May cause drowsiness or lack of concentration. Local anesthesia rarely affects the baby. The pudendal block is one of the safest forms of pain management. The paracervical block wears off quickly and sometimes slows the baby's heartbeat. An epidural block will lessen pain from contractions, as well as pain in the vagina when the baby emerges.
Epidurals are one of the most popular forms of pain relief.
Some side effects may include numb, heavy legs, as well as a drop in the mother's blood pressure which could slow the baby's heartbeat. With a spinal block, you may have to stay in bed since sitting up too quickly may cause spinal fluid to leak out of your lower spine, giving you a bad headache. Pain relief may only last one to two hours, and the mother's blood pressure may drop, which could slow the baby's heartbeat. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' Planning for Pregnancy, Birth, and Beyond When Childbirth Doesn't Go As Expected Just as no two pregnancies are the same, no two deliveries will be exactly the same. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists still sees a role for forceps, though, as studies show that they pose no more risk to the mother and baby than a Cesarean when carried out properly by someone experienced in using forceps.