from personal experience, sometimes there is just no reason for stalled delivery/foetal distress. I had failure to progress - stuck at 3cm dilated until they broke my waters, then contractions becoming less regular and effective until I became so tired that I was in ketosis, so they had to move me to the consultant unit. Because I had so little energy, this led to foetal distress and they had to give me drugs to hurry things up and strengthen my contractions and do a ventouse delivery. This was dispite being in a midwife unit for most of my labour where I was encouraged to move around and be in any position I felt like. I was in the birthing pool for a while.

If I had had a consultant who was more ready to perform caesarians, they probably would have suggested this and told me I "had to" have it for the baby's sake - and I probably would have believed them and done it even though it wasnt what I wanted and I wouldnt have known there was an alternative.

Personally I cant understand the view that a foetus is not a child and has no human rights during labour, but a few short hours later is a person with full rights. There is no real difference in the baby other than where it is and how it gets its energy. Its just a convenient place for some people to draw an arbitrary line in the continuous process from being a few cells to being a precious baby. I personally draw the line much earlier, but recognise it is still somewhat arbitrary.

Bagpuss