date and require further investigation in
maternity care research. The pertinence for maternity practice and
decision-making of our study findings relating to different labour
pain management techniques and their association with breastfeeding
are highlighted when considered alongside the welldocumented
health benefits associated with breast-feeding and
its duration for the infant (Oddy, 2001; Leon-Cava et al., 2002)
mother (Beral, 2002), and wider community (Gartner et al., 2