Your body will have essentially eliminated these medications before your breasts begin producing milk for breast feeding. Please discuss these conditions with your obstetrician and anesthesiologist. These techniques usually provide good pain relief, but it is possible that they may fail to eliminate any or all of your pain. The catheter or needle must be in the proper position for the medication to work. Discomfort from labor and pregnancy and anatomic characteristics can make it difficult or impossible for you to get into an appropriate position for reliable needle and catheter insertion.
Individuals vary in their response to the medications.
Variations in the anatomy of your Epidural space and back may prevent effective pain relief. It is possible to get pain relief in some areas and not in others or on only one side of your body. Your anesthesiologist will do everything possible to make you comfortable, but sometimes complete pain relief is not possible. You should discuss your wishes about labor analgesia with your obstetrician or family physician during your prenatal care. Spinal or Epidural analgesia is easier to start before labor discomfort makes it difficult for you to discuss your situation or cooperate in analgesia administration.