EP. 18 - What the hell is a doula anyway, the cesarean debate, birth rights, sex fiends

In light of the backlash against Kate Hudson's comment (which I'm sure was entirely a joke but the reaction is definitely interesting) that the laziest thing she's ever done is to have a c section, I chat to the brilliant director of Birthrights, Rebecca Schiller.

She has a MA in war studies. Yeah. Her passion for human rights and, after years of being a doula, she realised that there were some series issues around women, birth and human rights. After too many stories of women feeling a lack of power or respect she decided to do something about it. I highly recommend reading the articles on http://www.birthrights.org. uk.

We aslo move, somehow, onto the subject of women being pigeon holed. The working mum, the organic mum, the stay at home mum. And how we get pitted against eachother. And wouldn't it be fun if we could just be women, 360 degree women that change and are layered and are not defined by whether we have children or not, whether we bottle or breastfeed, or if we decide we want to give birth through the love tunnel or the sun roof. Perhaps we can be a chardonnay drinking, homework nailing, organic pie making, sex fiend woman and break all the stereotypes. And I realised I was an organic cucumber, cesarean sex fiend. And we might even do tshirts. We cannot be defined as simply as society would like. But we do deserve all the information and the respect that we can make strong decisions.

She's also written an absolutely brilliant book called Why Human Rights in Childbirth Matter, that the Chief Executive of the Royal College of Midwives said 'should become essential reading for all maternity professionals'.

I can't wait to read Rebecca's new book coming out in April. I promise to do another interview with her, partly so she'll bring me more duck eggs from her home, and also because I think she is so wonderfully balanced, informed, highly respectful and compassionate.

In a sea of layered, complicated, important and sometimes angry debate around childbirth, she is a mast to hold onto.