So we had our first childbirth class last night and they were talking about pain relief. Apparently the biggest thing that they use as a first line here (the UK) is Nitrous Oxide gas. They say it's great because the mother completely controls it, it acts quickly and it doesn't stay in your system... I don't remember ever hearing about that in America....
Has anyone ever used it?
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Is this also known as laughing gas? I know a lot of my friends in england say they had laughing gas during their labor, but most say it doesnt get rid of the pain, it just barely takes the edge off but kinda calms them down a bit.
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Yes. It's commonly known as laughing gas- like at the dentist. They seem to view it as the same as not having anything, which bothers me. It's self-administered through a puffer type breathing tube that can be put in your mouth or taken out whenever you want. I'm concerned about whether it crosses over to the baby at all.
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My natural assumption is that anything the mom ingests or inhales does transfer over to the baby. Doctors in england are approving it because they think its safe for the baby and doesnt stay in the system very long and has much less effects than an epidural. I honestly looked into this at first but not many doctors in america seem to use this during labor. Since it doesnt reduce the pain by that much I just gave up on i, but if you find any good info on it, do come back and update!
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From what I can find so far:
1. It does cross over into the baby, but the effects are short-lived. (Though there's not much research on this.)
2. It's more for anxiety than pain.
The info I have so far makes me think that I wouldn't want to use it. I just think it's a mental game since it doesn't actually help the pain, so why introduce a chemical to my baby if I don't have to. Hopefully I'll be able to use my mind to stay calm and not have to resort of the gas! -
Interesting. They never even mentioned that as the first line of pain relief at my hospital (Switzerland). They are very anti-intervention anyway, the most they give you is a little "tablet" as they call it rectally before they resort to an epidural.
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@looch: The low intervention style here is why I find it so surprising! Everyone seems to except it as not even being a real intervention. If you have a home birth, they send you a cylinder to use! I've not heard of the "tablet" before... It's funny all the little different things in different countries.
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I am curious to hear what you decide. I am of the opinion that if you don't need it, don't take it, but reserve the right to decide in the moment, YKWIM?
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Hmm interesting. First I have heard of this!
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@looch: I'm totally of the school of thought that I have a game plan (no meds), but I also give myself permission to change my mind once I'm in the moment. I think that's the best approach to end up happy with my birth experience.
I posted something about it on FB and all my American friends had pretty negative reactions to the idea. One British friend chimed in (she's older) and said she'd used it when she had her son 15 years ago. She said that it took the edge off and that "doctors wouldn't give it too you if it was bad for you". Hhaha! I guess she trusts the medical establishment much more than my husband and I do! -
@MegWag: best advice I ever got was from a mother of 2, she's Welsh...she said not to read too much and watch too many videos. Go to the birth prep class to get yourself familiar with how they do things and make sure you have an advocate in your husband in the case that you can't communicate your wishes. Then, just let nature take its course!
Best of luck!!! -
I've seen this a lot on "One born every minute" UK version. (Which is my humble opinion is MUCH better than the US version). I find it very interesting and wish that there were more options in the US and France (where I will deliver). It's either au natural or epidural, it seems like there could be some middle ground. Anyway, if you have seen "The Business of Being Born", they talk about laughing gas, it was apparently used at one time in the US but thrown out in favor of the more potent and expensive epidural.
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I think it's a common option here in Canada, but I haven't had my birth classes yet so I don't know for sure. I think it's only used in the 2nd stage of labour, and I was thinking it might be great. I've used that gas before for getting my wisdom teeth out (plus freezing) and I liked it. I like that it is self-controlled. I wish more of the medication could be that way. When I was 16 I had a back surgery and when I woke up from the operation I was hooked up to morphine that was self-controlled. It was nice to know that I could push the button and get pain medication but I could also play the 'try not to push it' game.
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I loved the laughing gas...it was helpful in relaxing me and keeping me super focused on my contractions...It was great
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they used n2o in delivery rooms here in the first half of the last century. it was replaced by the epidural, which is immensely more costly (go figure). i read somewhere that childbirth is healthier/less risky in the UK (for both mom and baby)... so i guess that has to mean something.
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I received nitrous oxide during my C section when my spinal block failed mid surgery. I still felt a lot of pain but I guess I was a little calmer?
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It's commonly used here as well. Many women use just the gas during childbirth. It has been used here for years and years so I would think that if there were dangers associated with it then they would have been established some time ago.
I used it during childbirth. It took the edge of the pain and helped relax me. I ended up needing an epidural as my contractions were back to back for hours and I was still only 5 cms dilated. Having said that without the gas I would have been far more exhausted and less able to cope with the things when it came time to push.
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It is used a lot in Canada. It does pass through to the baby, however it doesn't lead to any respiratory depression, decrease in tone, etc like IV analgesics will.
I haven't used it myself, but it does seem to do a good job of lessening the anxiety of Moms as they deliver (anxiety is a huge factor during delivery IMO).
I am an NICU nurse, and I don't notice any ill effects on the baby at birth when the Mom uses Nitrous during labour. I haven't noticed any decrease in babies heart rate when Mom is using Nitrous, so I think that the effects on the baby is minimal if any.
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@MsMini: I LOVE having your expert opinion.
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@cvbee: Thanks!
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Thanks for all the input everyone! It sounds like it's safe (not something I ever really doubted), but what bothers me is how it's viewed as the same as not having anything. I guess it doesn't matter, but they act like it's not an intervention and even though it is a mild one, I still think it counts.
It also sounds like, from most of my research, it affects mom's anxiety more than actual pain. That's fine, but I'd rather manage my anxiety without gas.
(Who knows all my rah-rah "I'm going all-natural" talk may come back to bite me in the a** when the time comes!) -
I'm resurrecting this thread because nitrous oxide is offered at the hospital where I'm delivering. It seems like the moms delivering with the midwives (as opposed to the OBs) are a lot more open to the gas than epidurals, but it has mixed reviews. Some love it, some said it made them feel weird or even get sick. I imagine anxiety might be an issue for me, so I'm just wondering if anyone has any firsthand experience!
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@daniellemybelle: I had it. It feels like you're high. Lol. It doesnt necessarily reduce the pian but it makes you not care, if that makes sense. I thought it was wonderful. Its the only thing that got me through 15.5 hours of pitocin labor after my epi failed.
Just be aware that it can give you a pretty nasty cough for a few days after though.
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@daniellemybelle: I had it as it's the first thing they offer in Australia and I HATED it. It did nothing for the pain but did make me start vomiting - it was the only time I threw up throughout my entire pregnancy/labour and delivery, so I quickly stopped using it and went straight for the epidural....which had been my plan all along.
Being in Australia, most mums I know have had it and based on my sample size of oh, maybe 20 or so, not a single one of them has found it useful. But hey, you never know so might as well give it a shot! It won't hurt and as it's out of your system so quickly, no harm in trying it!
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@daniellemybelle: Im in the UK and they been using it here for decades. My mum had it when she gave birth to me! My BFF had her baby 7 months ago and loved the gas-and-air, as its called here. She said she felt drunk without the hangover and went from being tense and scared to laughing and joking with the midwives and singing along to her labour playlist in minutes. Im definately going to try it!
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@MegWag: I'm in the UK too and I think the midwife community feel that pain in birthing is closely linked to anxiety in women.
Obviously, it's not the cause per say but it makes it a lot worse. If you have coping techniques to manage anxiety without G&A that's great, otherwise I think it can be a great tool as its not as likely to lead to the "cascade of interventions" that are assosicated with epidural use.
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We were just learning about this in our class as well. From what I understand, its not an available option in the States (or, widely available), but is a definite option here in Canada.
Because the gas is used for such short periods of time (Mom inhales, activates the gas, and removes the mask), there is a lot smaller chance of the chemicals crossing the placenta, from what we were told.
My midwife explained that it doesn't really do much for the pain, but that it 'takes the edge off'. It sort of makes you not CARE that there's pain, if that makes sense.I'm not sure if I'll try it - I'd like to avoid anything chemical, but we'll see how things go.
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The first line of defense here in Sweden (at least that's the first thing my local birthing class covered) was heat packs. They went on and on about how they no longer provide heat packs, but you can DIY one with a sock and rice and heat it up in their microwave. Ummm, yeh. I sat there with my mouth hung open!
Then they talked about nitrous oxide, but barely even covered it. I did use it, it's the only thing I had while giving birth. I had a cold and it took awhile to figure it out. I still felt the pain. It just gets you lightheaded for a second, if you can even call it that. But when you're fully dilated and the epidural fails (I hope it doesn't for you like it did for me, that's if you want one, that is) you figure out how to breath in to that thing really quick.
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Btw, for me, it totally didn't mask the pain. When contractions are so strong and so close together and you're at the ring of bloody fire, it's just becomes an automatic 2 second distraction while you brace yourself for the peak of the next contraction. It didn't really do much, but right then and there, even if the slightest bit helped, I was glad to do it.
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Interesting thread. I've been interested in this option for childbirth, as I've used laughing gas at the dentist and I liked it.
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I'm not sure about exactly how much nitric oxide gets transferred to the baby, but pediatric anesthesiologists give nitric oxide directly to kids all the time before starting their IVs in the OR. They just kind of conk out and they don't have the trauma of a needle stick. It is also given directly to certain babies with lung problems at birth. But, like most things in medicine, the mechanism is not entirely understood.
I think you'd have to be sucking down a high concentration for a long period of time to suffer any ill effects. Other than the usual: it may not "work".
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