nitrous oxide, anyone? (Gas & Air (Entonox))

Name: kjl12

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Product:	Gas & Air (Entonox)
Date:	29/04/05 (234 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: it takes away the pain a bit, easily available, ok for home and water births

Disadvantages: odd effect on me, difficult to get used to

***What is it?***

Something that only mums know about,
Something that is talked about in secretive tones and with knowing looks
..but I'll let the rest of you into our little club...
pregnant pause for effect(sorry, couldn't resist)...
it's probably the most common form of pain relief that you will be offered in maternity wards across the country, and something women will definitely be asked to consider when writing their "birth plans". Yes, I know we used to just stop, crouch down and then carry on ploughing fields and cooking dinner, but these days everything has to involve filling in a form. It's the law.

So, either you're an addicted Dooyoo-er who just reads everything (the things I don't know about computer games and mobile phones...) or you're actually pregnant, wondering what to do, and wishing I'd just get to the point, so I'll stop labouring the point and deliver..

- it's 50% oxygen and 50% nitrous oxide, hence the name
- it's odourless and colourless
- it's either pumped in from a central supply or from tanks in the room

***the party line***

Yes, I know, did I ever say pain relief was exciting? You'll take more interest the faster the contractions come, believe me!
Here are the "official" advantages of the stuff (sorry, I'm getting all scientific....!?!)

Easy to use
Under your control
Doesn't stay in your system
Takes the edge off contractions
Contains oxygen that is good for your baby
Can be used for a home birth
Can be used for a water birth

And the downsides..

Only a mild pain-killer
May make you feel sick
Dries your mouth out

***my own experience***

Hm, have to say I don't recognise much of this from my own experience!
Warning : your home may be at risk if you do not....
Sorry, wrong warning!
Warning : everyone is different and responds differently, this is just my personal story.

I chose G and A (would rather have had G and T but they didn't offer me that..) because it's really low risk to the baby and doesn't make baby sleepy or anything, which is good. I started off with a TENS machine, which was excellent in early labour, and then went onto G and A, but I just found it hopeless for the following reasons:
It does take the edge off the contractions, but only if you learn to do it right, breathing in and out at exactly the right time. I'm a good learner, but let's face it, this was hardly the time to be given instructions! Imagine putting together an IKEA flat pack with someone hitting you repeatedly in the stomach with an iron bar, and you'll get the picture...I failed miserably.

Secondly, it had some weird effect on me that meant I didn't know where I was or what I was doing. I barely spoke for hours and didn't know if my husband was there or not. I felt out of control not in it. In the end I had an epidural and became coherent again....now there's another subject for another day....

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