Laughing your pain away sounds like a great idea, right? Well, it just might be easier said than done. While it does sound easier, I’m not sure laughing is very conducive to pushing a baby out. But the actual pushing may not be the point. Or is it? The good news about the laughing gas is that it can be controlled, to lend the mother more control, in the times she most needs it.
Moms Using Laughing Gas vs Epidurals During Labor
Although it is still not common practice, some hospitals are now providing laboring moms with laughing gas. There are also birthing centers who offer this unusual pain management option. Is this a good move? From the sound of it, it is. There are no risks associated with taking nasal shots of nitrous oxide. This may be one of the main reasons why many laboring moms in Canada and the U.K. are asking for it.
Should pregnant women ask their doctors about nitrous oxide as a pain management option? Absolutely. This is the same chemical compound used in many dentists offices. Does it actually manage pain there? If you’ve ever experienced, it doesn’t so much erase pain. But it does do a wonderful job of making you forget all about it. However, the medical experts do warn that you won’t have the same experience in labor as you do in the dental chair, so it’s still vital to point out that some of the common effects of nitrous oxide are drowsiness, dizziness and for some, a queasy feeling. The reason moms are choosing this option is because it doesn’t stay in your body like the epidural compound does. Medical experts have shared that the good point of choosing the nitrous is that moms can rid themselves of the gas by simply removing the face mask.
While this option is unlikely to rid the labor and delivery world of the necessity of epidurals for some laboring mothers, it is possible that it could become a more well-known, go-to option for mothers who have already had very ‘easy’ labor and delivery processes. It may also go a long way for first time mothers who are experiencing tons of anxiety during the L & D process. In turn, the relaxation could actually help the L & D process to go by a bit quicker.
Each and every mother should have their own birth plan that includes all of the elements they will be comfortable with if it ‘comes down to it’, but it’s good to know that medical science is still working on more options to help laboring mothers get through labor and deliveries while still enjoying them. Who says that laughing through that process would be a bad thing?
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