No gas & air during labour

[Catscrat]

My midwife has just told me they are currently not allowing gas & air during labour due to Coronavirus Sitting here in floods of tears as I literally don't know how I will cope Last time I relied on that and TENS machine for pain relief before it all got too much, very long labour and ended up with forceps delivery as I couldn't keep going with the amount of pain I was in.
Please talk me down and tell me how you coped without gas & air?

I thought I’d want gas and air but with first labour it really didn’t suit me well or seem to work at all

I certainly wouldn’t want to use it in the midst of an airborn pandemic as the gas and air is centralised so anyone breathing that would contaminate the rest

Originally they thought they’d be able to still use it with specialist filters applied but it’s not viable for some reason

Theres always pethidine or an epidural. I had gas and air for all my deliverys and pethidine with one baby so i can see why you are worried

Pethidine made me throw up and I don't want an epidural. I don't want needles and a hospital stay and to be on a ward at all. I don't want a catheter or cannula or to feel incapacitated

I didn’t bother with gas and air for either of mine! I didn’t like the way it made me feel after a couple of breaths. You can absolutely do it without, you’ve got this! Positive vibes your way 💪🏼

OP - has your midwife offered an alternatives? I had an epidural as soon as I could. It was a wonderful labour - sat up and chatted to DH and the hospital staff throughout. I’m not one for pain when it can be avoided.

I was induced at 36+6, got put on the drip at around 5am and managed without any pain relief up until I got to around 7cm. I then asked for an epidural which failed and was less use than a paracetomol. After a few hours of pushing I was wheeled to theatre for spinal and forceps which was mercifully quick and DD was born at 6pm. I had done zero hypnobirthing or anything like that, wasnt too bothered about having a 'birth experience' just wanted to see how it went. But one thing that helped was counting when I had a contraction and taking deep breaths - at full dilation they lasted about 18 seconds so I knew when it would end, iyswim? Good luck I'm sure it will be over before you know it

Are they still offering a water birth? If not then put in your birth plan that you want an epidural. If you tell them that at the start they have to make a doctor available - but you can change your mind if you decide against it later. Gas and Air is a bit useless as most hospitals don’t allow it during the pushing part.

I can’t believe this is being taken away! I am 31wks pregnant.

When I had an epidural with one DD it just ended in a instrumental delivery as I could not feel to push amongst other things. My other DD I had G&A and it was a million times better.

I know other people have had different experiences of other pain relief. But I can’t underatand why it creates an infection risk?
Am not really looking forward to this birth now. Even though a few weeks ago I was :(

@Catscrat supposedly gas and air slows down labour. I was 2cm when I arrived at the hospital, but next check (4 hours later), I was 10cm dilated. So, maybe there is truth in it!

All the best. Hopefully if you’re very anxious, they will allow you to have gas and air.

I had 4 with nothing.

Just birthpools.

I knew in advance that for medical reasons I wasn't going to be allowed an epidural, so I mentally prepared myself for coping with the pain without that. Inexplicably, my brain translated that into 'not allowed any pain relief whatsoever' - so for the entire 27 hour labour (ventouse delivery) every time the midwife suggested I might benefit from gas and air (or anything else) I just politely said, 'no thank you'

Yes it was painful, but I coped fine - you'll be ok (and don't forget there are other pain relief options available

Has the MW told you what they ARE allowing as pain relief? As they surely have some alternative plans in place?

First birth I had g & a and diamorphine (had been in pain for 4 days and wasn't allowed to move off bed) second birth completely drug free, tried gas and air but was sick! Then third who is 14 months old was just gas and air although as previous poster said it's more a prop than an actual pain reliever. It just gave me something to concentrate on through contractions. You can do it and if not like you said there is always epidural if you feel you need it!

Someone else mentioned hot shower - I had a TENS and found it ok initially but rubbish after a while. But I was able to stay in a hot shower in the pre-labour ward for a couple of hours (only 2 showers, but only 2 ladies in labour and ward half empty at the time) and that made a huge difference to coping and to allowing ALL my muscles relax which allowed the sphincter to relax quite quickly (I was doing PG yoga so focussed on breathing too).

Hypnobirthing, yoga deep breathing, general relaxing, hot water etc can all help a lot.

Whereas getting scared and fighting the process slows it down and makes it more painful.

So calm thoughts and calm body will see you through, and I'm sure that hospital will have other forms of pain relief available, they won't want to cause unnecessary pain or delays.

I think my gas and air made me worse as it just seemed to panic me, it didn’t take the pain away and I remember breathing in too much and passing out!

There’s loads of other opinions. Personally I loved my epidural (and pethidine earlier in the day!)- made a long back to back labour lovely and calm.

Please please try not to panic. You have loads of options and will get through it.

I had similar birth to your previous birth - forceps etc. The next two births were without any pain relief. Some tips from me:

• try hypnobirthing. I did and I think it might have helped
• look at positions. I had a marvelous midwife that encouraged me to use a squatting position to give birth. Gravity is your friend
• trust your body to deliver
• My midwife explained the various pains as I as progressing and reassured me that I was experiencing normal pain
• remember there is an end and every contraction is one fewer overall (iyswim)

One of my babies was 10pound 3ozs so not small and pain was manageable. I have had worse pain than labour e.g. slipped disc, burst eardrum etc ...

I am really worried about all of the options being removed/restricted right now.

Gas and air - potential cross infection risk
Birth pool - probably also infection risk, decontamination needed/not staff available to run, may only be available in birthing centres/midwife units (which may be repurposed for symptomatic mums and the others sent to labour ward withless access to)
Epidural - requires anaesthetist who is likely to be pulled out of maternity to treat covid patients
Hypnobirthing -all very focused on the role of birth partners, who I fear may not be allowed at all shortly.

Am I catastophising?

Also, I understand that the world might have bigger issues right now, but for a first time mum, this all feels terrifying. On top of lack of support before/after, and little one not being able to meet grandparents etc.

I was induced as my waters had broken but I had zero contractions. Nit a sausage. Gas and air isnt an option in the country I gave birth in. I was fine. Remember no two births are the same. Your next could be totally different to your first.

I hated gas and air it made me feel sick. I was in labour 3 days and ended up with an epidural which really helped

Gas and air is horrible stuff. Tried it once during my first labour, made me lose all self control, I wailed like a baby and didn't help with the pain.

Oh and made me feel more sick than I already did.

Thank you so much everyone, you've made me feel better. Feeling less like it's the end of the world as it did this morning! Going to practice my breathing, dig out my hypnobirthing book from last time and make a birth plan involving all other pain relief!

@jewel1968 thank you for your suggestions, that's helpful

This isn’t good. Aren’t a lot of hospitals also saying epidurals aren’t as available as before due to CV? Birthing pools are very limited on a lot of wards and a lot of women won’t have learnt hypnobirthing techniques.

I hope it’s not going to get to a point where there is no pain relief options for women because that’s pretty barbaric, such a tricky situation..