Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Childbirth

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

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

Gas and air - did it work for you?

79 replies

Eeeeeeeek · 10/07/2012 14:09

I am due to have baby#2 soon and although I used gas and air for a short time during my first labour, I didn't find it hugely helpful, but I'm unsure if I used it properly?

I would like to use gas and air again this time, preferably combined with water, and just wondered how effective you all found it during labour? Also did you use it during the pushing stage and if so, how does it work, as you're meant to breathe it through for the whole contraction aren't you?

Thanks in advance

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Iggly · 10/07/2012 14:11

Didn't use it with my first.

Decided to try with my second while I was pushing. It gave me something to focus on so I didn't push like mad and controlled things a bit more. So worked in that sense but I didn't feel spaced out or anything. I remember wondering if I'd actually breathed any in!

As for water - the sound of the water running to fill up the pool was incredibly relaxing! But didn't make it in there as dd was too quick

Iggly · 10/07/2012 14:13

Sorry to add - during the pushing stage I just breathed in between the contractions. I could feel them building so breathed in the gas then breathed out and pushed. Then rested in between.

timetosmile · 10/07/2012 14:14

Gas and air for all three (but the mouthpiece wasn't connected to hose for most of labour 2!) I liked the fact that it wore off within a few seconds, unlike pethidine which just seems to make people feel seasick.

Can I suggest a TENS though, which was fantastic for all my labours - put it on early and crank it up!

crispyjojo · 10/07/2012 14:14

I used it for the pushing stage. It was excellent to have something to concentrate (and bite) on. Was very lucky as didn't need anything else. Would definitley recommend it.

You're right, you're supposed to breathe it through the whole contraction.

Good luck!

whyme2 · 10/07/2012 14:15

During my first labour I found it totally unhelpful and a big pfaff tbh. However second time around when I was a bit more confident I found it magical stuff. Also first labour was 22 hours and second was 1 hours and 45 minutes so a wee bit quicker which helped as I didn't get so tired.

TheOldestCat · 10/07/2012 14:16

Worked for me - but, as others had said, I think the most useful thing was focusing on it and biting on the mouthpiece.

I did feel quite spaced out on it - like being drunk, really.

blueberryboybait · 10/07/2012 14:16

It mad me puke, mostly in the MW's shoes.

Pascha · 10/07/2012 14:16

YES Gas and Air was brilliant for me, once I got the hang of taking very deep breaths as each contraction started. The trick is long slow deep breaths right into the corners of your lungs. Take it in at the start and ease off before the contraction reaches peak, you should have enough gas in your body to deal with pushing and breathing.

Vickles · 10/07/2012 14:23

Made me sick with no1....
Took my mind off my special coping breathing, thus f-ing things up with no2...
Worked a treat with no3... Bloody brilliant.
One massive deep breath in, then take mask away and breath normally for two breaths.. Then, back to one deep breath in.
It took me away from the pain, but thankfully not away from being me, meaning I stayed in control.. Didn't lose it.
That's the key to labour... Staying in control.
Take your own pillow from home in, and stuff your head into it when you get a contraction, and scream it out. Use the gas and air... But, don't overdo it. Work with the gas and air... Stay in contol. You are the boss.. This is your labour.
I would it again, tomorrow if I had to. I had an amazing experience... You will to. x

Longdistance · 10/07/2012 14:26

I used G&A with both of mine. I too could feel the build up of the contractions, and found it useful.
When dd2 was born I felt the effects better, as it was during the day, and I wasn't as tired. My dh went out to the car to get my stuff, and the mw gave me the mouthpiece, by the time dh got back I was swaying like a drunk lol.
I too used a TENS machine with both mine. Not so effective towards the end, just when you're up to about 7cm (well for me anyway).

Kaloobear · 10/07/2012 14:46

I loved it. I had an epidural that was crap and didn't work at all but the g&a was magic. I just breathed in and out with the tube in my mouth (initially just breathed it in but the midwife said blow out into it too and it helped-not sure how/why it works).

ontheedgeofwhatever · 10/07/2012 15:22

I loved it. Poor DP was holding the mask for me and learnt to hand it over very quickly as I tended to get quite demented if he took more than quarter of a second To be honest I'm not sure how much difference it made to pain which was bad as I was on an oxtocin drip and the contractions were awful (went from 2 - 10cm in just under an hour) but it gave me something to focus on and that was half the battle

FruitSaladIsNotPudding · 10/07/2012 15:30

I used it and loved it in the early part of my labour with dd, it made me really relaxed and happy - however, I think I overused it a bit because when my labour got to a really advanced stage, I was a bit out of it and consequently lost control of my breathing and panicked a bit.

So this time ( am 20 weeks pg) I will use it, but will make sure I stay focused on my breathing at the same time, because I think when the contractions really kick in, that is probably more useful. As someone else said, it's really important to stay in control.

I didn't use it for pushing - no idea why, but I just flung the mouthpiece away and was adamant I was having no more of it.

thing1andthing2 · 10/07/2012 15:39

Great for me with dc2, I had the urge to push at 6cm and the gas and air helped me breathe through it.

R2PeePoo · 10/07/2012 16:00

I loved it, relaxed me but I was still aware of my surroundings.
It helped regulate my breathing and forced me to keep my breathing slow and steady which kept me calm.
I used it for the pushing stage because I used it to keep myself in the trance I had sunk into, to keep me less aware of my surroundings and more aware of what was going on inside me.

Cheekychops84 · 10/07/2012 17:02

1st birth made me sick ! But I arrived and was already 7-8cm and was literally panicked to hell crying and really terrified it happened way too quick so I Ended up having nothing ! 2nd time it deff helped but midwife left me and dp to it and think I had waaaaay too much as I was totally out of it to the point dp had a quick look and could see her head! He then rang the bell and the midwife speedily took it away and sed "I think u have had enuff of that!" so I wasn't allowed it in the pushing stage and for that bit I then started to get very panicked but by then we were almost done so didnt matter anyway !

TwelveLeggedWalk · 10/07/2012 17:07

Yes, bloody brilliant stuff. The first time I tried it I didn't really get it, but my midwife persevered and explained, basically, how to briefly get out of my skull on it. Totally nuked the pain during contractions, and left me very in control in between (which was handy as I was missing a DH at that point!). Also liked the way it makes you just zone into your breath and shut the world out for a few seconds.
Didn't really experience transition and had crash CS so can't comment after that point though, but got to 10 cm quite happily on it!

EarnestDullard · 10/07/2012 17:11

Not really. I found it didn't actually lessen the pain, but made me forget the pain quicker once the contraction had subsided iyswim. I'am also unsure if I was using it properly though; I think if you start puffing as soon as the contraction starts it works better; if you wait until it's hurting, it's already too late.

flagnogbagnog · 10/07/2012 17:34

I've just given birth to dc4. I've used gas and air with all births and found it excellent.

Tbh I don't think it does that much for the pain. However as something to concentrate on through the contractions it brilliant and it's the only thing on offer really.

This time I actually chucked the gas and air mouth piece on the floor when I started pushing. So I obviously didn't feel I needed it then. That stage was quick though, if I'd been pushing for a long period of time I think it might have been useful.

Cheekychops84 · 10/07/2012 17:38

You should start breathing it in deeply as soon as u feel a contraction coming and until it peaks then as it disappears unshould b so zoned out it didn't seem that bad. That's what I found anyway

Flisspaps · 10/07/2012 17:45

I remember saying to DH it'd be worth having a third just for the G&A, during labour with DS.

Declutterbug · 10/07/2012 17:47

No, it was crap, disorientating and made me say stupid things and have a silly voice, but didn't actuallyt help the pain.If anything it hastened me getting out of control. I only used it for DC1 and got on far better with notthing except hypnosis and water for DCs2&3.

HiggsBoson · 10/07/2012 17:53

DD was undiagnosed breech and they let me writhe around, fully dilated for 2.5 hours (labour 26 hours in total) before they realised and gave me an emcs.

NOTHING would have touched that pain.

So, in my case it was just something to bite on/scream through.

Pastabee · 10/07/2012 19:05

I didn't find it that good. I was doing great with my tens and got to 8cm. As soon as I started on g&a I couldn't concentrate on when to press boost on my tens and the g&a didn't relieve pain anywhere near as well as the tens. I uses it for an hour and then stopped as i was fully dilated and didn't want it for pushing as the pain was much more bearable by then.

I think next time I either won't use it or will brief DH to operate the tens by counting to work out the rough middle point of the contraction.

TheSecondComing · 10/07/2012 19:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Flip

1 2 3 4