Anyone hear Michel Odent on Woman's Hour just now?

[Habbibu]

I have to say I found him quite annoying...

It was the bit about the man being more impressed by his partner if he hadn't seen he give birth that particularly irked me.

Oh I wish I'd heard him - I read his book earlier this year when I was pregnant with DC3 and it was really interesting, but some of it did seem a bit mad. Who can you dig your nails into if your partner isn't with you during the delivery?

I think that might destroy the mystery of childbirth, alana. Dig them into the mother-figure instead.

U saed to think he was a bit of a loon (labour not pain but I have to say his book really helped me with planning DS2's birth. Maybe you just need to edit out the loony bits

Didn't hear him, but read The Caesarean and found it incredibly useful when faced with my vbac/emcs choice.

He just seemed so dogmatic and prescriptive - very much "I know best" - I think some of the ideas I've heard from him are interesting, but he seems to leave no room for all women being different.

yes - I think it's helpful to point out that your partner may not be the ideal birth partner and many women (and men) would be happier with an alternative. Another thing to say that having men present messes everything up .

I do like his ideas on keeping people out of the room and keeping it dim and quiet, I wouldn't have through pre-chidren that it would make much difference but it really did for me (lots of people, bright lights and panic with DS1, left with DH, lights dim and calm with DS2)

We were watching Deal or No Deal when dd was born. Wonder what Michel would make of that? Am saving up for therapy in case dd is traumatised by her first sight being Noel Edmonds.

But the calm bit is kind of obvious too, isn't it? It's just not always possibly in v busy hospital - obviously if money was no object, every room would be calm and quiet, saving emergencies.

Birth Reborn is a fantastic inspiring book Yes he can be a bit dogmatic but I think a lot of what he says needs saying.

Didn't hear him though.

Would like to hear what you think if you do get a chance of listen again, Orm. I was interested to hear him, as I know a lot of MNers rate his writings highly, but he had me shouting at the radio, and seemed to assume that he knew better than women what they needed.

"seemed to assume that he knew better than women what they needed."

Hmmm well that's the norm with all child-birth 'experts' isn't it? I think the ideal is to take the good bits and ignore the rest.