Dr. White's wife was one of the founding mothers of La Leche League, and Dr. White was on its medical advisory board as well. If at all possible (and it most often IS possible), home birth is the way to go. Nothing can beat home birth for safety and comfort of mother and child, and closeness for the entire family! Two of my nine children were born at home--one when I was 22, and one when I was 48. Nothing in life is more empowering than a home birth!

Dr. White's wife was one of the founding mothers of La Leche League, and Dr. White was on its medical advisory board as well. If at all possible (and it most often IS possible), home birth is the way to go. Nothing can beat home birth for safety and comfort of mother and child, and closeness for the entire family! Two of my nine children were born at home--one when I was 22, and one when I was 48. Nothing in life is more empowering than a home birth!

WOW!  WOW!  You go girl  :applause: :applause:

Very good question, Alex.  I hope those who have had both will weigh in.  

Off the bat, the first thing that happens when a mother in labor checks into the hospital is that she surrenders all control.  She may not go walk off the contractions for example.  If it is a first time, she may have been told to come it many many hours before the baby comes.  She will be hooked up to an IV, just in case.  

So, what if they need the bed?  Or it is just taking too long?  Very often Pitocin is given to induce labor.  Pitocin is so intense an epidermal pain blocker will need to be given.  The body can really only endure the triple intensity for so long before a Cesearean section will be needed.  The epideral renders the mom unable to even know that she has a lower half of the body which is a merciful thing for C-section, but it distances the mom from baby and the natural progression of labor.

 There are far too many C-sections for it to be a co-incidence.