Childbirth
These are the main advantages of having an epidural during childbirth:
- It provides complete pain relief without making you feel confused or drowsy.
- It can be topped up if you need surgery (a Caesarean).
- A low-dose (mobile) epidural will allow you to feel your contractions.
- It immediately calms the baby if your labour pains were previously causing stress.
- It can allow you to have a rest, giving you more energy for pushing during the final stage of the birth.
Surgery
The main advantages of having an epidural anaesthetic, as opposed to a general anaesthetic, during surgery include:
- You can't feel any pain but you remain conscious, which speeds up your recovery time.
- You can eat, drink, and move around more quickly.
- You are less likely to experience the side effects of a general anaesthetic, such as vomiting and blood clots in the leg.
- It's easy to top up the epidural to give you effective pain relief after the operation.
