Nitrous Oxide?

pinkyswife · June 2014

Hi,

I'm 31 weeks and due at the end of August with my second son

I just had my hospital tour/meet the maternity team last night and they informed me that they will start offering Nitrous Oxide as an option in labor and delivery.

I've done some minimal research on this today but looking to see if any of you have experienced it. I had no pain medication with my first because he came too quickly but would consider this as an option if there were time.

Thanks ladies!

cecilyandgautam · June 2014

A hospital in our area just started offering it as well. I understand that it's more popular in the UK. I've only met a hand full of people who used it - 2 were happy with it, one said it made her crazy nauseous and she didn't like how she felt on it, but the upside for her is that she could take the mask off and it was out of her system rather quickly.

shanaynerz · June 2014

I went med-free with DD and used the NO a little. It made me a bit lightheaded, so I didn't use it much. I used it mostly when getting stitched up after my episiotomy. I would definitely at least try it and see what you think since everyone's different (I hate morphine, some love it, for example).

Oh and the mask sucks, try to get the thing that goes straight into your mouth. I totally forget what it's called!

pinkyswife · June 2014

Thanks Ladies

It seems to just be gaining popularity again here in the US.

Palan · June 2014

Planning on using it as I have with dental work years and I know how I will react. IV drugs are a little too iffy for me in regards to my reaction.

thegoodpotato · June 2014

It's offered really commonly in Canada as well. I used it with both my babies.

With my second I had dilated unevenly, and I used nitrous to keep from pushing while I lay on my other side to dilate that last bit away.

It is very effective to just take that edge off, especially in the end stages of labour.

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BabyMayinMarch · June 2014

Another Canadian lady here! I used nitrous oxide for the first couple of hours and I found it was great. I really liked that you control it (as others have said). I needed a painful interventions during birth, which later I had an epidural for.

AmericanInOz · June 2014

it's VERY common here in Australia too

I tried to use it last time, unfortunately they had only plugged in the oxygen, not the gas so I just got sick

my ob recommended that I make sure they start it off slow if I use it this time, as if they start it on too high of a level it can make you sick (which I plan on doing)

lizztheo · June 2014

Are you going to UCSD by any chance? They just announced it at the meet the maternity team that I went to monday and I was so excited. I had an epidural-free birth with my son but did end up getting IV pain meds get a rest. I'd love to try nitrous oxide this time and if it isn't working out, I'll probably go for IV pain meds again.

pinkyswife · June 2014

lizztheo said:

Are you going to UCSD by any chance? They just announced it at the meet the maternity team that I went to monday and I was so excited. I had an epidural-free birth with my son but did end up getting IV pain meds get a rest. I'd love to try nitrous oxide this time and if it isn't working out, I'll probably go for IV pain meds again.

YES! I was there at meet the maternity team too! Small World

I did a drug free birth with my son because he came too quickly to get anything. Not sure how quickly this one will go but was very interested in this option.

Going to talk to my Dr. on next Thursday. When are you due?

normalgirl80 · June 2014

I'm completely surprised to be seeing this post and that it's an option for delivery. I work in the dental field and there are very strict rules about pregnant women being around nitrous, or pregnant employees being in the office/ so many feet from a patient that is using nitrous. If it's a concern for those that would be exposed to it indirectly, I would never feel comfortable with using it on myself until after I deliver.

pinkyswife · June 2014

normalgirl80 said:

I'm completely surprised to be seeing this post and that it's an option for delivery. I work in the dental field and there are very strict rules about pregnant women being around nitrous, or pregnant employees being in the office/ so many feet from a patient that is using nitrous. If it's a concern for those that would be exposed to it indirectly, I would never feel comfortable with using it on myself until after I deliver.

I still need to talk to my Dr but it was my understanding that it can cause preterm labor which is why you shouldn't be around it while pregnant. I still need to research it more but that's my understanding so far.

MonkeyJD · June 2014

The hospital I am delivering at has offered the gas for a while. As of a month ago (when we did our l&d tour) I believe they were one of 12 hospitals in the US that offered it. I am definitely going to use it if necessary more to help with my anxiety during labor than as a pain reliever. I like that it doesn't cross the placenta and is out of your system with just a few breaths.

lizztheo · June 2014

pinkyswife said:

lizztheo said:

Are you going to UCSD by any chance? They just announced it at the meet the maternity team that I went to monday and I was so excited. I had an epidural-free birth with my son but did end up getting IV pain meds get a rest. I'd love to try nitrous oxide this time and if it isn't working out, I'll probably go for IV pain meds again.

YES! I was there at meet the maternity team too! Small World I did a drug free birth with my son because he came too quickly to get anything. Not sure how quickly this one will go but was very interested in this option.

Going to talk to my Dr. on next Thursday. When are you due?

I'm due August 21 so *hoping* they have the nitrious oxide by then. I believe they said sometime in July.

happywith5 · June 2014

The concentration of Nitrous Oxide used for dental work is much higher. For women in labor, it's a blend of 50%Nitrous Oxide 50%Oxygen, and the oxygen can actually be beneficial for the baby. Also, in dental work it's typically given in a constant stream, whereas in labor, the MOTHER is in control, breathes in at the start of her contraction, breathes out, and it is completely out of her system within 2 to 5 minutes.Unlike narcotics and epidurals anesthesia, this is an analgesia and it does not get into the baby's blood stream.

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greenmama2013 · July 2014

Wow that's awesome! I actually asked both hospitals during my tours that I wound up delivering at if they offered nitrous oxide--it is a much better alternative to an epidural! It's actually widely used in other developed nations, so I was pretty upset to learn it's virtually impossible to get here. I do know that it is much better for baby and you, as opposed to an epidural or the other drugs offered. I think that the only reason it hasn't been offered here is because the more expensive option is the epidural, and we all know our health care system has been for-profit, although that has been slowly changing. I wound up not having any drugs with my last delivery. Definitely keep nitrous oxide as an option though, I think that's great!

AMcLaws · July 2014

Gosh, I wish it was an option during a CS! I had a total panic attack on the table the first time around...having an RCS in 3 weeks. I imagine if I had the gas, I wouldn't care so much about what was going on (that's how if affects me for dental work).