Yuyutsu,

"Correction" you were emotionally uplifted..."

You are an arrogant so and so.

Don't presume to dictate to me the impact of my experience. My son had survived "by the skin of his teeth"....and, if you don't mind, the "result" was pretty bloody gratifying on that particular occasion.

Suze, you didn't happen to work at King Edward in the late 90s did you? If so, you may have assisted in the birth of my kids.

The KEMH has/had an excellent "birthing clinic" staffed only by midwives which is avaliable for use by mothers with no medical complications who deliver within 4 weeks of the 41 week norm. It's equipped with all sorts of things like hot tubs and padded places to squat, lie or otherwise make yourself comfortable. My wife was booked into that suite for the birth of our first child, but she arrived a day too early to qualify for the birthing unit so the birth was transferred to the hospital proper where proper monitoring was undertaken and obstetricians were present.

My son was born in the birthing unit and there were no problems at all, except getting to a room fast enough to prevent him hitting his head on the floor.

The point is that the hospital properly recognises the importance of having physicians handy, as well as midwives. The two are not mutually exclusive.

I used to dream of being a vagrant Yuyutsu. Being part of society isn't optional.

69 (I) Every person committing any of the following offences
shall be deemed an idle and disorderly person within the meaning
of this Part

(a) Every person, not being an aboriginal native or the
child of an aboriginal native, who is found lodging
or wandering in company with any of the aboriginal
natives of Victoria: Provided that if such person
being thereto required by the court gives a good
account to the satisfaction of the court that he has
a lawful fixed place of residence and lawful means
of support and that such lodging or wandering has
been for some temporary and lawful occasion only
he shall be deemed not to be guilty of such oftence;

70, (1) Where any member of the police force has
reasonable cause to believe that any person has no lawful meansof support or has insufficient lawful means of support he may
arrest such person either with or without warrant and bring him
before a court of petty sessions or justices, or may summon him to
appear before a court of petty sessions.

(2) Every person who fails to prove to the satisfaction of the
court or justices that he has sufficient lawful means of support or
that such means of support as he has are lawful shall be deemed to...

As Jim Morison once said. You're all a bunch of fuuking slaves!

Conform.Consume.Obey.

PS: Been there too Poirot. Scary as! Really gave my poker face a workout watching that heart rate monitor and reasuring the missus (Who couldn't see it and was a bit preoccupied at the time).

I suppose the state comes in handy sometimes.

Birth is about life to me too. The means is an irrelevant detail, it's the ends that counts. Having the wrong whale songs playing at the time doesn't really bother me.

Yuyitsu, good luck to you in your 'spiritual' life.
I don't downplay anyone else's birth experiences, and neither should you.
Houellebecq, please don't encourage Yuyitsu...

Antiseptic, no I wasn't at KEMH in the '90's, but did train there in the late 80's, as it happens!
Yes, I am a great fan of the birthing suites you described, as I think they are the best of both worlds.

Naturally, I wanted to deliver the women myself, if all was well.
Many is the time that labouring mums have whispered to me
"Please don't call the Doctor until it is all over, will you Sister?"

However, there are also many times when I have prayed (yes, I prayed back in those days!) for the Doctor to hurry up and arrive, and for very good reason too...

Houellebecq, *please don't encourage Yuyitsu*...yes by all means:) do so, everyone has the right to express the true meanings of life and formations, that anything in stone cant give:)......I just love transitional's:) the Jurassic/fractious periods where always my favorites, however Dino's were not given all due cred's at the same time frame:)

LEAP

Lol Leap, I take your point :)
However, Yuyitsu's interesting take (twist?) on this issue creeps me out a bit!
I don't work as a midwife these days, and am happy to be out of the labour wards now... women these days seem to expect too much from the 'labour experience', and then many are ultimately are left disappointed.