I love childbirth and respect mom's ability to do things on her own without medicinal, surgical, or mechanical intervention in the vast majority of cases. I just want to get that out there, especially after my home birth this last June.
However, I had one argument against unassisted childbirth that kept me from that route. I felt that it was very important to have someone who can objectively look at the facts collected by the doppler and palpation and help advise me what to do. It has always taken me intense focus to breathe through the pain while making sure to keep pelvic muscles relaxed. I do not think that, especially in transition, I can objectively monitor myself while maintaining control. Also, the state of mind I tend to be in after a birth is sort of "fuzzy" and "swimmy" and I'm not sure that I would have the composure to do infant CPR if needed. I am sure my husband wouldn't either. If both me and baby needed rescuscitation, it would have been a total disaster.
The philosophy of my midwife was to be a fly on the wall. And she was. If I looked like I was having trouble coping, she would sneak in an offer counterpressure. She would sneak in for dopplers in whatever position I took during a contraction. She turned off all the lights in the bathroom and let me labor in the water alone, as well.
I trust that I know enough about birth to catch someone else's baby safely (under normal conditions) if I needed to. However, I just didn't feel that I would have the self-control and composure to be objective about the health of me and my baby. That is just me, though. I know that all women are different, especially in childbirth. I did, however, want to offer you another note to consider.
Whatever you decide, I wish you the best of luck! Natural childbirth is so beautiful. I get smacked by my friends sometimes when i say that, but I know you all here agree! Its amazing how people who have never had a natural childbirth feel they can speak so confidently about its nature.