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kirstiemallsopp 
Hi Kirsty, I’m a worse blog-philistine and not sure if this will even work, but here goes:
First – am a huge fan and adore all your shows and wish I still lived in the UK to check out all your fab crafters etc.
More importantly to your current blog, however, I am also a mum. I have 2 children both born by C-section. Your debate in the UK with the NCT is not unique. In Australia, the breastfeeding and natural birth groups have a similar tete-a-tete with “medical interventions” in the birth process. With this experience of being guilt-tripped over breast feeding or not etc thankfully behind me, I sincerely applaud your call to common sense.
At what point did we forget that we are not ordering a new tv or tailored product here? Women are brow beaten with the notion that this is a Natural process and they are responsible for any deviations from the ‘correct’ way to be natural as ordained by a particular group.
A tree is natural. If the earth around it shifts and it grows in a different direction, or the PH in the soil changes and the flower colour alters from the picture – is it to be held responsible and considered a ‘bad’ tree, unworthy of Natural beauty status? Do we really care? Even if we do care, we have a beautiful tree with lovely flowers. Do we actually want to stress about whether the earth might move about a bit? Afterall – it is alive, it is healthy, it does what a tree is supposed to do – we did our best to prepare the soil and get everything ready, but at some point, the tree is going to do what trees do, and that includes things that were not necessarily on our highly planned agenda. I think that is actually what is called “Natural”.
Sorry, I know this is a very simplistic example – however – my point is that a Natural process is not controlled. It can be informed – it even should be informed, and I certainly do not argue anything to the contrary – but how on earth do we get to the stage of labelling some women “bad mothers” because their natural process looks different to yours or mine?
I think it was Wellington who said you should make your battle plans out of string – that way you can change them at a moment’s notice. The implication of course is that stuff happens and sometimes it is unexpected or not hoped for, but open minded flexibility wins the day, not dogmatic determination to carry through the original plan.
Anyway, I agree with you. NCT-like groups have a valuable service to offer to provide networking and information for new mothers. Ultimately, though, they are a SERVICE, not a prescription (!). Giving information is helpful. Dictating judgement is irresponsible in the least.
Ok – off the soap box now. All the best for 2013. Thank you for being such a wonderfully creative and clearly sensible woman.
Melinda