The mother is placed on an operating table. If she is going to have an epidural or spinal anesthesia for the cesarean, it is usually performed at this time. If she will be receiving general anesthesia (being put to sleep), the anesthesia is usually not administered until just before the surgeon is ready to begin the surgery; this is done to minimize the time the drugs circulate in the mother's bloodstream with the potential to reach the baby. Although these drugs are not harmful to the baby, they can make the baby somewhat slow to adapt to life and can increase the risk for respiratory distress requiring resuscitation.