not one word about encouraging women to suffer was in my argument. It is the avoidance of suffering by guys, the unrelenting pursuit of 'relief' by guys, that I am pointing out is the essential overlooked, and never-remarked upon, problem....
in short, it is easy for the guy to say to his wife 'of course natural childbirth is too much to bear' - 'by all means, skip any thoughts of unmedicated birth ... seeing you suffer any pain at all is unfair, unjust, and unAmerican.'
My point is that the epidural for him brings out more of the guy in him, and dampens ever more so his spirit to 'be a man'.
But, in Epidural Nation, I'm pretty much seen as a nut anyway on a lot of other subjects too ...
but ... maybe, just maybe .... one guy will stop, and reconsider his lack of a 'birth plan'...
I understand your POV.
Thanks.