The mother is given an anesthetic throughout the whole operation. Women who have a Cesarean section usually have a choice of two or three options: A general anesthetic, where they are completely unconscious, and two types of regional anesthetic known as “epidural” and “spinal” anesthesia. Regional anesthetics numb the body from the waist down. The woman is awake for the birth and can see her child immediately afterward. A Cesarean section is needed if a baby can’t be born normally, or only with great difficulty.