Why doesn’t the stork just bring the baby again?

Steve and I had to cut our weekend camping trip short in order to attend our birthing class on Sunday. It was an all day event because over the summer they don’t offer the 6 week course. We debated skipping it but decided that one really ought to attend this class when one has decided to create a life. And mostly thought it would be a great opportunity to meet people.
It wasn’t a great opportunity to meet people, and a very, very long day. We basically watched films that let us know about drug options, comfort management (walking/massage/baths) and interventions. We did do some deep breathing and massage exercises that were quite lovely. Who doesn’t like a massage?!
There was a little bit of talk about what happens after baby comes home, and that’s basically it. We didn’t really learn anything we didn’t already know except that the best way to progress labour is to be walking or standing (as opposed to sitting or lying down) and to receive an epidural you have to sign a consent form. Besides a c-section, an epidural is the only other procedure that you’d sign a consent form for in labour. I’m hoping not to use an epidural, although I’m not the kind of person to never say never and we’ll just see how it goes.
I’ve also concluded that other woman take this pregnancy business to a level that I don’t really understand. During introductions the Moms-to-be really seemed to have a lot to say about preparations and feelings and blah, blah, blah. If I hadn’t been the last to introduce myself I would have said “I’m Amber, my due date is September 24th” and then I would have probably said that I’m an unemployed engineer (hey, you never know who you might meet that can get you a job!). I also had a hard time trying to determine what has been the most emotionally challenging thing about being pregnant. I can think of a number of physically challenging things but I’m apparently cold and empty inside.
Steve also didn’t do that fake knee-clasp gesture when he introduced himself as my husband (What is it suppose to signify? Ownership?), was the only man there to mention what he did for a living and didn’t declare in that fake, boisterous tone how “excited” he was. I was actually day dreaming during the introductions because they didn’t say anything interesting, it was so predictable. I would have liked to have known what they did for a living, how long they’ve lived in the area and that sort of thing. I can basically assume that as a general rule, couples are excited about the arrival of a new baby, there’s no need to reiterate it.
The other thing that sort of irked me was that I had mentioned that I’d like to have the baby at home but Steve would prefer we go into the hospital (and before you get your panties in a knot, yes, we’re going to the hospital. This time anyway.). This brought on a long winded opinion from the nurse teaching the class about how an emergency can arise instantly and that its better to be in the hospital, at least for the first birth because you don’t know how a woman will birth a baby. This annoyed me. Emergencies very seldom happen “instantly”, there are signs and a midwife/doctor is trained to see these signs and have you at the hospital as need be. Second, hospital births are a western practice, woman all over the world give birth at home. Giving birth is not a medical procedure, its a natural process. Yes, things go wrong, and if I were having twins or there was something else that meant I was high risk I would most certainly prefer to be in the hospital seeing as I live in this rich society. I’m not having twins, my pregnancy has been very normal and there’s a very good chance my labour will be normal, too.
My reasons for wanting to have the baby at home are really simple, I’m comfortable at home and not comfortable with strangers. I believe that being comfortable helps to create a better environment for labour and makes the process easier (not less painful, but easier, and to me there is a difference). Steve and I are a quiet sort of people. We don’t like to be the centre of attention, we don’t like confrontation, and labour isn’t exactly a quiet and peaceful affair. At home while labouring you can just be yourself. I can walk my own acreage where there isn’t anyone around to judge me, with Steve, and I wouldn’t have a problem stopping during a contraction and working through it with him. I have a really hard time imagining us doing that while walking the hospital halls, we’re just not that couple. Maybe we’ll become that couple but I just sort of imagine myself more comfortable at home in a place where I feel in control.
I guess it irks me because I always sort of feel like I’m being spoken to like I’m an idiot and have some sort of romantic notion of the process. That drives me insane. I get the same sort of response when I mention that we’re using cloth diapers.
I recognize that I don’t know, yet, what its going to be like. I’m the very first person to admit that. But I’m not afraid of labour, I trust my body, Steve, my midwife and most of all, I trust nature. What I am afraid of is how Steve and I will cope with a newborn, I don’t have any experience with newborns and Steve and I aren’t exactly that great at coping when we’re tired, confused and unsure, which we both freely admit to. I’m also not sure how well I’ll cope not being able to control everything in my environment. That’ll be the real test!