Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, was first used as a labor analgesic in 1881. Today it is commonly used as a labor analgesic in countries like Great Britain, Canada, and Australia. Nitrous oxide is not as common in the United States, and this is changing as it is becoming more widely available in both hospitals and birth centers. A benefit of using nitrous oxide is that it can easily be incorporated in a natural or a low intervention birth. During labor it is administered by breathing a mixture of 50% nitrous oxide and 50% oxygen, which you time with your contractions to manage their intensity. Nitrous oxide induces feelings of euphoria, and creates a disassociation with discomfort of contractions. This episode dives into everything you need to know about nitrous oxide, and the risks and benefits of using it during labor and birth.

Show notes: http://pregnancypodcast.com/episode90/

Thank you to Aeroflow for sponsoring this episode. Aeroflow is a company that helps you get a breast pump through your health insurance. There can be some hoops to jump through to get a breast pump through your insurance but Aeroflow does all of this for you and makes it so easy. All you need to do is fill out a form that takes just a minute and they will contact your health insurance company and work out all the details, then they will get in touch with you to help you choose the right breast pump. To get started on ordering your pump go to http://pregnancypodcast.com/breastpump/