You know, childbirth has been happening for thousands of years, and most of the time Homo Sapiens has gone it alone. Most women will do certain things naturally, like walking, rocking, moving into a more comfortable position.

Admittedly the rate of death was higher. But why is it that doctors insist on doing so many things that will slow a labour and worsen the outcome? Like making you lie on your back, not allowing you to walk, or to eat?

Some of the things I was told when approaching my due date were so horrifically just horror stories intended to force compliance-it was horrible.

I think some things are intended to make it safer and easier. Sometimes its just to make sure they have room for you in the delivery room if there are less rooms than ladies waiting to give birth and already in labor. Hopefully your doctor is doing whats best for you to carry your baby to term safely and deliver safely. Things such as not eating are normally the result of medicines they may need to give you while in labor not because they want you to be hungry. Not walking is normally to keep you from going into labor early or preventing the baby from dropping if the feet might be first.

I know that many doctors want you to walk around to get contractions more regular rather than off and on, and the food thing was told to me for two reasons to prevent you from tossing it up, and also in case there is a ER C-section needed, cant remember the exact details. I think next time I may go with a midwife just so I don't have to hear so much "do this don't do that" stuff.

Intermittent monitoring is just as safe as having you tied to the bed with constant monitoring. It is the monitoring that stops you walking, not to stop you dropping the baby. As to the drugs-if you were allowed to walk, to stand, to rock in a rocking chair, you wouldn't NEED so many drugs. Your body would be working as it was supposed to and gravity would be helping things along.

The eating; well, I was allowed to eat throughout labor, and was fed regular sips of soy milk by my midwife. Yes, I tossed my food. At one point, early in labor I was vomiting with every contraction and let me tell you I didn't feel a thing of those contractions! They were the most comfortable contractions I had!

The food is supposedly in case you need a c-section, so that they don't have to be as concerned with food aspiration of an intubated patient. So, every woman gets starved because 12% will need a c-section, and another 20% will get a c-section because her doctor decides so.

All of the things that are forced on us, that make things harder, are to make things easier for doctors. They do not benefit us, or the baby.

Sometimes I feel doctors are far too pushy, and don't always have your best interests in mind. Doctors are there to make money, and some won't hesitate to add tons of unnecessary garbage, just to raise the bill.

Not all doctors are like that mind you, but some certainly are.

I know that when women with bad back issues to start off with, do not have stirrups during labor, and someone is holding their legs back, while they are pushing the kid out, and have their arms (inside of elbow area) locked under their knees, its puts an insane amount of pressure on the back. I have actually seen two people be worse off after labor because of this and the angle their backs are curled at when on the bed during delivery. :(

I have a friend from childhood who was paralysed by an epidural. She has seven kids to keep up with now, and yet can only get around in a power chair. It's so sad.

I do really understand the reason for that monitoring system they hook you up to, but you would think they could try and make it a tad more comfy for us ladies. I mean we are already in pain or soon will be, why have something poking us, mine almost cut me. :(

Because it is convenient for them. Because it makes things faster for them. Because they can get you delivered and go home to bed. Because they really aren't bothered about how long it takes you to recover. Or how you will cope with a little one and a gut full of stitches. Or how the anaesthetic will affect your nursing relationship.

They work to a formula, on a production line.