The majority of women who deliver a baby each year opt for pain relief. Many choose a walking or low-dose epidural, believing that they'll be able to pace the halls during their pain-free contractions.
But that's not always the case.
"A walking epidural is really a misnomer. The majority of women who have one aren't getting out of bed," says Linda Mayberry, R.N., Ph.D., associate professor of nursing at New York University. Below are the 3 most popular options for labor pain relief. All have the following drawbacks: The anesthesia may lower your blood pressure, which can slow the baby's heart rate; contractions may be slowed, in which case Pitocin (a synthetic version of the hormone oxytocin) may be used to stimulate them; increased monitoring such as blood pressure and fetal monitoring is required; and some-times a bad headache may set in. 
Epidural - Anesthesia, such as bupivacaine or lidocaine, is injected through a catheter into the space around the spine.  The catheter remains in place, so additional doses can be given throughout labor.