I am not laughing at you, I am laughing WITH you!

In 2010, I became pregnant with my son Liam. The plan was to give birth at Charleston Birth Place, because I wanted to have a natural birth in the water. As the weeks went by, we learned that my husband would be transfered to Virgina, and my dreams of a water birth were fading quickly. I ended up delivering in VA at a really great hospital.

In 2013, I became pregnant with my son Silas. I had several plans inmind since there was only a in home birth center that seemed to risk people out, and had crazy stipulations. SO, the plan was that I was going to travel to my family home in Charleston, WV which was about 6 hours away. That plan lasted about 6 months, the traveling got really old. I also looked into a home birth, but that late in the game it was really going to be hard to pull off. I really wanted an option that would afford me the use of nitrous oxide!

In the end, I labored at home as long as I could and went into the hospital at the tail end of it. I had my first natural birth sans Nitrous, but had I had it, I think it woulda been awesome =)

Here is an passage from American College Of Nurse Midwives:

The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) maintains the following:

• Women should have access to a variety of measures to assist them in coping with the

challenges of labor. Among these should be nitrous oxide (N2O) analgesia, which is

commonly used in many other countries.

• Research has supported the reasonable efficacy, safety, and unique and beneficial

qualities of N2O as an analgesic for labor and its use as a widely accepted component of

quality maternity care.

• Certified nurse-midwives and certified midwives should be trained to administer and

oversee safe use of N2O analgesia during labor.

• Women should be educated about the use of N2O as an option for pain relief in labor.

• Research and evaluation of the use of N2O analgesia should continue in all