A 30-year-old woman developed total spinal anaesthesia during establishment of labour analgesia via an epidural catheter The subsequent respiratory failure was successfully managed with non-invasive ventilation. This report describes the use of non-invasive ventilation in the parturient and the process of managing the parturient safely in an appropriately monitored environment. This case displays the potential benefit of this technique in the setting of a total spinal block in preventing the need for intubation and ventilation (and subsequent emergency caesarean section) and providing adequate ventilatory function until the block subsided adequately.