Snacks for labor?

[ishyfishie]

I've been focusing on threads about post-birth meals, but one of the items on my supply list from my midwife is nourishing snacks and beverages for mama. My first birth was in a hospital so I was limited to what we had packed in the hospital bag (which was granola bars and water bottles!), and I don't remember really feeling much like eating until after the birth, but I do think I nibbled on granola bars here and there. Anyone have any suggestions for light, snacky food items and/or good beverages that we might want to have on hand? We're a little limited because of dd1's allergies, so we can't do anything with milk, egg, or nuts, but even just some general ideas of what other mamas have felt like snacking on while laboring would help me figure out some options! Things we always have on hand are fruits, dry cereals, bread for toast...but I'm not sure what else to get that would feel somewhat more nutritious than plain toast, lol.

[autumnday]

Dried fruit and honey sticks can be a quick source of energy. I also usually recommend mama's have things like nuts, nut butter, hard boiled eggs, yogurt and cheese handy since they are easy to eat sources of protein, but guess these are all out for you! Maybe some kind of jerky? It is easy to eat and has some protein in it. How about seeds, can you have pumpkin and sunflower seeds? Is it all dairy, or can she have goat products? There's a lot of variety of goat cheeses if that's a possibility. You could also try making a light protein shake with either soy or rice protein powder (whey is milk based), and just leave it in the fridge. I remember wanting sliced apples during my labors!

My favorite beverages for birth: Diluted 100% juice in your favorite flavor, diluted Recharge-similar to gatorade, but doesn't have that artificial, unsettling glow, and coconut water (not coconut milk) an excellent source of electrolytes and it doesn't have much flavor, you may want to try it first if you haven't ever had it, some people don't like the texture.

Hope that gives you some ideas, working around food allergies definitely makes it more difficult!!

[avalonfaith]

miso soup, your favorite broth, fruit etc. think not hard to digest or acidic. Your body is diverting it's attention to your birthing needs not digestion, high acids and super heavy foods will be there a while and may cause you to vomit.

[ishyfishie]

Thanks ladies! The allergies are definitely limiting--everything I snacked on during my pregnancy with dd1 is pretty much off-limits, so I still haven't quite managed to find replacements! Goat's milk/cheese is also out for us, but we can do seeds (we use a sunflower-based peanut butter replacement). I hadn't thought about broths, that's a good idea--dh doesn't like soup so I had knocked it off my post-birth meal list, but for me during labor, that'd be quick and easy! I'll definitely have some of my favorite juices on hand, plus apples and bananas (our standards), but I'll look into protein shake items (I've been meaning to, but since we can't use whey powder, I never looked too hard for something to use). Dried fruit is a good one, too, in case I happen to go into labor right before dh does the grocery shopping.

[hapersmion]

Applesauce was my favorite in labor last time. This time I have stocked up on that, plus juice boxes, Recharge, honey straws, miso soup, and some dried cherries that I'm having a really hard time leaving alone until labor starts... Plus, we have all the regular food in the house... and if I feel like it in early labor I might make cookies.

[cheeqz]

What I ended up having at some point in labor:

- peanut butter on bread (you could do the sunflower seed butter)
- watermelon (loved this the most)
- fruit smoothie w. protein powder in it
- orange juice
- honey

I hadn't really thought about what I would really want before hand, I basically had what my mom and/or sister brought to me.

My labor was reallllly, so the occasional spoonfuls of honey were more helpful than I would have ever guessed in keeping up my energy.

I personally didn't want anything very heavy and probably wouldn't have gone for the nut butter on toast if I didn't think I needed the protein to keep up my energy.

Hope that helps!

[SalmonBayDoula]

Here are some things I recommend to students and clients:

protein and complex carbs
anything you don't mind "seeing again"
comfort food that you might eat when you are sick

yogurt with live cultures
scrambled eggs
whole wheat toast with peanut butter
fruit
cottage cheese
grilled cheese
chicken noodle soup
tofu
mac and cheese
grapes
watermelon
any melon
blueberries
strawberries
bolthouse simply protein drink (42 gms of protein in large bottle)
recharge (natural gatorade product, no corn syrup, no dyes)
miso soup
chocolate
herbal teas
emergen C
coconut water
nuts
almond butter
diluted juice
tea with honey!

small bites frequently and sips of something with calories (diluted juice?/recharge diluted etc?) after every contraction when you are not sleeping.

use a nice wide mouth water bottle with a sports cap, so you can drink in any position!

Best wishes for a great birth!

[ann_of_loxley]

My Mws say honey is a great one! lol

I am actually wondering if, like during pregnancy, one might actually just fancy something specific whilst in labour.

I think lots of fresh fruit - I was suggested non-acidic smoothies (so no smoothies containing a lot of pineapple/orange for example - but berry ones/banana/etc) sounds like a fab idea! You can be lazy and even just buy really good organic no crap added smoothies these days! hehe (I plan to have those around myself!)

For some reason - I think I will also fancy corn bread with butter and honey! lol

Low G.I. foods like oats (cereals/biscuits/etc)?

High protein foods? (I will have some protein bars around).

I am thinking - whatever it is, needs to be 'easy' to much down here and there.

[cheeqz]

One of my sister's assigned jobs during my labor was to go GET me a smoothie. Didn't want to worry about a mess in the kitchen later OR the sound of the blender disturbing me.

[zonapellucida]

My favotrites have been watered down juice, yogurt and apple with peanut butter.