I don't have any particular opinion on home births as if I ever have a baby it would be high risk and need consultant support throughout. However on the subject of cultural differences Tom, I suspect it's a common excuse not to deal with poor standards. I was once told by ward staff and a PALS officer (not a volunteer) that the reason I'd been treated so badly by a consultant (he'd screamed at me in front of a ward full of people) was that he was Greek and that I had to understand that Greek men had a different attitude towards women so I shouldn't complain. I didn't, they successfully intimidated me out of it, which is why this kind of behaviour continues. The individual's nationality of course wasn't known to me nor had I even considered it as a factor until I was told that must be the reason! Bendy Girl