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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

Gas and air - what's it like?

233 replies

mamatomanygirls · 16/10/2011 16:39

Hi, I am due to give birth to no.4 in 7 weeks.

This time I would really like to try and avoid an epidural for various reasons. However I've always been scared of gas and air as I have a complete horror of vomiting or even feeling sick and I've heard it can make you nauseous.

What is it like? Does it really help with the pain? Does it make you feel sick and lightheaded too?

Thanks in advance.x

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StrangewaysHereICome · 18/10/2011 20:16

It's fantastic stuff, I could almost be persuaded to have another baby just to have another go with it!! I had pethidine with my first, and I really didn't like it at all, I felt very out of control. With gas and air at least if you don't like it, it wears off quickly, with pethidine you're stuck with it for a few hours. So for my other two I just used TENS and then gas and I felt much happier. They should give you a canister of the stuff to take home to celebrate with Wink.

Best of luck Smile

dsmama · 18/10/2011 20:47

i remember the midwife saying 'gosh you're loving that gas and air aren't you!' I wouldn't put it down. As a former very-dedicated-smoker I think it was echoing the old habit of drawing deeply on a calm-inducing substance. Sounds pretty vile put like that but I was pretty panicky before I got my hands on it and it really helped.

mumofthreekids · 18/10/2011 20:50

I LOVED gas and air!!!

Was on it for 14 hours with DS1 (ended up with an epidural). DH kept trying to grab it off me when I was sucking despite not actually having a contraction at the time. Couldn't wait to get started on it for DD and DS2!

Happy times

Conflugenghoulgen · 18/10/2011 21:02

I loved gas and air - it was the only pain relief I had and I gulped it in copious amounts, until it started to make me feel nauseated ... after 1.5 large tanks Grin

Still ... worth every lungful.

PootlePosyPumpkin · 18/10/2011 21:14

I would definitely recommend it! As others have said, it doesn't so much take the pain away as make you not care the pain is there IYSWIM. DS1 I had an epidural which did not "take" and therefore effectively went through a 20 hour labour with no pain relief [hsad]. DS2, I had gas & air and pethidine - fine, much better experience than DS1. DD, I just had gas & air. It really helps and the effects wear off so quickly afterwards. Oh, and it didn't make me sick or nauseous which is amazing considering I had morning sickness every single day of the entire pregnancy!

tralalala · 18/10/2011 21:35

loved it And was felt hard done by that I got none for no.3!

bertie007 · 18/10/2011 21:42

Made me throw up all over my husband. It tasted so bad.
At least I made him feel included, somehow....

ginmakesitallok · 18/10/2011 21:48

I loved it - like being drunk but without the sick feeling. Was almost disappointed I didn't get stitches with DD2 so didn't get to have more of it.

AblativeAbsolute · 18/10/2011 22:03

LOVED it. Threw up after the first few puffs during both labours (the first time copiously Blush) but honestly didn't notice/care. Haven't read the whole thread, but, for me, at least part of the relief was about having something to do, and something that was under my control.

BatFlattery · 18/10/2011 22:12

I got through 3 cylinders of G & A during my labour with DS! The first couple of puffs did feel a bit strange, a little bit light headed, but I really found it wonderful. It didn't make the pain any less for me, but did make time pass REALLY quickly, which was a plus whilst pushing for 3 hours straight...

I'd give it a go and see how you feel - as others have said, it wears off really wuickly if you don't like it, but you've got to give it a few puffs to get used to it.

BatFlattery · 18/10/2011 22:12

*quickly

iceandsliceplease · 18/10/2011 22:14

Had it for the last twenty minutes of DS being born (only got to the hospital an hour before he arrived) and I was convinced that it did absolutely nothing for me until I mistimed it and realised that actually it did A LOT to take the edge off. It doesn't help with the pain, but it does shift your brain to a nicer, fuzzier place.
I also had major giggles when I was still on the G&A as I was being sewn up, imagining what my breathing sounded like to DS, and thinking that whenever he heard Darth Vader he would associate that with his being born.

With DD I didn't get g&a until after she was born and we were in the ambulance (unplanned home birth). Although I'd done most of the hard stuff by then, I appreciated it immensely. Then we got to the maternity ward, I refused to let go of the G&A and ended up feeling mighty pukey.

GertieGooseBoots · 18/10/2011 22:29

Made very little difference to me, other than giving me something other to think about than the pain. Having something else to focus on really helped. Although I did traumatise a front tooth from biting down too hard on the damn thing. Said tooth was already weakened from a previous crack, to be fair.

Didn't stop me vigorously fighting them when they wanted to take it off me, mind... Did first labour just on G&A, second labour I wanted more drugs but was too far gone...

GertieGooseBoots · 18/10/2011 22:30

Btw, didn't make me feel sick at all, just a bit dizzy if I breathed in too deeply...

BigBoobiedBertha · 18/10/2011 22:40

I was told at the antenatal classes that whether you were sick or not depended on the type of mouth piece. The ones that go over your face are more likely to make you sick than the ones that go in your mouth. No idea if that is true.

Never tried it out though - I too have a horror of being sick so had an epidural with DS1 and no G&A and tellingly, imo, they didn't offer it to me when they read of my phobia of being sick on the birth plan. DS2 was an unplanned homebirth and all I had was a TENS machine which was helpful as it gave me something to focus on even if it did nothing for the pain (maybe, I don't know for sure). You could try that. Ambulance crew offered me G&A but I refused as I knew the birth was imminent when they arrived and I was told the effects in the pushing stage were minimal which is why some MWs take it away then. Besides, again I didn't want to vom. Not sure what would have happened if I had needed hospital and stitches but thankfully I didn't need either.

Sounds like I would have hated it though. I don't drink partly because of the taste but also because I would hate to feel out of control even for a second.

Tierdmummy · 18/10/2011 23:09

I was really not for using gas an air but i also didnt want any other type Needles EWWWW...

But When i was about half way through and screaming the MW kept saying come on try some gas. :) I said no cause it will make me sick. (sister became very sick on it 5 years ealier) and the mw said no it will be ok i will give you some anti sickness first.
So i agreed was not sick but didnt really notice any change in pain when taking it either just gave me somthing to chew on :)
Although the moring after had horrible chest pain from me breathing it in so hard :(

stickylittlefingers · 18/10/2011 23:21

Marvellous stuff. The MW said to me "better stop with that for a bit, love, you'll be up on the ceiling"

I was already there, and loving it! Grin

I'd like it installed at home too. Didn't make me feel sick, did give me an out of body experience just at the crucial moment, which was great.

KouklaWhooooo · 19/10/2011 00:04

I loved it too. With my third child I had it through labour and stitches (the only painkiller I had) - it was the best. Afterwards, the mw said to someone 'get that off her' - pointing to the gas & air! I was gutted.

Indaba · 19/10/2011 00:06

Loved it and had to wrestle mouth piece off MW (and DP!)

MW kept trying to keep it away from me saying, no you are not having a contraction...I wrestled it back.....and found out I can bite....... hard!..... on a hand who was trying to keep it away!

Would have one in my house now if I could, but my youngest is 5yo.

lerees · 19/10/2011 08:53

I have yet to give birth (under 3 weeks and counting) so can't comment on the pain I will experience during birth. However, I had severe burns to my hands a few years ago which was the worst pain I had ever felt and gas and air was great. I went through a whole bottle in the ambulance as it was a long drive and that stuff works, and I felt like i was still on fire before the gas and air kicked in.

I hate being sick and have a real fear of it, will do anything to not be sick, but the gas and air did not make me feel sick at all. The only side affect it had, was it made me think I was talking in slow motion. And if it does make you feel sick I would imagine it will pass quick as any side effects including the benefit of it wears off quick as soon as you stop taking it.

I hope I can get by on this when I go in to hospital..... but I am not ruling out any other pain relief :) Hope this helps, and good luck to all.

jugglingwithpumpkins · 19/10/2011 09:41

I thought it was quite good when I gave it a whirl with DS - but they took it off me after a few goes - possibly because I was too out of it to communicate with
.... didn't make me feel sick though, but I've got good sea legs ! I wouldn't worry though, def. worth a try !
Using a water pool is my favourite support in labour though, along with some good company !

jugglingwithpumpkins · 19/10/2011 09:44

lerees - sorry to hear about your poor hands, that sounds awful Sad
Good luck with the birth and your new baby !

flossiXxX · 19/10/2011 09:46

I went in thinking i would have whatever pain relief would be best for me at the time, the pain wasnt to bad and as it got worse i tried the gas and air. For me i hated it i felt so sick and light headed ... like i had been on a very fast spinning ride! So i had no pain relief until i hit 8/9cm and then i was given an epidural! Most amazing thing! lol! x
Anyway this time i dont want an epidural as it was amazing with pain but i had to stay in over night, this time i just want to go home! So im planning the birthing pool =)!
I would say go in with a completly open mind, give it a go if it makes you feel better then great but if not the effects wear off very quickley! =)! Good luck [smiles]

lunaticow · 19/10/2011 10:24

It helped a little for me. Perhaps I should have inhaled more.

TimeWasting · 19/10/2011 11:00

Love it. Want more.

Hold off on using it as long as you can and then you'll really feel the benefit too.