Nitrous oxide or laughing gas is making it’s way back into hospitals. Covenant is giving mothers an alternative to epidurals.
Expecting mother, Nikki Sims said she wishes she knew about this option for her previous births.
“A lot of moms suffer anxiety [while giving birth],” Sims said.
Sims said every birth comes with a new set of nerves, and she thinks laughing gas could help calm her down.
“Even planned it’s still nerve wracking, so I think to maybe have that option to help calm [me down],” Sims said.
Jennifer Huber, a labor and delivery nurse at Covenant, said it can be a more affordable option, since it is incorporated in your birthing plan.
“For our patients that receive nitrous oxide, they’d receive gas prior to and during the contraction, and once the contractions over they would remove the mask,” Huber said.
Huber said she wants to assure mothers that it won’t harm the baby.
“It just clears through the lungs and doesn’t enter the blood stream so there’s no affect to the baby,” Huber said.
This laughing gas isn’t the same concentration as the one you’d get at the dentists office, Huber said.
“You don’t really get the same side effects, such as sleepiness or out of body experiences, it does help you relax,” Huber said.
It can also help moms remain mobile and change positions during birth.
“Sometimes you just want to walk to help get the process going,” Sims said.
