Ban on gas and air during childbirth?

Gas and air depletes the mother's B12 levels. Now that's one person, whose levels soon recover after birth. However, for midwives who are exposed to gas and air day in and day out and who never get the chance to get their levels up, there is a real possibility, if not probability, of long term damage to health.

My memory is gas and air was considered safer for the baby than pethidine and also quickly out of mum and baby’s system, unlike pethidine

When I had my first one DH kept the mask firmly pressed over my face till I passed out. It did keep me quiet! They gave me pethidine first of all but that was awful. I still had all the pain but I was so woozy I couldn't work out where the pain was coming from, it caused some breathing problems for DD and she was taken away for the first 12 hours.

UCL dept clinical , education and health psychology. Research analysis April 2021 confirmed the suspicion that gender stereotypes could lead doctors to underestimate women’s pain.

‘Not only do they underestimate women’s pain, they often under treat pain and even recommend psychological rather than analgesic treatment to women ‘

Imagine, threatening to remove effective pain relief for anyone (especially men) involved in something that always causes pain, yet somehow pregnant women aren’t consulted. Presumably, this academic study and others before it are simply dismissed

You would think after all this time ( since the advent of the NHS), something rather better than gas and air or an epidural would have been devised to use as pain relief.

Is this lack a result of the emphasis on natural birth or is there still a lingering belief in Eve's sin?

Calistemon
I still remember the Drs white wellies who broke my waters 😂

MaggieMaybee 😁

I can still remember seeing the GP's pyjama bottoms sticking out from under his white coat when I was having stitches. He wasn't my GP, he was the local one to the maternity home.

I was offered gas and air when DD2 was on the way. A nurse wheeled it in then announced it was empty and wheeled it out again. I still feel cheated.

My GP was at a function in the hospital when I needed stitching at 3am and they invited him up to do the deed. He was in full evening dress and three sheets to the wind. I didn't need pain relief as his whisky breath did the job.

I had absolutely nothing for my first two. Gas and air was offered for No. 3. After 3 large breaths I was violently sick so again managed without.
I do hope though that women are offered as much pain relief as needed and is safe.

I had gas and air for my first. Long labour. It didn’t help a lot. I had my second in an American military hospital where spinal block was routinely used. I wasn’t offered an alternative but it was bliss, especially as DD was a whopper!

Was never offered gas and air for either of mine .I was stitched for both again not offered any I was very quiet midwives said ,I could here others screaming though

Oh hell, my daughter is two days overdue so I hope there is gas and air available for her at her hospital

I told my eldest (having her first baby) to hang on to that gas and air. When she got to hospital (for a planned induction) they'd run out - and that was eighteen years ago! We could hear her screaming from the corridor but weren't allowed in. I'd never felt so angry, sick, faint and useless!

Granny23

I had Gas & Air through a mask throughout the difficult birth of DD1. I could not have imagined going through prolonged labour without it. However, when the Doctor arrived to stitch me back together, he discovered that the mask I had clung to was not in fact connected to the Gas cylinder and I had only had deep breaths of Air throughout labour.

Same happened to me, then he stitched me up with no pain relief

Reading the article any danger to staff can be mitigated by proper ventilation and or portable machines, more ££££’s.

My understanding is that the scavenging machines in some hospitals aren't up to date.

MaizieD

I had two labours on nothing but gas and air. It was good. It's a shame if people can't be offered it.

Oh, I've read the article now. It seems a bit odd; it says that: It is not believed that any NHS staff have become ill as a result of long-term exposure to gas and air. It's been in use for decades, why have the risks to staff only just come to light?

I think some of the effects-anemia, failure to absorb B12 naturally develop in older people. So it might be difficult to clearly identify the cause, but perhaps they are now tracking back and finding some links.

Portable machines which are safer are available, but expensive.

Pethidine produced spectacular projectile vomiting so gas and air it was for my two. I also had it recently when there was a problem with a colonoscopy. The anaesthetist insisted as my BP was much too high. I’d not have wanted to be without it. I’ll be interested in what is suggested as an alternative. .

I had it during childbirth, but not for the first child, and also when I had a dislocated shoulder put back into place.

Pethidine was much stronger, I thought.

What would be the alternative?

I had gas and air the only relief offered at the time after being induced the birth was a terrible experience. It was better than nothing I suppose but who makes these decisions men? If we relied on men to give birth the human race would be extinct.

I had two labours on nothing but gas and air. It was good. It's a shame if people can't be offered it.

Oh, I've read the article now. It seems a bit odd; it says that: It is not believed that any NHS staff have become ill as a result of long-term exposure to gas and air. It's been in use for decades, why have the risks to staff only just come to light?

I had Gas & Air through a mask throughout the difficult birth of DD1. I could not have imagined going through prolonged labour without it. However, when the Doctor arrived to stitch me back together, he discovered that the mask I had clung to was not in fact connected to the Gas cylinder and I had only had deep breaths of Air throughout labour.

There is an alternative which is harmless, but more expensive apparently. I had it for my 3. It was great. I was also given it when I broke my wrist and had to have it "pulled".

I had pethadine