Gas & air

8 replies

Oopsypoopsy · 09/05/2017 23:09

I'm planning a home birth due to extremely fast labours (5 and a half hours then 1 hour 10mins). Only thing is I don't think a midwife will get to me before the baby actually comes out and I found out last week they don't bring any kit to the house ahead of time, they just have it all with them when they come. I really would like to have gas and air to use during my probably under 1 hour of labour, no good them bringing it after the event! Although they were quick they were intensely painful and the gas & air just takes the edge off a tiny bit so I do want it. Is there any way to get some at home? I know I can't buy or rent it, I've checked! Can my GP prescribe it do you think? x

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calimommy · 10/05/2017 04:54

I doubt it. You can ask your gp but I can't imagine they will prescribe it. I understand wanting it thought, I labour quickly too but pain is pain.

MissBax · 10/05/2017 06:16

No way, it's a monitored substance!

gigi556 · 10/05/2017 07:05

Hmmm.... Probably not! Sounds like you'll have to stick with paracetamol and breathing techniques

I'm having a homebirth and we do have a whole box of supplies (no drugs though) from the midwife already here at the house. They have to go to the hospital first to check in and pick up further supplies including gas and air en route to our house.

McBaby · 10/05/2017 09:07

40+2 with the same anxiety. Dd1 was 2 hours and dd2 was 45 mins but very intense and painful! Hoping the midwife can get here quickly with gas and air or dh can get me to the hospital in a few minutes!

BlossomCat · 10/05/2017 09:10

Things must have changed! 17 years ago, I had a home birth, and had a canister of gas and air shoved under the bed for about a week before hand.
Can you still hire tens machines? You could get one of those on quickly

silkpyjamasallday · 10/05/2017 09:54

Well people take the equivalent as a party drug, those little metal canisters you are lying around have it in them and you use a contraption called a cracker to fill a balloon up with it then breathe in from the balloon. They are sold online as whipped cream canisters and you can buy the 'crackers' online too. If you're desperate that's an option I suppose. It's just nitrous oxide though so no oxygen mixed in and although I would assume it is safe and have done it myself recreationally before I had dd I wouldn't want to risk it in labour personally.

silkpyjamasallday · 10/05/2017 09:54

*you see lying around, not are

Original poster

Oopsypoopsy · 10/05/2017 11:50

Ha ha silky! Sounds like fun but I'd rather have the stuff with air in, I imagine that could cause low oxygen in mine and the babies blood.

Wow mcbaby I bet your on the edge of your seat now!

Our hospital is 20 minutes away at absolute best, throw in some traffic & about 10 sets of traffic lights and it can easily be half an hour. And that's my worry, if I haven't got time to get to hospital then the midwife certainly won't have time to get there and then to my house. My breathing technique is just a screaming technique, I've never been able to control it! I had a tens machine with my first and it was just useless, maybe it works in early labour but I didn't have one of those it's straight in to pushing mode for me. I know there's not much chance but I'm going to try to get some from someone, maybe if I beg! 😝

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