Prince Harry, 38, has revealed details about how was the birth of his firstborn in his book ‘Spare’. The duke has told how during labor he inhaled laughing gas while his wife, Meghan Markle, 41, was giving birth to Archie, 3.
The youngest son of Lady Di took this gas with anesthetic effect that is used in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom. However, in recent days there has been concern about the recreational use of the gas among young people in England.
What is laughing gas used by Prince Harry?
The name ‘laughing gas’ is due to the euphoric effects of inhaling it. The gas is Entonox, a combination of nitrous oxide and medical oxygen, the ratio is 50% of each of the gases. Nitrous oxide has an analgesic effect that reduces the sensation of pain and at the same time increases the pain threshold. This causes a relaxing effect and slightly calms people who use it, this occurs due to the action that nitrous oxide makes on the substances that send signals in the nervous system. Its concentration of 50% oxygen, about twice that in ambient air, ensures a safe oxygen content in the inspired gas.
Laughing gas side effects
In case of excessive ingestion, the risks are enormous. The effect of the gas can lead to a loss of blood pressure which can trigger fainting and myocardial infarction or hypoxia due to lack of oxygen.
Prolonged use can lead to side effects such as memory loss, vitamin B12 deficiency, ringing in the ears, numbness in the limbs, spasms, depression, weakened immune system, psychosis or psychological dependence.
The danger is that many users consider it a true “recreational drug” with no major effects, but the neurological impact of its consumption can have serious effects, such as paralysis, since it produces a dangerous oxygen deprivation.
How Meghan Markle gave birth to her son Archie
As the Duke of Sussex has recounted in his memoirs, when Meghan was due they went incognito to the Portland hospital to check that all was well and to see whether or not labor was imminent. When they were admitted, the doctors saw what the best options were to stimulate the baby to be born and Markle tried several homeopathic remedies that did not have the expected result as the baby still did not want to come out. So the health professionals deduced that for health reasons it would be necessary to induce labor.
When the time came, Prince Harry had two options to deal with the situation calmly. One: Nando’s chicken (brought by his bodyguards). Two: a bottle of laughing gas that was next to Meghan’s bed. Harry recounts that he took “several slow, deep puffs” from it.
While Harry was inhaling the laughing gas, Meghan was sitting on a pilates ball to help stimulate the baby to want to come out. Harry claims he gave her several puffs.
As labor progressed and contractions became more intense the nurse went to administer more laughing gas to the Duchess of Sussex but there was nothing left in the bottle, Prince Harry had inhaled its entire contents. That provoked laughter from both his wife and the nurse delivering the baby.
Moments later, Meghan Markle got into a bathtub while listening to relaxing music and Prince Harry set the room with the same electric candles that he used the time to ask her to marry him, in the room there was also a picture of his mother, Princess Diana, to accompany them in those moments.
Despite having tried different methods to combat the pain, Meghan had to resort to an epidural to be able to continue the birth in the least painful way possible. In the end, everything went naturally, although there was a risk of an emergency cesarean section if the baby did not come out in time.
Since its publication, ‘Spare’ has achieved a Guinness record for being the fastest selling non-fiction book in history, according to the Nielsen audit.
