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Childbirth

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

Original poster

No gas & air during labour

88 replies

Catscrat · 26/03/2020 11:17

My midwife has just told me they are currently not allowing gas & air during labour due to Coronavirus Shock Sitting here in floods of tears as I literally don't know how I will cope Sad 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?

OP posts:
Original poster
Catscrat · 26/03/2020 14:37

@flissity Sorry to panic you. This is only what my MW has said so may be different at your hospital. You still have a while to go so may well be different by the time you are due!

OP posts:
Original poster
Catscrat · 26/03/2020 14:44

@agirlfrommars I hope things don't get too bad. I would imagine they will do their best to provide as much pain relief as possible as otherwise will surely lead to more medical invervention/C sections etc.

OP posts:
NameChangedCc · 26/03/2020 14:51

I gave birth with no gas and air too my second baby no epidural nothing honestly it was bad but not bad you can’t cope bad, good luck x

bluejayblue · 26/03/2020 14:58

My first DC was born by emergency c section, no painkillers before general anesectic (spelling useless), second was a natural delivery, I couldn't get on with gas and air, made me dizzy, so had him with no pain meds, long labour, but I could not remember much about it afterwards, had to ask DH for the details. So for me at least, forgetting the pain is true. You will cope, people have been having babies for generations without pain meds, you will surprise yourself. Best wishes for your delivery, it will be worth it when you get that first cuddle.

ChanklyBore · 26/03/2020 15:01

FFS, is pain relief being taken away from everyone in the hospital or just women who dare to get pregnant?

OP, if it helps I’ve had two babies without any pain reilef due to various combinations of midwives not believing me and having home births.

But just because you can doesn’t mean you should have to

mrssunshinexxx · 26/03/2020 15:05

@holidayhuntress couldn't agree with you more x

Shopkinsdoll · 26/03/2020 15:13

Today 13:30 AccidentsAhoy

I had 4 with nothing.

Just birthpools.

🏅🥇🎖

Pinkerpellosa · 26/03/2020 15:18

Pethidine is amazing but it can affect the baby too so just do a little research on it first. I can't remember what source gave me that info. (I didn't have it during labour).

holidayhuntress · 26/03/2020 15:36

It's great that so many women can give birth without so much as a paracetamol but I'm not one of them and I'm scared. Giving birth was the most frightening experience of my life, I was in agony and desperately afraid of this new and relentless pain. It terrifies me that once again it's women being shunted and told to manage. Yes women used to give birth with no or little pain relief; they also DIED. Their babies DIED. God knows how many suffered with PND or PTSD as a result of labouring in hellish agony or how many suffered with prolapses, tearing, haemorrhaging, anal leakage as a result.

I'm too far gone for an abortion but that's how much this all scares me. My midwife keeps saying vague bollocks like 'we are trying to address these issues' 'we are constantly reviewing' 'there should be options' 'there should be alternatives'

I'm already missing appointments, I'm already denied that care. Now there's no birth centre, maybe no husband with me, maybe no gas and air, maybe no epidural. What the hell are women supposed to do??

onlyreadingneverposting8 · 26/03/2020 16:02

@holidayhuntress I'm with you on this one! I've had 8 children 1 emcs and 7 vaginally, one forceps and 6 induced labours! It's sounds mediaeval to deny women the pain relief that can be used. I can't see why covid should prevent the use of the gas either...what about the oxygen masks and equipment that is going to be used for all the covid patients??

Reginabambina · 26/03/2020 16:05

I don’t think gas and air actually relieves pain. It just get you a bit high so you can cope better.

VivaLeBeaver · 26/03/2020 16:11

There’s a lot of hospitals quickly implementing this.

If someone has coronavirus and is asymptomatic there’s a massive risk to anyone else in the room as the virus will be aerosolized and breathed out into the room. So putting staff at risk. And a midwife can’t wear full ppe fit tested mask and kit for hours on end, they’d pass out. Not enough masks as well.

polarisation · 26/03/2020 16:16

"There is no evidence that women with suspected or confirmed coronavirus cannot have an epidural or a spinal block. In our previous version of the guidance it was suggested that the use of Entonox (gas and air) may increase aerosolisation and spread of the virus, but a review of the evidence suggests there is no evidence that Entonox is an aerosol-prone procedure, so there is no reason you cannot use this in labour."

That's RCOG's current advice. www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-services/guidelines/coronavirus-pregnancy/covid-19-virus-infection-and-pregnancy/

I'm not due til July and I'm so hoping this is dying down by then. So sorry for everyone due before then!

Gin4thewin · 26/03/2020 16:20

I was off my face with g and a with dc1 and wanted nothing or as little as possible with dc2. I used tens till 4cm and took 1 puff of g an a at the height of a contraction just to help control breathing. Made my face feel funny after 4 puffs so didnt use it again. I was so focused on my breathing anyway it helped, plus i labour VERY fast and dc2 was just over 5lb.

VivaLeBeaver · 26/03/2020 16:59

Oh that’s good that the rcog have reviewed and now said they think it’s ok. Hospitals will go by the latest advice so people should be fine.

mrssunshinexxx · 26/03/2020 18:04

I aren't planning on pain relief just water birth if I'm allowed it @holidayhuntress but all women should be able to have what pain relief they want including their husbands to not leaving until we are all leaving together it's dire. When are you due ? X

Original poster
Catscrat · 26/03/2020 18:39

@polarisation thank you for the link. That’s reassuring. It seems to be changing by the day at the moment, can’t keep up!

OP posts:
jewel1968 · 26/03/2020 19:36

I didn't plan to have no pain relief it just turned out that way. I agree it is very frightening and in your position I too would be very concerned and frightened. I was hoping that knowing others have gone through it might have helped a little to reassure but understand if it doesn't.

Babymamma192 · 27/03/2020 10:25

If all pregnant women are staying at home then they shouldn't be catching the virus so then it shouldn't affect labour etc if they're not staying at home then that's selfish and unfair on the rest of us I haven't been out for weeks and neither has my husband so there's no way I'll have it when I go into hospital and neither will he. If all women and partners do this then there shouldn't be any change we should be allowed to have our husband with us for the whole labour and should have access to any of the pain relief options we want!! Also I agree with a previous poster I don't want to have an epidural cos then that means having a catheter etc and also means probably not being able to go home straight away which is what I want to do

Wearywithteens · 27/03/2020 10:39

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the poster's request.

holidayhuntress · 27/03/2020 11:57

It's interesting seeing different opinions. Gas and air was fantastic for me, I was able to process the pain and handle it much better, I gave birth easily as a result and I loved it. I have heard horror stories about more invasive methods of pain relief such as epidurals and how they very often lead to other things having to be used such as forceps and ultimately c sections. If I can minimise the risks of needing all that then I obviously want to. I don't want to be on a medicalised ward with drs and needles and feel like I'm on a conveyor belt with them rushing me through. I don't want my vagina torn to shreds with forceps that don't work and are banned in many countries and I don't want to be stuck on a ward with one midwife to twenty women, feeling vulnerable and scared and trying to handle a newborn. I hate all of this so much

Babymamma192 · 27/03/2020 12:17

@holidayhuntress I hate it so much too really wish I wasn't pregnant, can't actually believe what is happening!!
I don't want to be left on my own until I'm in established labour and then have them allow my husband in! If he's gonna be in the room for the birth then why can't he be there for the whole thing doesn't make sense at all. I'm now thinking I'll just stay at home until im definitely sure I'm in active labour and then go in and come home ASAP!

Wearywithteens · 27/03/2020 12:21

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the poster's request.

silverbubbles · 27/03/2020 12:29

My first birth was a long labout I used gas and air only and thought it was good releif.

2nd birth absolutely hated the gas and air and didn't bother after about 2 puffs as it was really irritating me. 2nd birth was a totally different experience, much quicker and more intense.

This birth will not be like the first one. Just get everything you can control in order. Focus on the tens machine and go with that.
You can do it.

Iris243 · 27/03/2020 13:01

“I have heard horror stories about more invasive methods of pain relief such as epidurals and how they very often lead to other things having to be used such as forceps and ultimately c sections.”

I really think we need to avoid saying this as a way to stop/shame women having epidurals. I’m sure there are just as many traumatic stories from women who chose not to have pain relief and regret it.

My epidural was amazing and the vast majority of people I know- it went well. I had no forceps/ damage. I couldn’t have got through a long back to back labour without one.

Most people actually end up getting epidurals because their labour is more complex.

Absolutely loved my ‘medical’ birth. Just because your birth is medicated, doesn’t mean the room is full of doctors, or that it can’t be calm and you can’t make a quick recovery.