When people think about labor pain management, the conversation usually jumps straight from “natural birth” to epidurals—as if there’s nothing in between. But there are other options. One that’s becoming increasingly popular in hospitals and birth spaces across the country is nitrous oxide in labor. You may have heard it called “laughing gas,” but nitrous oxide for labor is a little different than the kind used at the dentist’s office. It’s a fast-acting pain management optio