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Nitrous Oxide

Recovering mother smiling while holding her sleeping baby on her chest

We offer nitrous oxide to manage pain and improve your labor experience. This pain management option is ideal for patients early in labor before they get an epidural, for patients who do not want an epidural or for patients who are too close to delivery to get an epidural.

Read one patient's experience using nitrous oxide

"Nitrous oxide was the help I needed to take the edge off during a contraction, but it didn't leave me feeling out of it.

I was completely in control the whole time."

Fast relief and recovery

Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is self-administered using a mask inhaler, giving you complete control during labor. You simply take a few breaths of the nitrous oxide at the beginning of a contraction to help alleviate the pain, and within a minute it leaves your system. Nitrous oxide has little to no side effect on your baby, and can be administered within minutes of your choosing to use it. There are no lasting effects with nitrous oxide so you can be up and moving around to actively participate in your labor. You are also able to bond with your baby immediately following delivery.

Benefits of nitrous oxide

  • Self administered
  • Easy to use
  • Takes effect quickly
  • Immediate recovery
  • Little to no side effect on your baby
  • Can be used at any time in labor right up to the birth
  • Does not interfere with your labor progress or ability to push
  • Enables you to be up and moving around during labor
  • Can be used after delivery for vaginal repairs and other procedures