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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Has anyone had a homebirth and not got gas and air ?

53 replies

MillyMollyMoo · 06/11/2009 11:05

This is my 4th pregnancy, all births have been straight forward and relatively good.
BUT I know I could not cope without gas and air and that is my only concern about having a home birth.
The birth pool did nothing for me last time, I will try hypnotherapy wherever I pop but as I say the thought of the midwife forgetting or it not working fills me with horror.

OP posts:

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detoxdiva · 06/11/2009 11:14

Go for your home birth - I had ds at home 8 weeks ago and it was an amazing experience. They won't forget the gas and air! You may also find as I did that you'll use less of it as you'll be so much more relaxed in your own home. Good luck

HeSaysSheSays · 06/11/2009 11:21

I had my HB without gas and air - because I asked them not to bring it!

Seriously, I had to beg them not to go and get it (they collect it on their way to you), I told them in advance at every appointment, it was on my notes and I told them again when I rang to say I was in labour - and they still questioned it!

It is not easy to get them to come without gas and air when you plan it that way, I very much doubt that they will forget it for you! If this is the only thing that is worrying you about HB then I would advise you go for it - it was the best thing I ever did WRT labour!

BTW, I didn't want the gas and air as I have fast labours and was worried she would not get there in time - I was right, she didn't make it, my 20 minute labour defeated her by 2 minutes! On the plus side, if I had gone to hospital, I would have given birth in the car on the way so it was still, very much, the right decision!

moaningminniewhingesagain · 06/11/2009 11:22

I had one big can and when it was all gone that was it. It lasted about 4 hrs roughly. I was most unimpressed that I couldn't get any more, but MW said if I was progressing I could get in my pool, and if I wasn't progressing we agreed I was transferring anyway.

Incidentally, when it was empty, pretending to still use it helped me to regulate my breathing/relax me a bit so it wasn't too terrible.

Bensonbluebird · 06/11/2009 11:37

I had G&A and oxegen delivered in advance, a midwife to check that it was working before the event, oh yes, and a visit from the fire brigade to make sure it wasn't going to be a fire hazard!.

If you're concerned about it I'd make sure of what the procedure is in advance. Good luck!

Yorky · 06/11/2009 11:42

I have had 2 homebirths and loved them both - hoping for another in May!

Each time I delivered in the pool but only had TENS for pain relief as the midwives got there at about 9cm each time! I have never used G&A, it only made it into the house the 2nd time as she had a student mw with her who helped carry stuff in!

And I would still recommend a homebirth unreservedly to anyone!

TheLadyEvenstarsRomanCandle · 06/11/2009 11:43

HSSS, similar to me, if i had gone to hospital in the car I would have given birth in it as well lol. DS2 was a homebirth unplanned.

I didn't have time for Gas and Air he was born in less than 5 minutes.

HeSaysSheSays · 06/11/2009 11:54

impressive Evenstar! I thought I had done well!

Igglybuff · 06/11/2009 12:07

I had a HB and no gas&air, no pool, no tens just used yoga breathing (I did however use gas and air when they injected local anesthetic in my battered fanjo - had a third degree tear so transferred post birth)

I was super relaxed cos at home in a darkened room so didn't think of it as painful (except when I tore!). It's funny - as soon as I left the room to go to the loo, it became hard to manage the contractions. I think it was cos it was bright as was labouring in the day.

TheLadyEvenstarsRomanCandle · 06/11/2009 12:13

HSSS, was actually scary lol....especially as he was tiny, I had only moved in that day...

HeSaysSheSays · 06/11/2009 12:17

Lol - well why do things by halves! Moving, labouring, beating the land-speed record, all in one go!

I didn't find mine scary - but that was becasue I was an old hand at labour - I knew it would be fast in advance, I knew the MW would probably not get there, I knew it would all be ok... not sure how but I just had an overwhelming sense of calm and control - totally unlike my previous labours which had been frenzied nightmare stuck on my back on a bed

Original poster

MillyMollyMoo · 06/11/2009 12:20

It's the being forced onto my back that freaks me out the most, why do hospitals do that ?

OP posts:

TheLadyEvenstarsRomanCandle · 06/11/2009 12:30

HSSS lol I have 2 ds's but 9 yrs between them. So it was like doing it all for the first time iyswim? labour with ds1 was 2 hours....

HeSaysSheSays · 06/11/2009 12:31

No idea, with me labour was so fast and hard that I could not move once I was down, yet I told them that on each of my other labours - and they still lay me down "just going to pop a monitor on, don't worry we will move you after that" because they did not believe I would labour that fast [grrfunminkinGRR]

I think it is just easier for them to do their job, internals, monitoring etc are all much easier standing at the end of a bed than crawling around on the floor! Of course the trade off in terms of pain and fear for the mother is too much - IMHO!

shallishanti · 06/11/2009 12:34

I had a hb, they did bring G&A but it was in the car.
I asked them to go and get it and they said 'are you sure, we don't think you need it' I said yes, I just want to see it's there. So they kindly went and got it and that was all I needed, just to see it sitting there in the corner. Didn't touch it!

Original poster

MillyMollyMoo · 06/11/2009 12:36

I'm getting myself in a right state already and wondering if I can afford a doula to make sure I don't get bossed around. With DD2 they actually told DH to hold me down when I tried to sit up to deliver, I could have throttled him afterwards

Just one more question for those who've had HB's are the midwives more open to things like hypnobirthing and no/minimal intervention ?

OP posts:

Igglybuff · 06/11/2009 12:45

I had an independent midwife - so yes, shebelieved in minimal intervention (which is why I chose that option). However, she would transfer to hospital if necessary! It cost a fair bit but worth every penny.

HeSaysSheSays · 06/11/2009 12:50

Lol - well my experience doesn't extend to actually having a MW present during labour

However, yes, basically they are coming into your home. You set things up as you want them to be and the MW will, mostly, fit around that. They tend to be very accomodating simply becasue teh more relaxed you are the less likely they are to end up having to transfer you to hospital. It is a simple equation really, in HB happy mum = good delivery 99 times out of 100.

My "quirk" was to not have the injection after delivery as it had caused me serious problems in the past. Again I had to make it very clear before hand and my BP had to be primed to make sure they said it again when the MW was actually delivering incase it was a different MW but they remembered between them and were very helpful and encouraging about it!

I would suggest you pin your dh down and tell him what you want, what you expect and what is an absolute no. Then work out a signal system, a word or a certain gesture that means "I changed my mind I need drugs" or "something is wrong" just so that, if your mind changes you can let him know without having to wait for a contraction break or something.

IckleJess · 06/11/2009 13:07

Well, in my case, the MW actually forgot to bring the mouthpiece for the G&A so I therefore couldn't use it!

I have to admit I was gutted, esp as it was a back-to-back labour and very fast and painful but I got through it and at least I was fully 'with it' throughout rather than being in a fog of G&A like my previous labours.

I wouldn't choose to labour without it again but it doesn't really take the pain away anyway - it just makes you more out of it and less aware of what is going on.

I'm sure all will be fine - it does sound as though you could do with an in-depth chat with your MW just so you know exactly what is involved and to check that they will bring you G&A!

Good luck

ronshar · 06/11/2009 13:10

Second baby was home birth and I cant have gas & air as it makes me sick.

The best of all three of my labours.

jennylindinha · 06/11/2009 13:22

My DD was born at home and I never got to use gas & air as it all happened much faster than we anticipated and I was 9cm by the time the first MW arrived! I'm not even sure if they brought any, it certainly never made it into the flat...

I managed fine with just a tens machine although even that got annoying by the end anyway. An absolutely wonderful experience and I was so happy to be at home in familiar surroundings. I did have to transfer afterwards due to PPH but it was ok in the end (once I had escaped been discharged).

Go for it! Best of luck.

daisyj · 06/11/2009 13:28

I had a homebirth, used a bit of g&h but to tbh it didn't do much for me and distracted me from my breathing, so I handed it back. I had nhs midwives, who were all totally respectful of whatever I wanted, not bossy at all, except when they needed to be, in coaching me through pushing for two hours! It was fab - I didn't use g&a while I was being stitched, just lay on my own sofa, cuddling my baby. It's lovely - go for it!

detoxdiva · 06/11/2009 13:29

I second the comment that the mw's seem to respect your wishes at home more. During the early stages until I was dilated they basically left me to it - giving advice and support when they felt it was needed. They do check your bp and baby's heartbeat more regularly at home but I'd hardly call that intervention! That way they get an earlier indication if anything may not be going as planned.

Even when I was fully dilated and getting the urge to push they didn't intervene much at all - I was hanging off dh and moving into whatever position I wanted to be in, with a mw only moving around me to try and get a look at what was happening

I think I had 2 internal examinations - 1 when the mw arrived to assess me and 1 when they checked how dilated I was when I was screaming that I was about to push

In the end I did push ds out lying down - propped up on cushions with dh trapped between me and the birth pool - but that was my decision and not because I was forced into it.

Loads of luck with your birth

daisyj · 06/11/2009 13:29

However, if you are concerned about not having G&A then I would make sure you mention it when you call them on the day - I'm sure they won't forget. Good luck!

detoxdiva · 06/11/2009 13:31

Hope all is well with you and yours - I remember reading your hb story at the time!

hairtwiddler · 06/11/2009 13:54

I'm having a home birth (I hope) sometime in the next few weeks. Have a huge box with cannisters of gas and air and oxygen sitting in my bedroom which I don't believe I'll get to use. Midwife has to go to the hospital to get the tubing and drugs to deliver placenta/deal with haemorrhage before coming to me so will take her at least an hour. I had a four hour labour with DD so may not get to use it. With first labour they took it away anyway, although I was given it back during stitching!
In anticipation of wait for midwives, I've borrowed a tens machine.

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