrong, just that some of us seem to come at this issue from a vastly different angle to others.

I also think we come at this from a very different angle on the issue of bodily autonomy v's baby needs. My personal opinion, that I'm not going to lay on anyone else, is that my baby's needs get 100% at any cost at all to my bodily autonomy. That is, if my baby needs it at a cost that is somehow physical for me, I will pay it. I do put the baby's needs at greater importance than my bodily rights. And don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it is impossible to have both (fulfil all of the baby's needs AND retain your bodily autonomy) but if the choice needs to be made, I know which way I am going.

I'm obviously a hospital birthing vaxxer. The above is why I make the choices I do. I guess in the end, we all have our own reasons for doing what we do, each of us is genuinely acting in what we consider to be the best interest of us and our child, and that is what matters. So long as home birthers and delayed or anti-vaxxers are making informed decisions with a genuine heart for both mother and child, I support their right to birth and vaccinate as they choose. So I don't oppose you, I just think very differently about these issues.
I think I am privileged the choice is easy for me because of my positive experiences. I also think your experiences are extremely valid, and of course inform your position, so let's just say I'm the idealist here, and that we need idealists to help everyone get to an optimal state of normal.

My issue with placing babies needs above the above the woman's is a feminist one, often termed the 'personhood of the fetus' which assigns rights to the baby in utero as a person, often above the mother. Taken to the extreme, this means that a woman can be charged with manslaughter if she takes drugs during pregnancy and the baby is harmed (which is the scary state in some states in America). It also means that the baby's life becomes valued over the mother, so we have a right to tell what pregnant women what to do and how to act and ultimately reduce her to the role if uncubator (how long before drinking alcohol in pg will be targeted and women vilified...if it doesn't already happen).

Women have been moulded by a patriarchal culture over hundreds of years now to be subservient, lesser than, the other to the male subject, and the personhood of the fetus can be seen as another example of this, where women's bodies become objects to be manipulated, controlled and subjected to intervention, because of their lesser status as not women (autonomous beings) but pregnant women, where the fetus has supreme rights.

Sorry kids crying...will come back...