Will I be able to push?
You may not feel that you are having a contraction because of your epidural anesthesia. If you can not feel contractions then pushing may be difficult to control. For this reason your baby may need additional help coming down the birth canal. It may be necessary to apply pressure on your abdomen at the top of your uterus and/or use forceps to pull the baby out.

Does an epidural always work?
For the most part, epidurals are effective in relieving pain during labor. Less than 8% of women who receive epidurals complained of being able to feel pain and/or feeling that the drug worked better on one side of the body than the other.

When can an epidural NOT be used?
An epidural may not be an option to relieve pain during labor if any of the following apply:

• You use blood thinners
• Have low platelet counts
• Are hemorrhaging or in shock
• Have an infection in the back
• Have a blood infection
• If you are not at least 4 cm dilated
• Epidural space can not be located by the physician
• If labor is moving too fast and there is not enough time to administer the drug

Reprinted with permission from American Pregnancy Association