HMW 38 Insights from pregnancy and birth part 1

The book is mainly complied from the author's, Peggy Vincent, stories about being a professional 'babycatcher' stemming from an inital meeting with a rebellious patient.

The main question the book tries to answer in the first 100 pages would probably be 'Why is natural childbirth superior to a hospital experience?' It answers this by giving Vincent's real life experience and stories of joyous natural birth experiences, with the occassional horror story of a hospital birth.
The fact that Vincent has worked in the childbirth area for so long gives the book credibilty as first hand experience is alot more effective to a reader. Although natural childbirth is great in theory, and obviously we had dealt without the hospital for intervention for centuries before, I am still a firm believer that it is up to the women and depends alot upon circumstance. I also think that this book (so far) seems to be slightly biased. It is fine to have an opinion, but supplying the reader with an equal amount of information and having them make the decision would be more refreshing than shoving an opinion down the readers throat.

Throughout the book Vincent demonstrates the reasons for natural childbirth, and the horror stories that working in the profession of childbirth can give you. She is a firm believer that childbirth is a natural process that the body is meant to be experienced naturally, and if done right, can be an enjoyabe and life-altering event.
Whilst I agree in theory, I feel like I don't have the authority or right to judge whats right or wrong in this situation as I feel like you should only do what feels right for you at the time. Whilst we can judge everything about each other I think childbirth is one of the only things that should be an acception. Everything depends upon circumstance and as Vincent agrees in the book, you can never 100% plan for childbirth, as at the end of the day, it will go completley differently.

5 aspects that deserve attention:
1. Hospital vs Home - Pros AND Cons rather than one sided information
2. How religion affects the above. Is there a trend among certain religious groups and birthing experience?
3. When did America come to be a generation of doctors, and switch from midwives?
4. Why the backlash against midwives? They were put in place for a reason.
5. Is there judgement around natural childbirth? By doctors, friends, family, yourself?

As said above I think Vincent's use of first hand experience gives the book an extra edge. Rather than just using statistics, which would be inappropriate for the topic, she uses stories about women and herself. Which eventually make the reader feel a connection with the author, resulting in them probably agreeing with her point more.