ENTONOX (GAS & AIR)

Entonox more commonly known as gas & air is a 50/50 mix of oxygen and nitrous oxide. It is used to dull down the pain of each contraction whilst you are giving birth.

Women who have had a baby may have used gas & air during their labour and will tell you how taking the gas and air helped them through their labour.


HOSPITAL OR HOME BIRTH

Whether you decide to go to hospital to have your baby or you choose to have a home birth you will be able to have access to gas & air. As it comes in a gas cylinder with a pipe coming out the top which will have either a mouthpiece or mask attatched to the end. If you choose to have a hospital birth the gas & air cylinder is normally in the wall and all you will see is the pipe with either the mouthpiece or the mask attatched to the end. If you contact the hospital where you plan to give birth you will be able to arrange a visit to the delivery suite to see what the entonox supply is like.

The mouthpiece goes in your mouth and the mask surrounds your mouth. You will be able to discuss with your midwife which you prefer and what is available to you.


WHEN DO I START TO USE GAS & AIR?

You can start to use gas and air when you are nearing the end of stage 1 of labour as by this time your contractions will be becoming stronger and the pain will start to get greater. But when you come to the stage of labour when you are pushing your baby out (stage 2) the midwife may take it from you as you need to have your full attention on pushing. But will give it back to you when you get the next contraction.


USAGE OF GAS & AIR AND POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS

The mouthpiece/mask allows you to breath as normal whilst still having the mouthpiece/mask on. Which for me was great as i didint want to let go of it!

If you start to take the gas & air as you feel a contraction coming on by the time it reaches its peak the gas and air should have taken effect and should dull down the pain of the contraction.

Possible side effects are that you could feel sick or actually be sick, you can feel dizzy and very light headed and after you have been using it for a while you can get a very dry mouth/throat. But to elieveate all of theese symtoms you should stop taking the gas and air and sip water and the effects of the entonox should quickly wear off.

Unlike when you are given pain relief like pethadine for example which can make your baby sleepy when its born the gas and air has no side effects for your baby. In fact the oxygen content in the entonox is beneficially for your baby.

MY EXPERIENCE OF USING GAS & AIR

I was intending to have an epidural but when i got to the hospital i was too far on in my labour to get it! At the time i was distraught! But now i am glad i managed to give birth to my daughter Aimee who weighed 7lbs 8oz with just gas and air as i got to feel what it was like to give birth where as if id had an epidural i wouldnt have been able to feel anything.

I didnt experience any sickness or feelings of sickness but i did feel very light headed and i found that it slowed down my reaction times. As when the midwife spoke to me it took me a few seconds to realise what she had said then another few seconds to actually answer her!

I hope all you mums & dads out there find this useful. Thank you for reading. xx