Ok, so which MNer gave birth in my campsite this morning? I have some questions....

[TorchlightMcKenzie]

like, how did you fill the birth pool?
How did you keep hot?
How did you empty it?
Did you also deliver the placenta in the bell tent?

And many MANY more!

And, can I meet you? Am also in bell tent with 7 week old!

I don't know whether I think this is

a) the nicest thing ever

or

b) as bizarre a bit of self-conscious self-involved eco-hippy twattery as I've ever heard

Jodie, I'd go with B. You put it so eloquently

B

and you can add in stupid and foolhardy.

It would have been nice if they hadn't called the papers immediately. They were clearly doing it for the publicity.

I mean if she hadn't called herself Galadriel then I'd consider the small chance that she is just scared of hospitals and didn't fancy doing it at home.

But that sealed the deal for me.

I would like to be open-hearted enough to say a but I'm afraid I think B. Really self-involved to think everyone else won't be bothered by it.

Bloody hippies.

If I'd been kept awake at a festy by someone giving birth in the next tent, I would not be best pleased.

@ bloody hippies!

At first, I was an A. Then I read the article and now have have planted my arse in camp get it? B!

B I would be very pissed off at some blimming crazy attention seeking cow bellowing her lungs out next to me all night. Some people will do anything to get in the papers WTAF.

B
BBBBBB
ffs. And a "hand fasting ceremony" at glastonbury?

Yeah. I've come down on the B-side, as it were.

Dunno why she doesn't just get LOOK AT ME!!! tattooed on her forehead.

"and you can add in stupid and foolhardy"

You lot are vile.

Why is it any more risky to have a baby in these circumstances - with a fully qualified midwife in situ - than to have a baby at home?

If having her baby while attending a festival was what she wanted to do then why the fuck not? She's saved the NHS several thousand quid by paying for a private midwife and I imagine the other people camping were thrilled to know a newborn was being welcomed into their midst.

I think some of the meh responses here are a reflection of the misery and fear-fest atmosphere that seems prevalent on this board sometimes.

I think giving birth in a tent, surrounded by nature must be the loveliest thing ever.

Giving birth on a campsite, and using up everybody's shower water is just a bit odd.

But each to their own.

downright odd, pretentious and selfish.

Aww I think it's a lovely story. And they were only in the local rag, it's not exactly headline news. I imagine it wasn't them who called the papers.

Miserable spoilsports the lot of you!

Totally agree with Lynette. It's up to them if they want to give birth in a tent, and they were clearly planning it and were well prepared, but to deliberately inflict the labour on other people in a campsite is inappropriate and selfish. Yes, young children are going to be upset and not understand what is going on. It's not like she went into labour unexpectedly.

What will they plan for the next one - a lay-by on the A27?

"downright odd, pretentious and selfish"

Your attitude puts me in mind of the title of Jeanette Winterson's autobiography:

"Why be happy when you could be normal?".

It's the calling the papers bit that takes any warm and fluffy feelings away for me...

"Yes, young children are going to be upset and not understand what is going on"

God forbid children learn that birth can happen outside a hospital setting and can be a normal life experience which doesn't involve surgery and doctors.

Honestly - if anyone's being precious and upthemselves it's you lot. And mean spirited to. Shame on you.

hahaha
ok
I was just thinking how fucking annoyed I would be if I and my kids were kept up all night by a screaming hippy in the next door tent, and then couldn't have a shower the next day, and then there were fucking reporters all over the place.
when i might have gone to the festival for some kind of break.

"It's the calling the papers bit that takes any warm and fluffy feelings away for me..."

What - you don't want to spread your good news? Most people will have reacted to this story with happiness.

If anyone had wanted to print a story of my birth I'd have been delighted. I felt like a goddess and would have been quite happy to have broadcast it.

although I do think its great that she sidestepped the whole medicalisation of childbirth.
must have cost her a bomb.

*What - you don't want to spread your good news? Most people will have reacted to this story with happiness.

If anyone had wanted to print a story of my birth I'd have been delighted. I felt like a goddess and would have been quite happy to have broadcast it.*

No. I told the people who knew me. But people give birth every day, I'm not Mylene Klass, I have no need to broadcast the fact that I'd managed it, even if I was in a tent.

bold fail

ffs the problem is that she inflicted this on other people. without their permission. it is an odd, odd thing to do.