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[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

> >James, I understand you philispohical stand to do all of this stuff, but 
> where did you learn how?  Was doing this common in your area when you were 
> young.  Did you just learn by watching.  I really am curious

This tradition had died out dead as a doornail long, long before my time.

When we were ready to have children, we studied it.  We studied in a group 
and in private with a couple of midwives, real ones, not the 
wannabe-miniature-half-baked-OB's that has risen as a pseudo profession, but 
honest to God real 
doulas and midwives.  

Then we did everything to make sure everyone involved was as rock solid 
healthy as possible, which we generally do anyway.

You need someone around who is savvy just in case, but childbirth is a 
natural occurance and should not be interferred with.  Herself and I 
volunteered to 
do the grunt work at a lot of our friends' childbirths.  This means cooking, 
taking care of the needs of father, mother, and midwives, cleaning up water, 
feces, blood, urine, and puke (and that's just the father!).  Holding or 
supporting the woman when she's tired, feeding her, helping her walk, taking 
care of 
their other children.

When our first was born, Herself was concerned that the car seat/carrier 
thingie wasn't the right size. So we went to a mart and she was pestering the 
employee to see all the different carriers.  The woman asked, "How old is 
he?"  
And Herself replied, "Ten hours."  "I'm surprised they let you out of the 
hospital that soon!"  "Hostpital?  We were never in a hopsital!"

I thought the woman was going to faint.