Hi everyone, Well, I guess I'll go ahead and get in on this one too. My first was born at a free-standing birthing center in California. The doctor offered Lamaze. It was a wonderful birth experience. Because of my first birth experience and the fact that we were moving back to Hawai'i, I decided on homebirths for my second and third. Why? I believe that birth does not belong in a hospital. Yes, it does have its place for the high risk pregnancy, but that is not the majority of pregnancies. Just MHO. I read through the Bradley book for my second. I find that for myself, I just go with my labor on my own terms. I can't say that Lamaze or Bradley were useful, but I do suggest Bradley to the mom's who ask. The couples who do Bradley normally have better birth experiences. When I go to the Lamaze classes to speak about breastfeeding, these moms tend to already want the drugs, which is discussed in Lamaze classes as one of your options. I thought the purpose was to have an unmedicated birth. Why the mistrust of hospitals and staff? Now, I know the following example does not represent all hospitals. A few months ago my co-leader gave birth in the local military hospital. Another co-leader attended the birth. This co-leader went out to the nurses station, and this was the conversation she heard. Nurses and the anesthesiologist were making fun of all the women---those who were going "natural", those who were screaming for drugs, who was going to last, etc. The staff knew my co-leader was there btw. This is enough for me. Couple this with the stories I hear of first time birth experiences. I did not realize that my first birth, which was wonderful, and attended by a doctor was not the "norm". This doctor was like a midwife---to me that is a complement. Please, I am not venting against all health professionals, only trying to give some insight as to why some of us mistrust and avoid hospitals for birthing. Aloha, Gloria Thai LLLLeader Hawai'i