let's just say I had "certain" family members in my family that started freaking out, so I simply just put a one-pager for them with benefits of home-birth and risks of hospital birth and gave them a piece of mind.
Surprisingly, what they told me was: wow, I had no idea - we didn't know about home birth, how important it is for all the hormones to happen, etc etc
I got the support right away.

Of course it's my body and ultimately my decision, but you really do want the family to stand by you too, you know?

Unfortunately so many people are conditioned to think that a normal pregnancy is still an illness requiring constant medical intervention. People, especially in certain western countries (NOT trying to pick on anywhere particular ) don't realize that many hospitals have a 30-50% C-section rate, and that is including the vast majority of normal pregnancies, not women who really need it.

OBGYNs are there for pre-eclampsia, IUGR, transverse deliveries... they are a blessing for these situations, women with TRUE medical needs for safety. Women who are in normal labour without these complications do themselves much more harm to lay on their backs and IV with pitocin because they are not progressing according to hospital schedules (YES! They are on schedules! Do people know that?). Many women in certain places do not understand the power of birthing in a squatting position rather than laying on your back. I've done both - squatting is more natural and far easier. It is not normal to birth on your back with a gas mask/oxygen on!

Believe me, as a woman who has been a victim of this, it has taken 2 years and a normal natural late 1st tri miscarriage at home to heal from it. Birth DOES matter. No woman who has had a traumatic birth can look at me and say it doesn't matter.

If a woman chooses pitocin, epidural, whatever... if it's her choice, it's her choice. But she should be informed. She should know the facts.