Very true, a child is shaped by its environment. They are like little sponges with legs. I will take it one step further. As you said: before children are born they already collect data. So it is not only important to make sure the mother is in a stable, safe and comfortable environment during pregnancy, but also during birth. And this is where society and the medical world step in and ruin it for many. Most births are not stable, safe and comfortable. Especially hospital births. For years and years, we've been indoctrinated to believe that birth is a painful thing, that it's something to fear. With this mindset, a lot of mothers to be enter the world of mainstream medicalised birth: the hospital. At the hospital, they seldom care about mother's well-being. Only about the product in the end: a living baby. Preferably with a living mother attached, but this is not necessity. The medical doctors and staff alike, together with the sterile environment of the hospital, create a hostile environment for the mother (and partner). Busy people running in and out, bright lights and machines is the worst kind of scenario for birth. It triggers adrenaline in people and the mother sucks this up like a sponge, as well as the unborn baby. Hormonal reactions, and especially those from adrenaline are contagious, and the woman goes into fight or flight mode due to this when the one hormone she needs to bring this journey to a full-filling end is the love hormone oxytocin (natural, not the chemical one). This is the reason why so many hospital births end with interventions like vacuum or even C-sections. I am sure that this is done on purpose. Two reasons: 1. for making the woman think (after hearing horror story after horror story all her life from mother, aunts, sisters and strangers) that they are only secondary in the process of becoming a mother (she can't do it alone, she needs 'professionals' to tell her what to do) and 2. because the (unborn) baby will have the experience imprinted forever. Therefore it is MOST important that women (and men alike) start to realise that they have the power. That it is engraved in our genes to put life into this world and that we've done so successfully for generations and throughout the ages. Maybe then women can take back their rights and power and have the birth where and how they want it. So in the end it will be an empowering experience for both parents and the child. Thank you for this post, it is very important for everyone to hear the message. Love & Peace @misslasvegas