This midwife’s perspective on Joggmidwives.com.au addresses the stigma often attached to epidurals and replaces it with a more compassionate, realistic framework for decision-making. It highlights that there is no hierarchy of birth experiences and that pain relief choices should be guided by personal needs, not guilt or external expectations. The summary discusses common reasons women choose epidurals-such as exhaustion, stress reduction, and regaining a sense of control-while noting that informed choice includes understanding possible impacts on mobility and subsequent interventions. The central message: positive birth experiences are most strongly shaped by respectful support, not by “how” the baby is born.