Homebirth without gas and air?

[xsadiex]

Hi ladies!

I had my son at home and had a pool and used gas and air. This time is like to try it without the gas but I don't know if I will be able to. Around transition I really felt I couldn't cope anymore an the gas gave me something to concentrate on and it helped me relax. That part was so hard, I've never felt pain like that before but I coped fine and the pushing part was great, didn't need gas and air for that.

For those who didn't use gas and air, what helped you cope? Im considering being more active and maybe getting out the pool and walking around. Any tips?

 

[fionar]

I just kind of meditated and zoned out - we don't have gas and air in the US, so that wasn't an option for me when I had my son. Being active should definitely help... do you have access to a birth ball or a birth stool? I REALLY liked the birth ball because of the range of positions I could get in to on it. The tub helped a lot, too - I'd definitely recommend using water!

 

[NaturalMomma]

Midwives in my area do not carry any type of pain meds (that includes gas and air). It is normal to feel like you can't cope in transition, and that is actually a sign to the Midwives that your baby is close to being born. There are a lot of hormones going crazy at that time and you dialate the most during transition.

What worked for me last time was to close my eyes and think about a flower opening up, to represent opening up of my cervix. I also swayed a lot and sipped on water. Moaning is also suppose to be good for transition, and so is water.

 

[RoxyRoo]

I found that my mind was so powerful, similar to NaturalMomma above, I visualised my cervix opening and my baby moving down. I made myself relax with every contraction, physically forcing myself to un-tense my hands and shoulders. It was intense but managable.

Why not have the gas and air on stand by just incase but tell your MW not to offer it to you, and that you'll ask if you want it.

 

[Sam Pearson]

Nobody in Australia homebirths with gas and air. I found using Clary Sage essential oil (NOT SAGE but CLARY SAGE) during transition took the edge of and I was able to manage well with that bit of help. I used it as a compress on my abdomen and wiped it off before hoping in the birth pool.

 

[aliss]

I found moaning in the shower helped me through transition but I admit that was really the breaking point where I wish I was dead!

TBH I got through transition by thinking "if I don't, I'll have to go to the hospital!!!" after my 1sts disastrous hospital birth, that was enough to keep me home!!!!

 

[Feronia]

My midwives don't carry gas and air so it wasn't an option for me. I don't really know when transition occurred with me because I didn't notice it. My contractions never got closer together than 4 minutes, so it all felt like a continual process -- it never really intensified, I just felt like pushing. Like the other ladies have been saying, hot water helped incredibly. I went in and out of the shower and birth tub and just tried staying super relaxed so I wouldn't tense up.

 

[ravenmel]

With my first I had gas and air in the birth centre but stopped using it after an hour.

I have my second at home I planned to use gas and air but ended up having a unassisted labour so no gas and air. It was ok just breathe through it and tell yourself you can do it, it wasn't as bad the second time around because you know it will be over. The first time I though I can't cope coz this is going to last forever, its just panic talking.

Have a good strong team around you. This might sound weird but have a list of things they can't say whilst your in labour and tell them before hand. I hate seeing midwives telling women off when they get to that stage of, I can't do this! My mum said stop screaming you'rE being silly now? I seriously wanted to slap her but what a thing to say, that was with my 1st LO.

 

[gryphongrl]

I planned a homebirth but had to go to the hospital because LO was born before 37 weeks... during transition I pretty much just screamed at my midwife and husband that I hadnt been warned properly about the pain. I still wouldnt get an epidural next time, but I totally get why some women do, as it was miserable. LOL. I wasnt very classy, but I got through it okay. My midwife slipped me a few arnica pellets too.

 

[xsadiex]

Thanks for your replies ladies. I just remember feeling do hopeless and wanting to die as I'd never felt pain like that before , it felt like it was going to continue for ever! At least this time I am more prepared.
I was literally writhing around in the birth pool, it helped a bit though.
I'm so excited to do it again anyway as I loved my last experience so much x

 

[AJBliss]

I had no option in transition. It was awful, and I woke my OH up to have him ask the midwife to come. They were short-staffed and said no! If I wanted to be seen, I'd have to come in. Wild horses could not have dragged me into a car at that point, so I decided to try to hold on until shift change 3.5 hours later. Visualisations were my friend. And the pool. It was 4.5 hours after our original call that the midwives arrived, and almost immediately declared I could push. So I did. For just over two hours. When they were getting ready to leave after all was said and done, one mentioned that I hadn't even needed gas and air. What?! Yes, they brought it with them and never told me. So not fair! But at least I know I can do it without now.

 

[beetroot]

I've had 2 homebirths and the first I managed without G&A. I used visualisation and breathed through the contractions. The contractions were regular but I had time to doze and rest between them. I did ask for it during transition but my midwife said I was doing fine without it, so I didn't get it. The second birth, my labour was slow until 6cms, but after I got in the pool, it's like my body relaxed and, wow, the contractions got so intense and on top of each other, I had to have G&A almost straight away. There was no way I was breathing through those buggers, LOL! It was over quickly after that though!
Good Luck!

 

[weffi82]

I just swayed through most, then knelt over my ball as it got more intense, deep breaths then got into pool at 8-9cm (kneeling) squeezed hubbys hand then pushed. :-/

 

[fides]

For those who didn't use gas and air, what helped you cope? Im considering being more active and maybe getting out the pool and walking around. Any tips?

gas & air is not offered here, so it's not like it was a choice to go without it for me. honestly, the biggest thing that helped me was prayer and meditating on the songs i had playing on my mp3 player. i did not get out of the pool - didn't have the energy.

good luck!

 

[ljo1984]

I only got g&a for the hospital transfer as paramedics carry it and that was the same time I hit transition (but wasn't as bad as I'd imagined it but did keep thinking about when the last labour on pitocin was like lol) the midwives don't carry it here, they have to have a taxi bring it from delivery if and when the lady wants it. So with how fast it went I wouldn't of had it otherwise, but if there wasn't mec in waters at that time I would of been getting in pool which I'd of hoped would bring some relief. Hopefully I'll find out next time!!

 

[Guppy051708]

I guess for me, i coped without gas and air because it isn't an option here!
I honestly think that made me cope. knowing there wernt any alternatives unless i went to the hospital
but in all seriousness, the thing i did a lot was howling. I know that sounds rediculous but i would kind of sing deep..i guess to some it would sound like yelling but it was very controlled deep yelling. that helped me a lot....oh and grabbing the students MWs hand super tight

 

[lynnikins]

my last was born with no pain relief not even the birthpool lol, DH did rub my lower back a little during transition but that was it,

 

[xsadiex]

Thanks for your replies, I'm feeling confident about the whole thing now. Actually very excited .

 

[Lady_Venom]

Try your best to focus on your breathing. I deeply concentrated on my inhale through the nose, exhale through mouth. I closed my eyes and held onto OH's legs with every contraction as he would press on pressure points on my back. That definitely took the edge off. Just had my first child in water at home, no gas and air available but I got through it and so will you!

 

[BunnyN]

It's my first so can't give personal advice but my mum had two out of three births without pain relief. Her first birth was very different, due to an emergency she was very drugged up. I was the second and born at home she said I was so different after birth, very alert and lively, compared to my brother who had seemed very sleepy and doped up for about 3 days after. That convinced her that no drugs was better for the baby and for the 3rd birth she opted for no pain relief even though she was in hospital. It was not an easy birth but she said she just concentrated on the fact that it was the best thing for the baby and that got her through. She also loved how great she felt as soon as the birth was over compared to when she had had drugs. Of course not all drugs are the same and a bit of G&A won't have the same effect as some drugs but her experience was enough to convince her that whatever the mum has passes to the baby too and that she didn't want that and that gave her strength.