Nitrous Oxide for Doulas
Your client asks, “What about the gas?” Know what to say.
A plain-language class on nitrous oxide in labor: how it works, how well it works, who it fits, and your role, all within doula scope. Includes 1 CE contact hour.
- How it works
- The evidence
- Your role
- Who it fits
Your class includes 1 live Q&A session with me on Zoom, to use within 12 months.
Nitrous oxide in labor, in doula terms
Clients are asking about nitrous, and most doulas were never taught it in doula terms. You don’t need clinical jargon or a research paper. You need enough to have a good conversation and stay in your scope. You’ve probably wondered:
- Does it take the pain away?
- How does a client actually use it?
- Is it safe for the baby?
- What do I do, and what do I leave to the clinical team?
This class answers each one, with a handout so you’re not scrambling to take notes.
Three things people get wrong
- You don’t need a nursing or midwifery background to understand nitrous well enough to talk about it.
- The labor version is a 50/50 blend of nitrous and oxygen, and the laboring person holds the mask and breathes it themselves. It’s milder than the laughing gas people picture.
- Nitrous doesn’t erase pain. It takes the edge off, helps many people cope, works fast, and wears off fast.
Know what nitrous does, what it doesn’t, and where your role starts and stops.
For birth doulas, new or practicing. Start any time and go at your own pace.
What you will learn in this class
The class is approved for 1 CE contact hour. By the end, you'll be able to:
- How it works, and how well
Describe how nitrous relieves labor pain and what the evidence says about how well it works.
- Your role and scope
Explain what a doula does, and what the clinical team does, when a client uses nitrous.
- Who it fits
Identify when nitrous is a good fit and when it isn't safe to use.
- The bigger conversation
Summarize the environmental and staff-exposure questions around nitrous and what they mean for clients and doulas.
Approved through DONA International, course number CEP002-001-W.
What the class covers
A recorded class you watch on your own schedule, with seven bedside scenarios near the end.
- Your scopeWhat the hour covers and where your line is.
- The pastMore than a century of use, gas and air, why it faded in the US and came back, and the 50/50 blend clients give themselves.
- The evidenceHow much relief it gives, satisfaction versus pain relief, and how it compares with an epidural and with opioids.
- SafetySide effects, what it means for the newborn, who shouldn't use it, and the one firm rule.
- The doula's roleWhat you do, and what you leave to the clinical team.
- Tips from doulasTiming, the mask, hospital policy, standing orders and labs, and bringing it up before labor.
- Seven bedside scenariosFast labor, staying mobile, early labor, the repair, bridging to an epidural, high anxiety, and when it isn't the fit.
- The futureCarbon footprint, misplaced client guilt, staff exposure, client voices, alternatives, and access.
- Wrap-upSix tips and four things to remember.
Yours to keep: a nitrous oxide quick reference handout.
CE certificate: finish the class and the short evaluation for your certificate for 1 CE contact hour.
Your clients have started asking about nitrous
You’re a newer or practicing birth doula, and the nitrous question keeps coming up.
You want to support your client’s choice and stay in your scope.
You’d rather learn this once, properly, than piece it together from scattered posts.
What you can do after this class
- Explain it plainlyWalk a client through what nitrous is, how they’d use it, and what it feels like.
- Set honest expectationsAnswer “does it take the pain away?” so no one expects something nitrous doesn’t do.
- Know who it fitsRecognize when nitrous is a good fit and when it isn’t.
- Stay in your scopeSupport the choice, and leave giving it and medical advice to the clinical team.
- Answer the bigger questionsTalk about the carbon footprint and staff exposure without adding guilt.
$19. Includes live Q&A with me and 1 CE contact hour.
In their words
I was not aware of the carbon footprint at all before this and it was helpful to hear about repeated exposure over time and the impact on doulas and nurses
Clear explanation with interesting anecdotal reports of effects reported by clients
Clients asking about water too?
Nitrous and water are two of the comfort options clients ask about most. Water Birth for Doulas is the companion class, with another CE contact hour.
Who's teaching this
Hi, I'm Robin Elise Weiss.
I've trained more than 10,000 doulas and attended more than 1,500 births.
I kept seeing the same gap. A client asks about nitrous, the doula wants to help, and no one ever explained it in doula terms. So I recorded this class, and I added a handout so you’re not scrambling to take notes.
PhD, MPH, MSHPE, LCCE, CLC, PMH-C, AdvCD/BDT(DONA)
As seen inNPR, Parents, People, The Bump, Verywell Health, The Washington Post, and Newsweek
What $19 covers
- Video
- A recorded class on nitrous oxide in labor, with seven bedside scenarios. Watch at your own pace.
- Live Q&A
- Live Q&A with Robin. Your class includes 1 live Q&A session with me on Zoom, to use within 12 months.
- Handout
- A nitrous oxide quick reference to keep.
- CE hours
- 1 CE contact hour you can apply toward certification or recertification. Approved through DONA International, course number CEP002-001-W.
- Access
- Yours for as long as the course is available. Start any time.
Registration is nonrefundable because this is a digital course.
Trained with me? See the alumni page for your discount.
Questions
What does this class on nitrous oxide in labor cover?
How nitrous relieves labor pain and how well it works, its history, safety and who shouldn't use it, the doula's role, tips from doulas, seven bedside scenarios, and the environmental and staff-exposure conversation.
Is nitrous oxide the same as the laughing gas at the dentist?
It's the same gas, but the labor version is a 50/50 blend of nitrous and oxygen, and the laboring person holds the mask and breathes it themselves. It's milder and more controlled than what people picture.
Does nitrous take the pain away?
Not the way an epidural does. It takes the edge off and helps many people cope, and it works fast and wears off fast. The class covers how to explain this so clients go in with the right expectation.
Do I need a clinical or nursing background?
No. It's taught for doulas, in doula language, and it stays in your scope throughout.
Is this teaching me to give or recommend nitrous?
No. It helps you understand and talk about nitrous so you can support your client's informed choices. Giving it and medical advice stay with the clinical team.
Is any of this live?
The class is a recording you watch on your own schedule. Your class also includes 1 live Q&A session with me on Zoom, to use within 12 months, so you can bring questions about your own clients.
Does this include CE hours?
Yes. Finish the class and the short evaluation, and you'll get a certificate for 1 CE contact hour you can apply toward certification or recertification. The class is approved through DONA International, course number CEP002-001-W.
How long do I have access?
As long as the course is available. Come back to it before a client's birth if you want a refresher.
Can I get a refund?
No. Registration is nonrefundable because this is a digital course.
Be ready the next time a client asks, “What about the gas?”
Ready to answer the nitrous question?
How it works, who it fits, and your role. 1 live Q&A with me. 1 CE contact hour. $19.