two homebirths, no gas and air for either as by the time the flying squad arrrived it was too late for it

My mistake EcoMouse - don't want to get anyone into trouble! I knew it was legal to buy; didn't think you could be done for inhaling it.

One homebirth I've been to the gas and air was running low so another cannister was couriered over by hospital transport and it arrived really quickly. So don't let this pt you off

I'm also guessing that if on the day there is any nonsense about gas and air not being available i can still go to hospital so nothing to loose by giving it a go right ?

My HB I think there was some G&A but I didn't use it. No, what am I saying - there was because I used it when they were doing my stitches, was the only time I needed it.

My NHS midwife was fine with minimal intervention btw, no checks after I got in the birth pool.

Boobz not sure what you meant by nitrous oxide being legal to buy and use recreationally? It's illegal to inhale it or purchase it for the use of inhalation. Unless by recreational you meant whipping cream of course

3 home births. First with gas and air - big mistake as it made me feel sick and interrupted my breathing. Second with no gas and air at all as there wasn't time. Third with a small puff or two during transition. Totally manageable with all the other stuff available (water, breathing, moving etc). Each of mine have been totally different in the ways in which they have gone - eg I was obsessed with using Tens for my second as it had proved so useful first time round but it didn't arrive before my baby and it was fine. Go for a home birth - they're fab.

actually i think alot of your HB experience will depend on where you live (NHS lottery)and also the MWs who attend.

My first was born at home - it was a complete nightmare. I wanted gas and air, the MWs brought a faulty cannister about 3hrs after I first asked for it; then one of them brought oxygen by mistake to replace it (another 1.5hrs later).then the last one ran out after about 20mins.
I was completely hysterical because I knew that I would want at least some pain relief, and was prepared to manage on gas and air, but not NOTHING. when I had it it worked fantastically well.

I had 2nd deg tearing - the MW sent me to hospital for stitching where I again only had gas and air.

Second baby delivered at hospital and I had pethidine followed by gas and air. Labour went fast (and much much calmer). MW great.

Anyway I live in Tower Hamlets (east London)
There are no prizes for delivering without the pain relief that you really want.

Sorry if that's abit cynical.

My midwife brought 2 cannisters and I got through them in about 3 hours.... I had been in (latent) labour for 3 days and nights, so when she turned up and examined me and said I was 4cm and could break out the G&A (wahoo!) I was not holding back! But then I caned it and was VERY miffed when I sucked the last puff and the thing ran dry... DH says the look on my face when there was no gas left was something he never wants to see again... pure anger and despair! But as it happened, the second midwife took another 90 mins to arrive and I didn't have any gas during that time and coped, even though I would've prefered not to have had to...

So 2nd MW turned up and I got another cannister and a half to take me to 10cm and pushing... was all fine in the end.....

But if you're really worried, you can buy nitrous oxide (for all intents and purposes the same as G&A) from all good cake shops as it's the stuff you use to maked whipped cream. It's perfectly legal to buy it and use it recreationally! I plan to have some on standby next time, just in case...

I had my gas and air dropped off about 2 wks before my due date!