whats the difference?

A spinal and epidral give the same type of pain relief. The difference is that an epidural has a catheter which stays in the whole time delivering the medicine and a spinal is just one shot of medicine that usually lasts about 90 minutes. Most normal scheduled c-sections call for a spinal since it's a fairly quick procedure. If there are risks involved in the c-section or the mother already has been laboring with an epidural and they do an emergency c-section they continue to use the epidural. Both numb you the same from the waist down.

A spinal tap is different than a spinal used for L&D purposes. I watch millions of baby shows on Discovery Health and that is what I have learned lol.

I believe that the difference between a Spinal Tap and a Epidural is mostly the termenology.

A Spinal tap is when they (oddly enough) tap into your spinal cord with a sourenge/needle.

An Epidural merely knocks out the pain, whereas a spinal tap- for the most part- parylizes you from the waist down. Many woman have chosen spinal's as apose to epidurals during child birth. I hope I've helped.:)

<3

I don't know why they called it a spinal tap, since a spinal tap is normally the drawing of fluid from the spinal column for testing when disease is though. An epidural is putting medication into the spine. I think she had her words messed up.

i think the spinal tap only numbs you from mid chest down where as the epidural is a full numb. maybe i think. ok i am pretty sure it is along those lines