I was born on a No 23 bus outside Sheffield Rail Station in 1961, no midwife, just a couple of women helping my mum who's labour lasted less than 10 mins (I was her first child and a week early). Taken to hospital by the bus and discharged a few hours later with mum to go home. My brother and sister (twins) were both born at home two years later, again no complications and they arrived just before the midwife. My mum was sent to hospital by the midwife as her labour was taking a long time and her history seemed to indicate that this was unusual. Mum had the most horrendous experience of her life being treated like a thing to be sorted out rather than a person. She wasn't allowed to walk around was planted and left in styrups, had any number of people peering up her (as she delicately put it) and felt completely miserable. The baby was whipped away from her immediately and she felt disconnected from the experience. She always said giving birth on the bus was a better experience and less painful. Medical intervention isn't for everyone and perhaps mum was lucky in that there were no complications even with twins which she didn't know about btw. This was during the 1960's where the services were different and people didn't rely on health services as much as they do now. No scans in those days or complicated tests, it was just accepted as a normal part of life that didn't necessarily warrant a trip to the hospital. The majority of her friends had home births and it was unusual for someone to be in the hospital for something as simple and natural as a birth. Midwives were present and local with the time to care for my mum during her pregnancy they just weren't quick enough to make it for the births. I guess what I am trying to say is that perhaps life was simpler when we didn't rely on health services for our health but instead took some care of ourselves and some responsibility for our friends and families. Cate