#PainRelief: New Option has been introduced for women giving birth.

Finally, an option for women giving birth who don’t mess with an epidural but also don’t want to mess with blinding pain for hours and hours!

The Cut writes about a new NPR report about how laughing gas is growing in popularity for pain management during labour. It was widely used in hospitals for all sorts of pain throughout the mid-1800s to the 1950s, and now it’s making a comeback specifically with labour as some women are forgoing epidurals.

As The Cut explains, about half of women get epidurals during labour, and although the risks are minimal, more and more are opting to give a natural birth without pain medication. Laughing gas presents an alternative, and it’s one that midwives are excited about. They like it because it’s mild, safe, and doesn’t mask the pain, but rather relaxes your body and makes you care less about it. Sounds pretty tight, to be honest.

Right now, nearly 300 U.S. hospitals offer it, and the list is expected to grow.

Credit: cosmopolitan