nitrous Oxide Now an Option for Pain Management During Labor & Delivery at Mercy Springfield
Mercy Springfield is now offering nitrous oxide as a pain management option for patients during labor and delivery,a practice gaining traction across the United states for its anxiety-reducing and pain-relieving benefits.
The gas allows expectant mothers to maintain mobility, a key advantage over epidurals. “Good thing about nitrous oxide, it’s something that keeps your mobility. Once you get an epidural, you are tethered to the bed. With nitrous, it can make you lightheaded…But women are able to be up and be on the birthing ball; they are able to get up and ambulate if they aren’t too lightheaded, which really gives that autonomy in labor that the epidural does not provide,” explained Shaar, a provider at Mercy Springfield. Importantly, the effects are quickly reversible. ”Knowing that it is a gas, and not a medication, mom breathes it off quickly the moment she removes the mask from her face, and it leaves the baby, but they start breathing very quickly,” Shaar added.
Kelsey Wheeler was the first patient at Mercy to utilize the nitrous oxide mixture during labor, after being induced at 37 weeks. She had hoped for a natural childbirth.”I believe 18 hours of labor,” Wheeler stated. She also noted her concern about discontinuing Pitocin, saying, “Getting off of pitocin, I was like this could be much harder, as Pitocin injections are kind of wild.”
The nitrous oxide is self-administered by the patient, inhaled as needed during contractions. Shaar noted that very few patients are unable to use it, stating, “There are not many contraindications with it. Patients are asking for options for pain management for this labor and birth experience.”
While not eliminating pain entirely, nitrous oxide helps patients manage discomfort without adverse effects on the baby, as demonstrated by little Gillian, who is now eight weeks old.
“It was as good as it can be, my team here was fantastic, and it was exactly what I wanted to do with my delivery, and the nitrous really helped me be able to do that,” Wheeler said.
Mercy Springfield encourages patients to discuss their birthing plans and pain management options with their doctors. The availability of nitrous oxide also provides a valuable option for women who present in advanced labor. “Or those that get here and are going to delivery so quickly, we don’t have time for the epidural, rather of just saying to those patients, good luck, we are able to give them something,” Shaar explained.
