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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Gas and air during labour

71 replies

Melly1801 · 18/07/2021 22:50

Hello ladies,

I’ve quite recently given birth, the birth was quite traumatic for a number of reasons so I’m going to get in touch with my hospital re birth afterthoughts so I can talk through it all.

My midwife basically pushed for me to have just gas and air as she said I was coping fine, which wasn’t an issue for me but I did ask if the pushing phase would be more painful as I didn’t think I could cope with just that if it would be. She said no that was the easy part (spoiler: it wasn’t!), so I agreed.

When it got to the pushing part, she told me I couldn’t have the gas and air because I needed to concentrate on my breathing to push. So I ended up pushing for three hours with no pain relief until they finally came in to scan and found baby was head up. Has anyone else ever experienced this with the gas and air?

I didn’t think much of it until I told someone who also had gas and air as their pain relief at the same hospital, and they said they had it during pushing too.

OP posts:

dementedpixie · 18/07/2021 22:53

Eh?
Gas and air wasn't taken away from me either. Bizarre

Serenschintte · 18/07/2021 22:55

I was not allowed G&A for pushing. Same reason.
I kept the mouthpiece tho. And tens machine.
Unfortunately Labour is painful- when you go for your debrief maybe that’s something to discuss ? As well as the lack of G&A
Congratulations on your baby!

OppsUpsSide · 18/07/2021 22:55

I had it during pushing, they definitely didn’t take it off me until a bit after the birth with my last one as I was still sucking away on it, so that doesn’t sound right to me

soooooooG · 18/07/2021 22:56

I had it taken off me both times.

DisgruntledPelican · 18/07/2021 22:58

I had gas and air the whole time, but vaguely remember being told I wasn’t using it properly during the pushing stage - I think I was holding my breath? I can’t remember if I still had it at the very end.

Horehound · 18/07/2021 22:58

I had it whilst pushing. Maybe it's a county by county NHS decision?

I've also definitely seen the midwife take gas and air off a patient on one born every minute and I remember wondering why she did it. To me it was about midwife power and getting the mother to focus.

HPmagic · 18/07/2021 22:58

Mines taken away also. They do this so you focus on pushing. I was allowed it back after for my stitches

GoldenBlue · 18/07/2021 23:01

With my last I only had gas and air for the stitches and it was quite effective, but I had a tens machine until I got to hospital and delivered 12 mins later so didn't have the ordeal you had.

I don't think it is right to offer a pain relief and then remove it at the time you really need it, and when it's too late for other methods like epidural.

myotherusernameisonholiday · 18/07/2021 23:07

Oh yes, I had it taken away for my first. I was not happy about it, but seem to remember being told it was better for pushing?
For my second I held on tight and did not let go. Different hospitals to be fair so could have different rules but that gas and air was mine and I wasn't entering into any kind of discussion about it. I definitely felt more in control for my second which helped a lot. I hope the birth afterthoughts is helpful OP.

tiredmama2020 · 18/07/2021 23:08

@Melly1801 I think it depends on how you’re using it and how much it’s affecting you tbh! If you’re so out your face on gas and air that you can’t push effectively then it’s only going to make things worse so I can understand them taking it away in that situation!
Mine wasn’t taken away but I didn’t use it during pushing as I couldn’t focus on what I was doing when I was on it. I did have a good bite on the mouthpiece though!

taylor1990 · 18/07/2021 23:08

It was taken off me whilst pushing, luckily I only pushed for a couple of minutes

Original poster

Melly1801 · 18/07/2021 23:24

Thanks all. I’d understand if it was a county thing, but the person I spoke to gave birth at the same hospital and was allowed it throughout.

I didn’t have it for a single push so can’t have been because the midwife determined it was making me not do it properly. I also wasn’t out of it on it either, it just took the edge away.

@Serenschintte it is painful - I didn’t expect it not to be, just having never done it before I didn’t know if pushing was more painful than contractions and I was advised by the midwife it wasn’t. In my opinion it was, plus I had no pain relief.

OP posts:

Dyra · 18/07/2021 23:39

I had my G&A taken away from me for pushing as well. I was very much coming down from being sky high on diamorphine on top of the gas and air as well though. I don't remember it being taken away from me. I was very fortunate and found pushing far less painful than contractions.

SallyCinnamon3009 · 18/07/2021 23:41

Had it taken away for pushing although midwife did point out I kept telling her it wasn't doing anything. I was given it back when trying to push part of a retained placenta out though

BridgetGetTheGin · 18/07/2021 23:42

I wasn't allowed gas and air for pushing either and I had the syntocin drip! Ouch 🤕

BridgetGetTheGin · 18/07/2021 23:43

@Dyra

I'm similar to this!

THATbasicSNOWFLAKE · 18/07/2021 23:43

I had the g&a taken away with my 4th and 5th babies (was left with it for 1 2 and 3) and told i needed to concentrate om breathing and pushing

With dc6 (this June) they let me keep it but i was guided in how to use it and still push effectively

Chelyanne · 19/07/2021 00:13

With our 2nd I remember the midwife saying "take that g&a off her" during the pushing stage. It was the right thing to do though, he was big and shoulders were a bit stuck but I was high as a kite on g&a, once I stopped using it a few pushes and he finally popped out.
3rd I stopped using the g&a once they broke my waters (born 11 mins later) and it only took a few pushes to get her out, she was big too. It was weird as once she was crowning with the 1st push I had no pain.

OhRene · 19/07/2021 00:33

Oh I can imagine there would have been bloodshed if anyone tried to take my gas and air. I still don't know if it actually does anything but it was MINE and I was snarling like a rabid dog if anyone even hinted at trying to take it away. One suggested I leave it for a while and I'm pretty sure I cackled like a Disney villain and said, "o, don't be ridiculous!"

I'm sorry you had yours taken OP.

Flittingaboutagain · 19/07/2021 01:15

I only pushed three times the rest of my fast transition stage my body did it for me if that makes sense. However, it was still bloody painful and that was with gas and air. I can imagine if someone wasn't using it effectively a midwife may suggest you leave it off for a contraction etc but to have it taken off you supposedly just in case you don't use it right seems a major abuse of power to me, regardless of whether this is "hospital policy" as some are suggesting. I assume you had an ass for a midwife given others at the same site haven't experienced this. Personally I'd complain.

Maggiesfarm · 19/07/2021 02:07

I'm surprised you were allowed to go on pushing for three hours. When I had my first in hospital, the 'rule' when a woman got to the pushing stage (last lap), was one hour max before intervention. I did just one hour thankfully, many are quicker than that. My neighbour's daughter had to have a Caesarian because she went on longer and they were worried about the baby's heartbeat. I realise that is an extreme example.

I don't know anything about gas and air so cannot comment on that but it does sound as though you had a very hard time. The very thought of pushing for three hours horrifies me.

Maggiesfarm · 19/07/2021 02:11

Flipping heck, you were given heroin during labour? I've heard of pethidine being offered but not diamorphine.

Cool.

I've missed out, too late to do it again.

MimiDaisy11 · 19/07/2021 02:14

Sorry you went through that. They should really explain things like that to you beforehand. It sounds like it’s just down to the specific midwife which isn’t the best and I can’t imagine someone taking pain relief away from me.

DramaAlpaca · 19/07/2021 02:14

I had a home birth with DC3 and the bloody gas and air ran out just as I got to the pushing stage. I insisted I needed more, the midwives insisted it'd be better that I didn't, and to be fair they were right. I had to concentrate on breathing and pushing and he was out in less than five minutes.

I loved gas and air. I can't as I'm too old now, but I'd give my right arm to have another baby so I could experience it again. I was high as a kite and it was amazing

BertieBotts · 19/07/2021 02:52

It was taken off me in my first birth, I was told it was "hindering my pushing".

I didn't have access to it at all second time as I gave birth abroad. Missed it a lot!

I didn't really understand at the time but now I know a bit more about birth, I think it probably does have some Basis in sense, I don't think it's just a power trip. It's similar to the rationale of why an epidural is often turned down or let wear off towards the end so that you can push.

Basically in the dilating stages you need to be a bit away with the fairies to cope and stay sane with the whole thing. Gas and air helps you get through the contractions because you don't need to do anything. In fact you really need to surrender to it and let your body do its thing. Oxytocin is the key hormone which is a relaxed one and in terms of which "level" of the brain you by to be using it's the mammalian bit. Animal and instinctual but more emotional than just survival and responding to threat. Gas and air helps you stay in this state.

Lots of people do find the pushing stage better, because you're more actively doing something to augment your own labour rather than just needing to relax and let it happen to you. So I don't think she was necessarily lying although I'd agree with you it's definitely not less painful! I found crowning absolute agony both times. That said, I'm not sure whether gas and air would help in quite the same way. Hormone wise, you spike adrenaline and "wake up" for the pushing stage (this is why transition can cause people to panic). Being all floaty, out of it and go with the flow isn't helpful and the kind of pain of crowning isn't the same as a contraction pain so you probably don't get the same kind of benefit from the gas anyway.

But I do always find it a bit crazy the way they want you to do the worst part without pain relief! Maybe some midwives who have been trained to do this can explain where it comes from.

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