Narcotics are next in the pain-management arsenal. Some women choose a shot of Nubaine , a short-acting narcotic, to take the edge off labor. The advantage is that it can be given at any time during labor and is helpful in early labor because it helps women sleep so that contractions can get under way. The disadvantage is that it makes both you and the baby sleepy, which can be a problem if it is given shortly before the baby arrives. Narcotics are fairly short acting, offering two to four hours of pain relief.
Epidural anesthesia offers longer-acting pain management without affecting the baby.
In an epidural, an anesthesiologist will numb a small area of your lower back and insert a catheter through a needle into the space surrounding the spine. An epidural will numb you from the waist down, virtually taking away the pain. You can ask that the medication be lessened so that you can push more effectively. For my patients, I recommend that epidurals not be administered before the cervix reaches four to five centimeters of dilation and is fully thinned out with the baby's head entering the birth canal. If given too early, an epidural can prolong the labor and lead to an increased risk of a Caesarean section.