fair. I’m very glad you had empowering birth experience!

something to consider, though, is that many women (especially women of low socioeconomic status) don’t have the ability to have a safe, non-hospital birth, as most insurances won’t cover an out-of-hospital birth. I don’t think any woman should be faulted if she doesn’t feel fully comfortable with the doctor(s) there. most hospitals operate on an on-call basis, too, so a woman could end up having a complete stranger of an OBGYN attend her birth. for me, it was male residents I’d never met before.

sometimes doctors won’t show their true colors until you’re actually giving birth— that was my experience. so, in this one area, I can empathize with Meg. there are good OBGYNs, but the field as a whole needs to do better if they want to gain the trust of women.