Getting to attend births on a regular basis, I totally agree that even these few factors can make a HUGE difference in whether or not you are able to have a vaginal, let alone, natural, birth. It is so encouraging to see the trends shifting again and evidence catching up! Were you induced? What was your experience like? "Efforts behind St. Mary’s low rate, he said, include letting women labor longer before intervening, avoiding unnecessary inductions, letting labor start naturally, hiring three nurse midwives and promoting better understanding of fetal heart-rate readings. Research shows all these steps can reduce the C-section rate without placing mothers and babies at risk." http://www.stltoday.com/…/article_38258dbb-a906-5e38-9c61-e…