From: "Jana Eagle" <[log in to unmask]>
> after my daughter's birth, which was quick, intense, and completely
> under MY control, and not an obstetrician's, i have always been
> convinced that a healthy woman is able to birth easily and escape
> these "perils" and i would guess that with a physiologically proper
> diet, it would be a normal, natural part of life.  i guess what
> actually happened in paleolithic times is likely conjecture, but if
> you don't have a reason to describe childbirth as "perilous" please
> consider changing this in future editions of your book, because when i
> read it, i felt like you were just promoting a sterotype.
>

Well, I'm not Ray, I haven't written an amazing book, and I haven't given
birth :-) but I do think that childbirth is perilous. Doesn't mean in every
case, but statistically. You only have to see the size of the human baby's
head compared to the size of the human woman's pelvis to see the difficulty.

When the brain grew and grew, it reached a natural limit. Women had to be
able to work and walk on two legs. All these constraints make for difficult
childbirth.

More brain development occurs after a baby is born than is true for other
mammels. Lots of other adjustments to the huge brain size, but difficult
childbirth became a reality.

--Richard