Gas & air only?

I did it with nothing, not even gas and air. So it is completely doable, but also don’t have it set in your head that you don’t want an epidural, you don’t want to feel any feelings of disappointment if it does turn out to be the best choice at the time, try to go with the flow.

@Lisa what was your experience? i would love to hear. i’d love to be like you!!

If you’ve never had gas and air before it can be hit and miss. Some people love it. For me? It made me nauseous and I threw up everywhere 😂

I was absolutely dead against the epidural but the way my birth panned out I was begging someone to put me out of my misery I honestly couldn’t have done it without it. I think it all depends on how the labour etc goes. You can have ideas of what you’d like but don’t get too hung up on the specifics x

What kind of consequences? i only heard brilliant things about epidural

I only had gas and air when they stitched me up from my episiotomy! Every experience is different but tbh for me it just felt like I was having a MASSIVE uncontrollable poo haha. It's not necessarily the pain, it's the strain and effort of it all. Then again, I used to have sciatica so my pain tolerance is really good. Remember, things can come up that mean that things don't go to plan!

@Yasmin this is how I felt as well. But gas & air didn’t do anything for me. I couldn’t handle the pain. Ended up with epidural in the end.

thank you so much mamas, i think i should rethink. xxxx

I only had gas and air and thought it was great although I used it so much my throat was all bruised after from sucking it so hard 😂🤦🏼‍♀️ I really didn’t like the thought of having an epidural and tbh it freaked me out. But at the end of the day you just have to go with the flow as you don’t know how it will go, I would never say no to anything and don’t think there’s any medals to be won either way, just all depends what’s best for you and baby. I was lucky and got my waterbirth, but I didn’t expect it as such. And plus just remember what might be best for one person won’t be the same for another, we’re all different 🥰 good luck! xxx

I was induced so had paracetamol, dihydrocodeine and oramorph during the induction (all wore off by the time I went to delivery suite). I had gas and air during labour (5cm onwards) until I was pushing (as I was using it too much and didn't have the energy to push), I then used it when they stitched me as well. It was my first time giving birth and I will say it took the edge of when in labour and getting stitched.

I had epidural during my labour. I had beautiful experience. Nothing awful

I had gas and air and it was all good!

I've had 4 natural births with just gas and air, My 4th labour lasted 29 minutes from waters breaking at 1cm dilated to delivery of the placenta

I had gas and air only from 8cm , and I think it depends on the person as if I do get pregnant again I will definitely go for the epidural 😅

I had only gas and air with my sunny side up/back to back baby and the pain was excruciating. Gas and air did absolutely nothing for me so I stopped using it. I think I was just too far gone pain wise that it just didn’t work for me. I desperately wanted an epidural but the hospital were useless and didn’t give me one. So it’s totally possible to do it “naturally” but why suffer for no reason? Keep open minded and see what happens on the day!

Gas and air did nothing for me except make me sleepy 😅

I had epidural with my first after a 3 day slow labour, stuck at 1cm and my body wouldn't progress until I had epidural (after epidural it took 6 hours to go from 1cm to the birth), with my second I just had gas and air (didn't have time for anything else anyway that labour was 30 minutes from 5cm to birth😅) Just see how you get on, you may need it or you may not so try not to be disheartened if you do end up needing it, it's whatever gets you through all the pain and help you remain as comfortable as you can 🤍

My only words of advice would be go into with an open mind, you have never given birth before so everything will be new to you, Also your delivery plays a big part. I choose at first not to have my epidural straight away when I arrived as advised by the consultant in a very pushy way. However I got to 5cm without anything didn’t even know I was in labour tbh. However I had to have my water broken and the contractions became unmanageable and I wasn’t having a break so an epidural was my only options. I will say technically it did fail as I still had a lot of feeling and could feel all of the contraction and when I was crowning ect, however for me that was amazing as I still felt in control and the edge was just taking of the pain. My birth plan was very much go with flow and honestly was an amazing birth and would do it again in a heart beat 🥰 X

It really depends on your labour, not everyone's labour is the same so you can't always plan. And also how your body responds to gas and air. I couldn't have done gas and air alone as for me it didn't really do anything for the pain but it was good as a distraction. You've also got to think that you can only get the gas and air once you are in hospital, and for me they didn't give it until I was at a certain stage of labour so I would have a back up option for earlier on in labour. For me my main source of pain relief was my tens machine and I wore this the whole way through and didn't take it off until after baby was born, it did really help me personally but I know it doesn't work for everyone, I had back labour.

I had an epidural (I had an anti sickness injection first because I was worried about throwing up) and it was the BEST! I was induced and contracting for 13 hours and once I had the epidural I literally couldn’t feel anything. It’s only because the nurses were telling me I was currently having a contraction that I knew I was. Towards the very end when contractions got to their worst (between 8cm-fully dilated) I could feel them but literally nowhere near as bad. I’d honestly have one again x

I feel like there’s too much judgement on whether women have pain relief or not through birth. Do what’s best for you and the baby in the moment so go in with an open mind. ☺️ I got to 5cm but labour wasn’t progressing and my contractions were unmanageable. The gas and air made me throw up. So I’m glad I had the epidural because not only was the break from the pain nice but I ended up having a cat 1 emergency c section so I think I only needed something to top it up when it came round to it and it was done quicker. I’ve not had any lasting effects from it that I’m aware of! X

I went into being induced and always said throughout my whole pregnancy I would never get an epidural as I was scared of any side effects and I can honestly say after 12 hours on the hormone drip completely unmedicated, I am so glad I got the epidural. I only progressed 1cm in those first 12 hrs and I couldn’t even speak I was in so much pain. I stopped using the epidural 2 hrs before I started pushing so I could feel myself having my daughter then used it again to be stitched up. Honestly best thing I did. Everybody is so different in labour tho, you might be able to have your baby without it! I would defo have one again x

I've had two vaginal births... first one with epidural, morphine, codeine, you name it i had it. Ended in episiotomy. And second birth was without so much as a paracetamol or gas and air (though I hadn't necessarily made this my intention). The latter was a much more pleasant memory and was genuinely an incredible birth. Recovery was also much easier despite having second degree tears with both. I recommend doing a hypnobirthing course to help with breathing techniques as well mindset when it comes to contractions. Good luck x

I think the best way to go in is with an open mind. I didn’t make a ‘birth plan’ as such. I had an idea of my ideal birth in my head. My midwife asked about pain relief, and my view was ‘I don’t know what I’ll want or need because I don’t know the pain I’ll be in, so I’ll ask for it as/when/if I need it’ and was open to anything basically. My birth ended up being the complete opposite of my ideal, but I just went with the flow to be honest - there isn’t really any other way! 🤣 for reference, I did have the epidural. I was induced on the hormone drip and having too many contractions and it helped massively (although it did come with side effects for me!)

I had an 8 hour back labour on just gas and air and my LO but then ended up having to go in for an emergency C-section and had to have the epidural which I was really against but I will say as soon as I had it I couldn’t feel a thing.

I said to myself all throughout my pregnancy, I don’t want epidural. Got to hospital and said can I have an epidural. But the consultant came and said I shad to sit still for 10-15 mins so I told him to forget it. Although I was already 8cm dilated. 😂 I then only had gas and air… didn’t do too bad tbh, I also had an episiotomy. All just on gas and air; not that it worked much for me as it kept making me dizzy x

I went into labour saying I was going to have unmedicated… I had every single pain relief they could offer me😂🙈 i just think until you’re in that position you just don’t know how you will cope with the pain etc so don’t put too much pressure on yourself to avoid this and that! X

Nah you'll be fine! I had my baby girl in May with only gas & air and she was a big girl! Also had my son with no other drugs aswell, but that wasn't by choice lol

There are other options for pain relief between g&a and epidural

@Charley yes, after trying G&A, I tried reminfentanil before eventually saying yes to Epidural. I think I just wasn’t able to handle the pain.

I haaated gas and air! It made my mouth so unbelievably dry I couldn’t use it! I managed around 16 hours with nothing but eventually had an epidural thank god as my labour was 2.5 days and ended in an emergency c section. Honestly the epidural was a life saver and I’ve had no lasting effects whatsoever! I’d very much advise just go in with an open mind, if you can do it without then amazing! But if you need it, that’s absolutely fine as well! X

I was adamant I would only do gas and air before and during labour. But after experiencing back contractions i had no choice but to opt for one: best thing I EVER did. Go with the flow I would say and see how you feel! I had no complications

I had my first baby in September and I too wanted to avoid an epidural at all costs. However, this change and they can change quickly. In the end I just wanted what was best for my baby. I ended up getting the epidural and I’d do it again. You often whew about the horrors but not about the successes.

I had a failed epidural so not a fan of the epidural 😂 but I absolutely swear by gas and air. I thought it was great 😂 just see how you go alot can change when you're in labour xxx

I only had gas and air with my 2nd after having strong drugs during my first labour. I would have had an epidural if I had needed it but wanted to try. I managed it OK. I did say I needed something stronger at the end but they told I would have to get out of the pool and I realised I couldn't. I knelt back down and because I had changed positions, I found I was actually ready to deliver him almost. A few more big pushes and he was here! I would say this second time was a much better experience. I found the heavy drugs last time made me drowsy which I didn't like. Gas and air and a water birth was brilliant for me, but everybody is different. I say go in thinking you're open to everything and see how you get on x

I had a water birth with just gas and air. Gas and air was 10/10

Gas and air for me was amazing and that was after I attempted to get an epidural but they couldn’t get it right and I’m terrified of needles so I told them to stop. I went my whole pregnancy thinking against epidural and when I felt the pain of labour I said I wanted one. I did however end up not having one and just being out of it on gas and air and oramorph once and It honestly took the edge off for me. I was passing in and out of it during the early part of labour 4-6cm and just using gas and air when a contraction would hit and bring me back with it. And then when pushing it just felt like a lot of pressure so unless I had a really bad pain after a push I just pushed with the contractions and out she came. This was with a 9lb 12oz first baby and had only 2nd degree internal tear. So if it’s not something you want to have don’t have the epidural but definitely don’t feel like you can’t have it because of horror stories. Just go with the flow of things, every birth is different.

Don’t think until it happens I do mine with just gas and air I’m quite bad with pain and I was fine I wasn’t also induced so pain was worse but each person is different just stay positive and listen to what ur body tells you my messages are open if u want a chat x

i said no to epidural even before i was pregnant i was adamant id never get it, i also said no to the clip that goes on their heads and induction. I ended up having an induction, getting the clip on babies head and an epidural. I feel like it was due to the induction for all of this, i needed to be induced as baby had stopped growing and the only reason for this is due to the placenta starting to shut down, so not having an induction at this point was not an option. I spent 4 days on induction ward before going to labour ward, i didn't eat and didnt sleep for those 4 days, severely homesick and anxious and scared i think i had 7 hours sleep over the 4 days and had 2 meals, one was mcdonald's one was a jacket potato. then i got covid while on the ward that made me poorly. When in labour baby hated the drip it effected his heart rate so needed the clip so i could be more mobile as he kept going off of the belly monitor, so i took that, then due to the drip fixing contractions

the drip forcing contractions made the pain worse 110%, when his heart rate dropped rapidly they said i needed ce section this was after i'd asked for pethadine as no other pain relief had done anything, his heart rate then went back up and they said it was safe for drip to be turned back on and go ahead with no section, i begged for the section as i just wanted it to be over they said no and also said i couldn't have pethadine so i took the epidural, it deffo saved me, i slept for an hour or two, woke up 10cm dialated and pushed my baby out in 7 minutes! Epidural is scary but in the middle of labour nothings scary and u do what's best for u. I hated myself for a bit for having it, now i knew i needed it and id have been too exhausted to push my baby out if i hadn't have managed that little sleep and chill before the main event

You can also consider water birth if you want natural, really nice way to relieve the pain and takes the edge of the contractions.

@Heather out of interest, did your labours get quicker each time? I had a very quick first labour and wondering whether to expect the same again if I have another x

@Laura yes they did, my longest one was just under 6hour

@Heather oh wow, they must have been some extreme contractions! My first was 5 hours from 1cm to baby being born so I’ll bear that in mind if I have another

@Laura it was very intense x

Gas and air only for me. I recommend hypnobirthing to help with less intervention. Helps with mindset and breathing techniques for a positive birth experience