You know when you were at the dentist as a kid and they put that annoying rubber mask over your nose so you’d breathe in the “laughing gas?”
That gas, nitrous oxide, is apparently used very effectively for other things than a toothache, such as using nitrous oxide during labor & delivery.
Nitrous Oxide During Labor
I found a variety of sources, such as the American College of Nurse-Midwives and the Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, that eagerly support its use.
With little to no risk for BOTH the mother and child, nitrous oxide works as a great source for analgesic pain relief, and even calms anxiety when administered at low doses.
A Cochrane Review in 2012 of 26 studies all supported the positive impact the use of nitrous oxide had for mothers in labor.
Image courtesy of rtmagazine.com
In fact, you can find nitrous oxide right there in the labor & delivery rooms of hospitals in nearly every developed country, except for the U.S., of course. It’s widely accepted and supported.
Benefits Of Using Nitrous Oxide
Now, I know you got a little excited to learn about laughing gas for your labor, but it’s not quite the same as when you go to the dentist. It’s a 50% mixture with oxygen that’s only administered as needed instead of constantly.
So a variety of benefits are:
- easy to breathe it in and can be self-administered
- doesn’t bother the normal oxytocin pathways needed for a successful natural birth
- no known negative effects on a woman’s normal physiology during labor
- it does not cross the placenta into the baby’s blood stream
- feeling its effects happen instantly
- no long term wait time of it wearing off, it stops immediately upon breathing normal air
But that doesn’t mean you can take a whiff and expect to by floating on cloud nine through your entire labor without a touch of pain.
The Caveat…
Nitrous oxide doesn’t block your pain like an epidural or narcotic does by physically stopping the nerve channels in your body. It just interacts with a myriad of receptors in your brain and body that provide a subtle euphoric feeling, much like other drugs, but on a very minor scale.
It helps you to mentally distance yourself from your pain, allow it, and feel more control over it. So then, what’s the risk?
Risks Of Using Nitrous Oxide
You can get common side effects like becoming nauseous, dizzy, even drowsy.
I remember a tingling feeling in my limbs when I had it at the dentist once as a kid. But I also remember not liking it much at all and I preferred to not have it at all.
But your main concern is likely for your baby, right? The good news here is that the nitrous oxide does not pose a risk to your baby because of the before stated benefits. It is quickly cleaned out through the lungs when you breathe in normal air.
The single entity claiming negative effects upon developing fetuses was a study done in 2010 by the Washington University School of Medicine. They exposed pregnant rats to much higher doses of nitrous oxide for continuous hours on end and found that their babies had neurodevelopmental issues. Plus, the nitrous oxide was in a cocktail with other drugs not used for labor purposes.
Because the dosage levels and duration aren’t the same as what is studied as safe in humans, these findings are considered not applicable. In my mind, it’s the same as studies done on very safe over the counter pain relievers-prolonged exposure with much higher dosage levels is harmful. (Like all of those celebrity deaths we read about.) Of course, but recommended, one time use for mild cases of relief does not pose a risk for most people.
So Why Isn’t It In More Hospitals?
Politics and money are what I gather. Because it’s being used as a super mild anesthetic, hospital and medical protocols call for a full-fledged anesthesiologist to administer and monitor a patient using nitrous.
But women can easily give it to themselves when needed, and a nurse can just as easily use the same equipment, like an oxygen mask.
So the debate resides on the fact of who is going to spend the time and who is going to get paid for it, when it’s such a simple solution for half the patients in a hospital at any one given time.
There ARE a few hospitals in the U.S. that DO offer this to laboring mothers, but it’s hard to know which without asking. Apparently it’s less than 20 or so that DO provide this option. So ask! When you take your tour of the hospital or birthing center you’re planning on using, don’t hesitate to see if they have the use of nitrous oxide available to you. If not:
Master Relaxation For Your Pain Relief Instantly
It’s my next question for my midwife. So if you’re one of the lucky ones that can use it, go head and find your laughing place. Just don’t end up like Steve Martin in Little Shop of Horrors. 🙂
Remember …
You can do hard things.
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vivia says
Hi Sarah,
Nitrous Oxide was the only thing that I used when i was giving birth to my daughters, which the mid-wife just referred to as gas and air.
I really thought it was a lot of fun and was quite giggly throughout the entire process. I had to have stitches with my first daughter as well and the gas and air was enough as well.
I opted to use nitrous oxide because my labour was very intense but I didn’t want to go with anything that would numb the pain completely, but would just calm me down a little.
Thanks for this great post.
Love and light
Vivia
Hi Vivia, that’s funny! I remember using it as a kid at the dentist and I did NOT like it because I would feel sorta sick and tingly all over. But then again, it’s a different ratio of the gases versus when you’re at the dentist.
I would love to hear your birth story! Feel free to share it on the Stories Page . You’re right about how you just need something to help you stay calm and then your body takes care of everything else. Best to you!
Chris says
This brings back memories from ten months ago ( to the very day! ) that my son was born. I can remember sneaking in hits of my partners gas and air when she was less than impressed with the pain.
Tell me, is this the same sort of effect as the gas and air type control we have over here in the UK?
Yes, it should be the same type of gas that’s used in the UK and Europe. Sneaky devil you stealing it from your wife when she wasn’t using it. 🙂 That’s funny, thanks Chris!
Wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest if the reason why it wasn’t being used in hospitals was because of politics and money, although having a brother that’s a doctor, I can somewhat sympathize with anesthesiologists.
Those guys have do be flawless in the application of anesthesia, otherwise you could have a patient wake up in the middle of an operation (that definitely ranks up their as one of the worst things I can possibly imagine happening to me), as well as getting sued and taken to the bank for everything your worth. You have to cover all your bases in a hyper-litigious society.
I can see how being an anesthesiologist would be super stressful, right up there with a surgeon or high-end specialist. It’s just the simplicity of it all. When you can have nitrous in a dentist office that doesn’t have anesthesiologists present, how is it any different as far as risks to the patient? I’m not in the medical field, so someone may have to enlighten me there. I guess that’s why there’s really expensive mal-practice insurance out there for the unfortunate times. Thanks Zen!
kitty says
Very good information on Birthing and what to expect. I would recommend this site to anyone who is expecting. I think more information is needed on this subject. Natural Childbirth is so much healthier for mom and baby. I am a firm believer of bringing babies into this world drug free. Bravo to you and your information so needed in this modernistic world. Nitrous oxide seems like a great addition to labor and delivery and the health aspects of it can be a great choice and also healthy. I never laughed during delivery, but it would have been nice to have that available to me when I was delivering my children. I hope that catches on and many mothers choose this way. Good luck with your postings. They are very informative.
I know that many mothers opt for the gas where it’s available. But I’m sure even mothers located in the US where it’s not readily accessible would be eager as well. Almost worth borrowing the tank at the dentist’s office if you have connections.
Thanks for your comment, Kitty. Help me share with those in need. You can get some free gifts just for stopping by today that work well for any mother. Best!
Kasun says
We have seen in the movies that Nitrous Oxide causes heavy laughs. Guess it is not like that.:) You said that it may cause drowsiness. Won’t that be a problem? If mother become drowsy, won’t she be unable pull properly? Ah but I guess since its effect can be worn off quickly, mother can be recovered quickly.
Yes, when it comes times to push , if the mother so desires to, if she is drowsy, it would wear off rather quickly. But then again, most mothers are quite exhausted through all of their labor & delivery and still manage to make it through. Good point to consider Kasun, thanks!
Chris says
I remember I was administered this at the dentist and it was pretty trippy. Different experience though as Im not being forced to contract anything, I’m just unconcious. I was curious how nitrous would actually affect the ability of the mother to push? Is it not a relaxant in some way? As in it makes you semi-imobile? That could just be me remembering my youth if im off base 🙂
No it doesn’t affect your muscular abilities. So a mother could still be moving around, pushing, etc. without any problems. It focuses on receptors that affect mental awareness and focus, not physical barriers. But something much more extreme like an epidural DOES prohibit a mother’s use of standing or walking. Thus why using the gas is much more desirable in a lot of cases. Thanks for your comment, Chris.
Nate says
Nitrous oxide sounds like a great option for pain relief/anxiety relief for labour. I will have to discuss this option with my partner (who is due in around 4 months).
You mention it’s not common in the US but is in other developed countries. Do you know if it’s widely used in Canada?
It IS in Canada. Make sure you ask about it with your gal when you go through your hospital or birthing center visit. You can consider it for her Birth Plan if it sounds appealing. That’s exciting for you, four more months! Thanks Nate.
Nate says
Thanks Sarah - appreciate it
You’re welcome!
It’s the first time I heard that nitrous oxide can be used in birthing. Is it also available here in HongKong? Pregnancy and giving birth poses a great risk to both the mother and the baby so it’s important to make sure the method of giving birth is safe for both the mommy and baby. I hope it’s also available here in my country.
I don’t know about your area of the world Keye. It was difficult for me to find the fact that even just a few hospitals here in the US offer it. You’ll have to ask your doctor or the birthing facility with any upcoming babies you may have. Sorry I’m not more help on that. I sure want to visit Hong Kong someday though. Thanks for your comment.
Pattyc says
My first gut reaction when I saw the title was “how can it be natural if you are still using some kind of drug?” But you explained very well and it seems like it would be a good thing to look into if you needed a little help for natural child birth. And it does not surprise me that a lot of hospitals don’t offer it. As you stated….politics and money!
True Patty. Often times I hear mothers even say that it’s natural if it’s through your vagina, no matter what drugs you’re using. Then I’ll turn around and roll my eyes, but not be inconsiderate of their points of view. Even using scents from essential oils can be calming and pain relieving too. Thanks for your comment!