The epidural - what it is and how it’s used
In terms of pain relief for labor, the epidural is a regional anesthetic drug injected into the lower back of a laboring woman. Generally, it will numb you from right around under your ribs to your thighs.
The epidural is injected into the space just outside the dura (the outer membrane surrounding the spinal cord). A thin tube is injected through the needle and stays within the epidural space delivering the medication, while the needle is pulled out.
A pump operates the distribution of the medication. The epidural can be reduced or turned off, which will gradually reduce the effects of the medication. You will start to have feeling again, which can be helpful during pushing.