Latest Research: Eating and Drinking During Labor OK

[Turquesa]

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60J40520100120

Like we didn't already know, right?

[klemomma]

I think this is quite possibly the most shocking news of the day

It's kind of like a headline that reads "Junk food may cause heart disease".

What a breakthrough in medical science.

I really like the part, though, about how the ACOG still recommends restricting intake to clear liquids with no particles. Then, the ACOG dr. explains that the restriction is reasonable because most women don't want to eat during labor. Well, that is of true comfort to the women who do want to eat or drink pulpy fruit juice during labor, isn't it?

[Belle]

Notice in the article that the Cochrane institute recommends no restriction on food and drink yet ACOG, in its wisdom, says they'll give us clear fluids. But you can't have soup or Orange juice! Why? Not for any safety reasons, but because some women may not feel like it all women are denied food.

I wonder what they would say to me sneaking pineapple during my hospital birth or "gasp" eating cashews and scrambled eggs during my homebirth.

[MegBoz]

Originally Posted by Belle

I wonder what they would say to me sneaking pineapple during my hospital birth or "gasp" eating cashews and scrambled eggs during my homebirth.

Official hospital policy where I had my DS was clear fluids only. I was pretty sure of this fact, but asked my MW (CNM) about it anyway. She said,
<sigh>"Well... I would say... just don't ask."

LOVE HER! She basically said, in so many words, "I disagree with hospital policy - eat if you want to eat!"

She said the same thing about routine induction at 42W too.

[MegBoz]

The evidence showed no benefits or harms of restricting foods and fluids during labor in women at low risk of needing anesthesia.

I find that extremely hard to believe. How about prolonged labor or more need for instrumental delivery from the "nothing by mouth" rule (uh, running out of energy!)
How about the increased discomfort from the deprivation?
How about the increased fluid retention from delivering IV fluids instead of letting a woman hydrate <gasp> from drinking?
How about the blood sugar drops of the baby? (from the IV glucose solution [or whatever it is] being given to the mama, & blood sugar subsequently dropping for both?)

OK, I wrote the above, then I continued reading the article, here's the very next paragraph:

However, research has shown that some women find the food and drink restriction unpleasant. Poor nutritional balance may be also associated with longer and more painful labors. Drinking clear liquids in limited quantities has been found to bring comfort to women in labor and does not increase labor complications.

Uh, but there is "no harm" from the restriction. WHAT THE ???????? How ironic that longer labor is considered a big problem, even with an official medical name, "Labor dystocia" that they give drugs to fix. But yet when longer labor is an iatrogenic, doctor-caused thing, it's "not considered harmful."

[Lauren31]

My doctor told me to bring in food, they have a little fridge you can use and if you are hungry to eat. He said I probably won't be that hungry during the labor but I will be AFTERWARDS for sure! Random how this is a big hospital here in Germany and the attitude is so different then in the US.

[MiaMama]

I went into triage at 4 am after having dinner the night before. They ran a whole bunch of tests and pressured me into an emergency induction. By the time they induced me at 9am, I was ALREADY starving. I was begging them to let me go downstairs to get a muffin or something. They not only refused, they yelled at me about it I convinced them to "let" one of the midwives co-manage my labor, since the pregnancy was now high-risk, but the birth wasn't really. She snuck me in a hospital chicken dinner at about 9pm and she and the nurse stared with gaping mouths as I devoured every. single. bite.

I have always been a good eater, and I hadn't eaten in over 24 hours. What in the world did they expect??? Whatever they gave me in the IV sure wasn't cutting it. I have a super fast metabolism, and there was no way I could only have sugar water for 36 hours. (she was born 9:40 am, 38 hours since dinner at home)

FWIW, I vomited during transition, about 12 hours later. Nothing of substance came out.

My baby had low blood sugar after birth... could that be from the IV?

[DoulaVallere]

I was so excited to see my LOCAL news doing a story on this the other night, and they didn't mention the ACOG recs on clear liquids at all, just focused on the fact that there was no harm in women eating during labor and there should be no restrictions on it!

[MegBoz]

Originally Posted by MiaMama

I have always been a good eater, and I hadn't eaten in over 24 hours. What in the world did they expect??? Whatever they gave me in the IV sure wasn't cutting it.
<snip>
My baby had low blood sugar after birth... could that be from the IV?

Well, yeah, IV= intra-venous - the fluid goes right into your veins, so your stomach is still empty! So it's only natural you'd still feel hunger!

As for the last Q, I think I remember reading that in "The Thinking Woman's Guide." Basically, as most of us know, when you eat something high on the glycemic index (sugary, like candy) your blood sugar spikes, then it comes crashing back down again. I do believe the IV stuff has a similar effect on the baby - so, yes, the baby can be born with low blood sugar as a result of "feeding" you IV fluids. Again, I'm not 100% certain I remember that right though.

[*MamaJen*]

Originally Posted by Turquesa

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60J40520100120

Like we didn't already know, right?

Next we'll be hearing that smoking causes lung cancer or something crazy like that.
That said, I actually was seriously food-averse during active labor. Tried a few bites and it came right back up again. I didn't even really want to drink.

[MegBoz]

Originally Posted by *MamaJen*

That said, I actually was seriously food-averse during active labor. Tried a few bites and it came right back up again. I didn't even really want to drink.

Ya know, I was food-averse too, but I forced myself to eat because I knew I needed it! I knew it was important, and I'm glad I did. I even ate while in transition! (I had no idea it was transition!)
Although I couldn't stomach the buttered toast I'd asked for, so I put it on my nightstand. One of the dogs started eating it! (DS was a hospital-birth, but this is while I was in transition - still at home!)

[Turquesa]

NPR's Science Friday today featured a really poorly conducted on even self-refuting discussion on "denialism," or the tendency to deny science when it tells you what you don't want to hear. But I do have to say in this case that ACOG is definitely guilty of denialism.

[Addie]

I delivered with midwives in a hospital that had a no food during labor policy. I saw the midwife for my 41-week appointment, and found out that I was 6cm already, after having contractions for a few days. My midwife suggested that DH and I go for a walk and eat some dinner before heading up to triage, so we did! I ate a huge sandwich, lemonade, smoothie... then returned to the hospital to find out I had dilated another cm. I ended up laboring all night without an IV - checked into the hospital at 7pm, and DS was born at 9:30 the next morning. I can't imagine I would have had the energy to labor all night without that meal.

[cchrissyy]

it's so sensible, makes me wonder how we even got so off-track with the widespread and nutty no-food no-drink rules.

[jeminijad]

Originally Posted by cchrissyy

it's so sensible, makes me wonder how we even got so off-track with the widespread and nutty no-food no-drink rules.

Twilight sleep, right? When they were knocking everyone out?

Generations of women got stuck with the rules for NPO for general anesthesia, for a process that almost never requires it.

The logic that IVs can replace food and fluid intake is pretty much on par with the poor understanding that most MDs actually have about nutrition's effect on the body.

[Sileree]

It's about freakin' time. You wouldn't think we'd entered the 21st century.

My local university hospital sucks in a lot of ways but I am glad I haven't had to fight them on this at least. They've allowed women who are induced or who get an epidural to have clear fluids (broth, juice, popsicles, etc.) for years and low-risk women who are having a natural birth can eat what they want. Nurses even offer to get them snacks.

[Sileree]

Originally Posted by Turquesa

NPR's Science Friday today featured a really poorly conducted on even self-refuting discussion on "denialism," or the tendency to deny science when it tells you what you don't want to hear. But I do have to say in this case that ACOG is definitely guilty of denialism.

Exactly. How arrogant to say only lay people do this.

[chandasz]

Now let's see how long it takes for all those hospitals to actually change the dumb policy based on science. I know I won't be holding my breath and will keep telling my students to stay home and sneak in food....

[Mandynee22]

Originally Posted by Lauren31

My doctor told me to bring in food, they have a little fridge you can use and if you are hungry to eat. He said I probably won't be that hungry during the labor but I will be AFTERWARDS for sure! Random how this is a big hospital here in Germany and the attitude is so different then in the US.

My hospital is in the US and they've got a kitchenette stocked with stuff on Maternity. I think I grabbed a bite (or a bagel, or a drink, or a.... LOL) everytime I walked circles around the floor giving gravity a hand. They totally let me know it's OK to eat, drink and be merry LMAO.
I couldn't imagine having a restriction. OMG. The hunger! It takes a lot of energy to birth a baby.
I would totally sneak in food if I birthed somewhere it wasn't allowed

[JennTheMomma]

Glad people are finally catching up. I plan on making tons of little nutritious snacks for me while in labor. I'm sure my son will have some too, and MW, DH and whoever else is here is free to share.