Is gas pain relief?

[step-mum+1]

I was just wondering when people say that they had a natural birth drug free and they tell you they used gas is it still a natural drug free birth?

Personally I already know that the gas makes me sick so will not be attempting to use it. But is it a natural pain reliver? I thought that anything that had potential side effects to mother or baby wasn't considered 'natural'!!

[shed]

I wondered that myself.

the gas doesn't stick around in your system so it apparently doesn't affect the baby, but I have wondered that, not that it matters but when people ask if I had drugs I say "just the gas".

It helped me with my breathing more than anything, I don't think it dulled the pain, but I was pretty dependent on it psychologically.

I had to go to the loo and the gas wouldn't reach there so I didn't want to go. My doula said "come on, you can manage one contraction without the gas" so I went over to the loo but the whole time I was looking longingly back at the gas machine! I had one contraction over there and just pretended I was breathing through the gas hose.

It obviously does something or they wouldn't use it, and it IS a drug.

Edited to add: some of the time I had the mouthpiece in my mouth but I actually breathed through my nose, so it was just a bit of a prop for me on those times.

[step-mum+1]

Thanks that helps to clarify. I know that at the hospital were i will be giving birth in less than 6 weeks yay there is a pregnant midwife and because the gas that you breathe in isn't the same as the gas you breathe out she can not attend the birth if you were using gas. Something to do with her breathing it in and it affecting her baby. Weird how that is when they say it doesn't affect babies that are on the way out. It must stick around in the placenta or something.

[becca74]

I used gas with my first 3 labours, but I found it only worked up till transition kicked in. For the first 2 labours, I loved the stuff, and it was all I needed, but with my 3rd labour I actually had a bad reaction to the gas, and began hallucinating, and ended up with ptsd from the hallucinations I had (and the subsequent c/sec, but that's another tale altogether). It got to the point where I would suck the gas until just before the peak of a contraction, remove it from my mouth, then scream through the peak - as even though the peak was mega-powerful-intense, it was nowhere near as frightening as the experience of enduring the contraction peak whilst whacked out on the gas.

With my 4th, I didnt want to go through that again, and because I figured the gas did nothing when I probably most needed it, I went gas free (wasnt really an option though truthfully - being at home and all)...., though it was totally intense, powerful, tough etc, it was the best birth I've had!

[Jem]

First labour i used gas and had pethadine..

number 2 and 3, i just used the gas!! dont know how i would have got through the labours without the stuff!! i love it ;)

[FourAngelKisses]

I'd say, no, it's not pain relief. It just makes you concentrate on your breathing more, which makes you relax and helps take the edge off the pain. Also puts you on cloud nine for a while. Combine it with 2 sleeping pills and you have a perfect combination for passing out in between contractions, lol.

[Seekrit]

I used gas and, like others, it did nothing for the pain, instead it was the noise of the machine (it rattles when you breathe in) that I waited for and wanted. That was all that mattered to me... the nooooooooooooiiiiiiisee.... *suuuuck*rattle*aaah*

I remember the midwife told me I wasn't allowed to use it anymore and just to concentrate on pushing so I dropped it over the side of the bed out of reach.

I don't tell people I had a drug free birth, but I've been told by many that just gas is considered 'natural'

[Karizma]

*suuuuck*rattle*aaah*

that sound is like heaven when your in labour :laughing:
I used gas and it definately helped, and i was told it was still a natural birth

[sugar n spice]

i found gas made me sooooo sick i was:barf:all the time

[Seekrit]

I forgot to mention, I was sick with the gas at the start, but I was sick with contractions a few hours before I got the gas as well.. in fact I was even sick at home about 12 hours before the gas.......

[PrincessofGod]

yes and no.. i used gas with my two girls and it worked well for me, im glad it didnt make me sick though, cause i know with some people it can, with my first girl i also had pethadine which was great stuff! made me on cloud nine and sleepy, but made everything stop so had to have a drip to get things going agian.. that was hard!! anyhow, with second girl just had gas and everything went smoothly, all over in five hours which was great! ( compared to my first who was 30hours!!!!) anyhow.. hope this helps.. and also sitting on those big balls are great too! takes the wieght off and also easier to push i think! i have used the big balls and they are great! cause i had back labour and it helped alot! also used the shower, hot water is great too! strange.. but it worked!

Me25
DH25:kiss:
Emily3:smiliedance:
Clare22months:smiliedance:

[blueeyes]

The gas was my friend. I was very intimate with the mouthpiece. It was a great tool for concentration and to take the edge of the contraction. I would close my eyes, breath and work through it (as well as shake my head from side to side - this was really good for me, I was still moving but able to suck). At first I hated it - that was until my DP told me that I had to suck to make the noise. It is a bonus as you have something in your mouth to bite down on.
I had someone on mouthpiece duty as I would spit it out when I was finished with the contraction and punched DP as he wasnt looking and I needed it!!!:banghead: :banghead:
I would consider this a natural birth, as I did it without help or without relief where it changed the pain and labour itself.

[elissas]

I would say that when most people refer to natural birth without pain relief, that means they didn't have any chemical assistance, whether it be pethidine, epidural or gas. :)

[SamanthaJane]

I always thought a drug-free or a all natural birth, meant you had no pain relief whatsoever, no gas, pethadine, or anything.

But i don't know what the true answer is hehehe :D

[SimmyMummy]

firstly, all you mum's who managed with just gas, you are miracle women!!

for me the gas offered zero pain relief. I believe that it is something that can help regulate your breathing which in turn helps you cope with the pain. BUT it didn't even do that for me. my pain was so intense that after a few hours I had to go the epidural and I will NEVER go through labour again without having an epidural.

Mind you, i am a person who doesn't get all too effected by drugs. eg. caffeine doesn't keep me awake all night so I reckon if you feel the effects of drugs generally then maybe the gas will work for you ok.

[shed]

I vomited but I don't know if it was the gas because I vomited up the panedeine forte they gave me and then didn't vomit for ages and then started vomiting during the pushing phase.

DP was on vomit bag duty and my doula was on gas duty. I was very polite asking for each one except when they didn't do it quick enough and then they got barked at.

Can I have the gas please?...GAS!!

The rattle of the gas definitely helps. I remember that sound vividly.

You can have gas at a home birth I think? I want a home birth next time, if there is a next time, but DP said that I wouldn't be able to have the gas, but I think they bring it with them.

I just need a mouthpiece and a rattling noise and I would be fine, LOL

[livtan]

hi...i had a natural birth, and used only the gas...which in my oppion does nothing at all. i believe its just there to take your mind of it all...

[littlepickle]

I didnt find that the gas did much for the pain but it helped me to focus on my breathing which in turn helped me with the pain - for a while anyway.. I was induced and the syntocinin kept getting turned up - in the end, I had an epi, and it felt like heaven!
I wouldnt be arguing with anyone saying that using just gas and air was a "natural" labour -hats off to them, and good on them I say!
As for me, if I decide to have any more, and have to be induced or have a OP bub again, I will be going with the epidural again!!

[chubbybubby]

Wow I had completely forgotten about the rattling noise! Bringing back lots of memories now! Quick, block them before I change my mind about having another baby! LOL!

I only had gas because the midwife thought I was too far along to have anything else (turns out I wasn't). I too think it did nothing for the pain but took your mind off it, and made you concentrate on something else.

[Zan]

Personally haven't tried it as worried it would make me sick but have just looked up the definition as thought this was an interesting question.

"What Is Entonox?
Entonox is an equal mixture of nitrous oxide (N2O for the chemists, and laughing gas for the rest of us) and oxygen. It has pain-relieving properties and can be self-administered.

It is a medical gas and hence a pharmaceutical product subject to the Medicines Act (1968 and 1971.)"

So yes it is a drug.

Zan

[*Chels*]

I just had gas.
I consider my birth a natural one.I just used hot water and gas as pain relief.I also just closed my eyes,blocked everything out and concentrated on breathing and pushing.
Gas leaves your body sooo much quicker than drugs,and doesnt affect the baby.
Proof of that is that my son came out very alert and latched straight onto the boob.
Gas was my friend,I loved it,but like others have said-I think its more just a distraction like biting on the mouth peice than actual pain relief.
I would never use any other drugs:D

[xkwzit]

I agree with Zan, there's nothing natural about nitrous oxide. It is an analgesic and therefore is pain relief.

But I don't think that accepting pain relief makes your experience and your achievement at birthing your baby any less.

Cheers