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gas and air
after watching another 'one born every minute' which is at my hosp where i will have baby I got very worried. I always assumed (i assumed a lot before i got pregnant, whoops) it didnt make you feel like crap.
I dont drink/smoke/take drugs for the simple reason I do not like feeling dizzy/sick/unaware/not in control etc. Now that seems to be the side effects of G&A. So I have come to the conclusion I will not have it. This does leave me kinda high and dry, as pethedine also has this effect.
Am I gonna have the stuff forced upon me? I cry and cry if I feel dizzy or sick and I dont actually fancy being 'high' for the birth.
Is it my only option?
I dont drink/smoke/take drugs for the simple reason I do not like feeling dizzy/sick/unaware/not in control etc. Now that seems to be the side effects of G&A. So I have come to the conclusion I will not have it. This does leave me kinda high and dry, as pethedine also has this effect.
Am I gonna have the stuff forced upon me? I cry and cry if I feel dizzy or sick and I dont actually fancy being 'high' for the birth.
Is it my only option?
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Replies
For me, g&a made me feel fuzzy and a bit tingly but not in a nauseous or out of control way. It was a pleasant, floating sensation a bit like before you fall asleep and was just enough to take the edge off the pain. In between contractions and the instant she was born I was clear-headed - that's how short-lived the effects are.
Good luck.
Thank you for resting my mind xxx
Good luck xx
I had accupuncture when I had both my los, it was my only pain relief with my first lo. With my second I tried some gas and air and absolutely hated it. It made me feel dizzy and awful and as I stopped concentrating on my breathing the pain got even worse! I really recommend listening to some hypnobirthing CDs as they are fab at giving you techniques to relax during labour.
Good luck! x
When i had my dd and 2nd ds i thought it was brilliant and as pink toothbrush has said, it only stays in your system for a matter of second.x x
With my kiddies I wrote in the birth plan regards pain relief that I didn't want an epidural but would wait and see regards other methods, big mistake!
When it got to it I was doing fine breathing through the contractions but the midwife and OH kept asking me to try G&A. In the end I gave in just to shut them up and it totally made me feel out of control because it wasn't what I wanted, it made me feel ill and the tube just seemed to get in my way. the pethidine made me just want to sleep. This time my birth plan will state no pain relief unless I ASK FOR IT!
My advice, don't let them force you into using it if you don't want it!
I coped well using a TENS machine and breathing my way through contractions, bouncing on my ball till abour 5-6cms dilated. However, my labour was in my back and thighs and due to there being meconium in my waters I had to stay pretty much immobile on my back on the bed from then on which was pretty uncomfortable. I was offered G&A and hubby encouraged me to try it (he's had it before for the removal of a tooth). I had my first try before I went up on the bed and didn't like the way it made me feel a little light-headed - but I was stood up at the time and already rather sleep-deprived due to a long latent stage. Anyway, once on the bed I tried it again and it did make me feel so much better to have something else to focus on. You take a much deeper breath in and you can grip it as tight as you like again helping you manage the pain.
Is entirely your choice though and you should mention it in your birth plan if you are really against it, but I would recommend not ruling anything out... At one point I was just biting on the mouth piece and that made me feel better during the pushing!
Best of luck with your pregnancy and labour! It is the most incredible experience
Jana & Jakob 4+4 xxx
Have to say I used g&a and although I throw up my dinner on the first try (I took too much) the next try was perfect and just made me a little sleepy taking the edge off the contractions and then all was normal again. You only take it when a contraction is starting to the point it stops.
Good luck and hope you find something that is right for you.