Heather
I missed the original 'controversial' thread but I can guess (??) what was
going on here, being a transplanted Brit living in the US: here in
Massachusetts, the very fact of choosing a midwife delivery implies being
somewhat unconventional, because most births are attended by obstetricians.
It is not the 'norm' as in the UK. It is a choice to have a
non-interventional style of birth, and the expectations of the midwife are
accordingly 'alternative'.  Knowing the US and the UK  mentalities, having a
midwife delivery here in the US is somewhat akin to choosing a home delivery
in the UK (and choosing to have a home delivery in the US is more unusual
than choosing a home delivery in the UK). Here the term midwife implies a lot
which it does not imply in Britain.
Anne Merewood IBCLC

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html