Can you buy gas & air?

[Vine]

I have had 2 vaginal births and the second time the MW denied me gas and air when I first asked because she did not want me to burn all my bridges quickly!? When I did eventually get it (after begging) I managed fine and did not have an epidural. I may/may not have another child but wonder if you can buy entonox+mouthpiece to use at home in the early stages of labour? Probably a stupid question and the answer is no but I don't think I could cope with no gas & air until the later stages.

[BooBooGlass]

Nope. I'm pretty sure it's a controlled substance. And more's the pity really, I could do with a toke every now and then. Gave me the giggles something terrible

[scottishmummy]

no.Entonox prescription only (nitrous oxide 50% oxygen 50%)

[muslimah28]

why do midwives do this? happened to me too-grrr!!

[ArseHolio]

We you could untill very recently but now it's illegal.


We had loads at one point. My H is a club promoter and they used to sell it in balloons and make an absolute killing financially.

We used to have tons of the stuff in our bedroom

[onepieceoflollipop]

It's a real shame that it can't be bought off the shelf.

My wine bill would go down considerably I can tell you.

[ArseHolio]

The balloons were a lot of fun ;)

[cece]

I love that stuff. My main disappointment in having no more DCs is that I probably won't get to use it again!

With my last baby the MW were laughing as I wouldn't let go and stop using it; not even after the birth!

[Marjee]

I bought some at a festival once many years ago, the man I bought it from said he got it from a cash & carry and it was supposed to be used in ice cream machines! I'd buy it if I could its lovely stuff!

[cerealqueen]

onepeice that really made me laugh.......I wish, I wih

Great stuff. Made me looney but kept the delivery suite entertained for a goof few hours (I had a very extended second stage).

[LynetteScavo]

I'd pay good money for some.

I'm sure it wouldn't make me throw up if I wasn't actually in labour.

I kept telling DH to try some when the midwife was out of the room, but he wouldn't. He's so square!

[ArseHolio]

Marjee if comes in little canesters that you put in a pressurised container. It's supposed to be used for propelling icing or cream or icecream or something. You need a licence to but it for catering now.

We just used to inhale it... LOTS of it.

[onepieceoflollipop]

No, cereal I expect that you thought you kept the delivery suite entertained for a good few hours. They probably wished (if you were anything like me) that you would just SHUT UP and give birth!

OH, I was very witty on the gas and air.

I had a fab 2nd birth. I refused to hand the mouthpiece over so the mw and dh took over while I laughed and cried and thought I was being funny.

[onepieceoflollipop]

The icecream man supplies website has just crashed! Wonder why?

[TheBreastmilksOnMe]

It is fab stuff I would dearly love some in my bedroom. Why on earth is it illegal now though? Surely it's safer than alcohol?

[lal123]

Gas and air is fab - almost makes me broody (luckily a full nights sleep is better!)

[scottishmummy]

helium used for balloons isnt same gas as entonox.entonox is prescriprtion only

[onepieceoflollipop]

What about the stuff that goes in the icecream machines scottishmummy?

I would ask the icecream man but he might be a bit

[BertieBotts]

It can make you pass out if you keep inhaling it, I think. That's why they won't let your partner hold the G&A mouthpiece for you - you have to be physically able to hold it yourself or they deem you too intoxicated

They used to sell it in bars around here too but it got stopped.

[PaulineCampbellJones]

I loved it too, would be brilliant for the "please stay at home til the baby's head is hanging out stage"

[fuschiagroan]

You could probably get it off some medical students. They always had the best parties at uni...

[JillyCoopersJoyousOtter]

God, that entonox is amazing stuff, and I speak as a partaker in the Rave scene many years ago

I'll be planning a VBAC hopefully, and one of the reasons is to get my hands on some. When my epidural was fitted to have my emcs, apparently I made a grab for the mouthpiece to have one last suck....

I dont suppose this is very helpful to you OP, but if anyone knows where to get some, please do feel free to share

[NonnoMum]

Blimey - gas n air secrets. V 'sciting.
Always feel sorry for American women that it's not licensed over there - it seems to be go natural or epidural.

I think over here you have to be over 4cms before they'll let you have it?

[ArseHolio]

We are not talking about helium.

Thy banned entinox because people died inhaling it straight out of the pressurized canisters, I comes out freezing.

That's why you have to put it in balloons first.

I can vouch for the fact it can make you pass out..

[MoonUnitAlpha]

scottishmummy - using balloons is how nitrous is used recreationally, it's not the same as helium balloons.

[BertieBotts]

In all seriousness though, if you book a homebirth they will bring you out some. Then you could transfer in if you didn't fancy the idea of a home birth after all.