Sorry to be a pedant but the anaesthetic is usually a spinal anaesthetic - not an epidural (although people labouring who have an epidural can have it "topped up" for sufficient pain relief to allow a section). A spinal anaesthetic is an injection of local anaesthetic and strong pain killer into the fluid surrounding the spinal cord. This will numb you from nipples down so you won't feel pain during the operation. An epidural is a very thin plastic tube which goes into the epidural space and allows an infusion or boluses of local anaesthetic and strong pain killer and is usually used for pain relief in labour. You wouldn't normally lose power in your legs with an epidural but you will (temporarily) with a spinal.
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