Well not necessarily an epidural. You can get a spinal anesthesia instead. You do need an anesthesia for a C-section, or it will be truly painful. You have choices so if you're against an epidural you can choose another anesthesia.
There are several pain management options available in most facilities. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Some, such as receiving medications through an intravenous catheter, can be administered by a labor nurse. Others, such as the basic types of anesthesia used during the labor and delivery process, require a professional trained in administering anesthesia and monitoring the effects of the medication. These include: epidurals, spinal blocks, a combination of both the epidural and spinal block as well as, if needed, general anesthesia. Each has its benefits and women should work closely with their anesthesiologists to determine the most appropriate response to the individual case.
Source:http://www.lifelinetomodernmedicine.com/ArticlePage.aspx?ID=86b1e966-2781-4979-a075-9028b6d4a717&LandingID=fc6eb1da-98e4-43c7-bb9f-09c17e2a005d
it really depends on the female's size,weight, and tolerance. I am a petite woman and I do not weigh much, So, when the doctor gave me my epidural, I was numb from the waist down. I only felt a painless tugging when the doctor pulled my daughter out of me. I even had to wait and hour and a half for the epidural to wear off. I have also heard that you must get the epidural in the right nick of time. If you ask for it before you are dilated enough, it may wear off before the baby comes.
They are the same
Epidural anesthesia can block most of the pain of labor and birth for vaginal and surgical deliveries. Epidural analgesia is also used after cesarean sections
epidural , it numbs so you cant feel the pain x
This is usually a personal decision, but an epidural might be recommended in certain situations, such as when: Your labor pain is so intense that you feel exhausted or out of control. An epidural can help you rest and get focused. You have a higher than average chance of needing a C-section.
epidural injection use in back pain for inflammation in disc 10 days relief
A narcotic is delivered into the space outside the membrane surrounding your spine. This is called an epidural and is often used to provide continuous pain relief to the lower part of your body while allowing you to remain fully conscious. In some cases narcotics such as fentanyl or demerol and a sedative such as phenergan may be used during the first stage of labor to help with relaxation.
Many women also receive some pain medication--either a short-term medication, such as Nubain or Numorphan, or an epidural anesthesia.
Epidural steroid injections (ESIs) are a common treatment option for many forms of low back pain and leg pain. They have been used for low back problems since 1952 and are still an integral part of the non-surgical management of sciatica and low back pain. The goal of the injection is pain relief; at times the injection alone is sufficient to provide relief, but commonly an epidural steroid injection is used in combination with a comprehensive rehabilitation program to provide additional benefit.
Women do not have to wait until they are dilated to a certain level before they can ask for, or receive, an epidural. According to the ASA's current guidelines, "patients in early labor should be offered the option of receiving neuraxial analgesia (spinal or epidural) when the service is available, and it should not be withheld to meet arbitrary standards for cervical dilation." If a woman is in active, established labor, and is uncomfortable, epidural analgesia is the most effective method of pain relief. There is no medical reason to wait for a specific dilation target.Source: http://www.lifelinetomodernmedicine.com/ArticlePage.aspx?ID=302a85f8-7135-4174-bd4c-2bc4ad7e04c2&LandingID=fc6eb1da-98e4-43c7-bb9f-09c17e2a005d
You can't unless you have a c-section before you go into labor but that is only if there is something wrong with your or the babies health. And Braxton-hicks contractions happen before labor and are the starter to labor in the second trimester. Even if you get a c-section or epidural after labor starts you are going to have to go through the pain of one before they give you a epidural or say you need a c-section which can be up to days. All of us moms went through it and survived.
must provide pain relief with epidural or spinal blocks for the mother while managing the life functions of both the mother and the baby.
An epidural is normally given by an anesthesiologist, although the obstetrician is well qualified to also perform it. And an epidural, especially nowadays, is not necessarily given for "difficult" births. It is, like you said, a pain relief measure. It can, however, only be given during a short window of time. Given too soon, it can slow labor down. And given too late can cause problems also.