Intravenous Lidocaine and Quality of Recovery After Cesarean Delivery

When given intravenously, the local anesthetic lidocaine has been shown to decrease the amount of pain medication patients require when recovering from several types of surgeries. Cesarean delivery is a very common surgery in the United States, effecting more than 1 million women each year. The investigators hypothesize that lidocaine, given during and immediately after a patient undergoes a cesarean section, will help improve a mother's overall recovery experience, as well as positively influence bonding with her new baby.