the resulting stitches, although Mr. Digger then got to be the first one to hold the baby, as I was not letting go of the gas nozzle while the stitching was going on! Guardian pick This comment has been chosen by a member of Guardian staff because it's interesting and adds to the debate I'm an obstetric anaesthetist. I do epidurals. With that DoI out of the way I'd like to point out that the author has missed the MOST IMPORTANT thing, although some respondants have picked it up: a supportive birth partner. Without this the experience can be terrifying. The other thing whioch is worth pointing out is that every woman is different. Some people love pethidine, some hate it. Some do great with gas'n-air, some find it just gives them wind. Some gret great analgesia from an epidural, some get one-sided or failed epidurals or can't have them in the first place for medical reasons. And every labour is different. So what worked for you in one labour may nopt be so great in subsequent ones. Finally, although epidurals are associated with a higher rate of instrumental deliveries, that is largely because you are more likely to have one if things are already less than straightforward to start off with. That might be because some labours (eg back-to-back, needing a drip to stimulate contractions) are more painful and more likely to result in an instrumental delivery, or because you have a medical problem that increases your risk of