Not sure anyone's still reading this, but here we go anyway..... Particularly to Clarabelle, but also to anyone else with an opinion: Do you think that the issues to do with medicalisation of labour (particularly anxiety leading to non-progression) are an inevitable consequence of being in hospital? I'm wondering whether there is a middle ground, where women can go to a 'homely' birth unit to be looked after by an appropriate number of experienced staff of whatever profession is appropriate, but still be within a corridor's jouney of a theatre should that prove necessary. Personally, I would choose to give birth in a hospital - but I work in a hospital, I know what they smell like, I am comfortable in that environment. If you could make hospital comfortable for everyone, with noone feeling their midwife doesn't have time for them, or wondering if they'll get to eat today, or having to look at blood-stained walls, or any of the other horror stories you hear about, would that tip the balance towards hospital for more people? It would cost money to get the staffing up and the rooms nice, sure, but I would have thought it would be cost-effective in the long run if it let more women have normal births. Any thoughts? Scientist.