Well, I've been warned

I called the pediatrician's office this afternoon and left a message with the nurse, asking if the doctor would write a prescription for the antibiotic ointment that's put into baby's eyes right after birth. A few hours later the nurse called back to say that the doctor would send the prescription to the pharmacy this afternoon.

"But he said to advise you not to have a homebirth," she continued, "because of the risk. Even in a healthy pregnancy, things could go wrong at the last minute, or there could be an undetected condition that would need to be treated immediately."

A host of counter-arguments formed on my lips, but then a phrase from a manners column sprang to mind.

"Well, thank you," I said. "I'll take that into consideration."

The nurse laughed (she wasn't invested one way or the other) and we rang off pleasantly. But I rather wish that my pediatrician was a bit more supportive. The unexpected happens sometimes -- that's called "Life" -- but barring a major catastrophe, am I really worse off in the hands of my dedicated, twenty-years-experienced midwife than with the hassled, overworked nurses of the night shift? After two exceptionally uncomplicated births, shouldn't the medical profession be urging me to free up space in the maternity wards for the women who really need more intensive care?

Anyway, I'm just not that worried about it. If loving my homebirth is wrong, then I don't wanna be right!