Questions about eating during labor

[BelCanto]

I will be having a hospital birth (as natural as possible...if that's possible!) due to some health issues.

My last birth I had an IV. I'm sure that took care of my hydration and sugar levels.

This time, however, I am hoping to avoid that and am wondering how to keep my blood sugar levels up. And, should I just continually drink water? Do birthing mothers tend to face more of a risk of dehydration?

Any ideas? Thanks!

[massagemom]

i also delivered in a hospital, and i know that their policy was no eating once i checked in.

however, i did bring tons of juice with me, and they had some there as well. i also brought gatorade (there is a natural brand if you prefer that, but i can't remember the name) and emergen-c packets that you put in water.

i remember my midwife being very, very concerned about me becoming dehydrated during my labor. maybe b/c i was in the shower so much and it was hot in there? i'm not sure. but she definitely "pushed" the fluids on me. it seemed like every time i turned around someone was asking me to drink something out of a straw.

good luck to you!

[Storm Bride]

As far as I know, the "no eating" thing is only because the hospitals don't want you to have any food in your stomach, just in case you have surgery. I'm VBA2Cing, and if I want to eat, I'm going to have dh smuggle in some food. (I may not want to, as I recall having no appetite while labouring with ds.) I think this is just one more example of ensuring a less pleasant (and effective) labour, in order to avoid something that's not that likely to happen in the first place (ie. aspirating food while under anesthetic). I also plan to drink water, and refuse an IV.

[nonnymoose]

I had a hospital birth and knew they wouldn't let me eat once I got there. I stayed at home for the first seven (of 12) hours, and a while before we left for the hospital I had a big bowl of mac 'n' cheese and about a quart of OJ. I was more worried about leg cramps than about dehydration - cramping was the only big complaint I had during my pregnancy, and that was the last thing I wanted while I was trying to birth a baby!

[Bethla]

They have fruit juice and jello-two flavor choices too! Wow!

I actually barfed quite a bit in transition so I wouldn't stuff yourself, just in case. :LOL

[Rach]

Where I used to live, each doctor had their own policy on what their patients were "allowed" to eat during labor.
[Seriously, how is a woman going to get the energy to push a baby out, when she's been starved for the last 12+ hours!!]
My OB let her patients have clear fluids, juices, popsicles, etc. The nursing staff however, asked that nothing be red. Due to staining and of course, fear that it may be blood if the mom vomits. :P
I'd bring in your own clear juices, vegetable/chicken/beef broths, or whatever actual foods you think you might want during labor.
Good luck to you!!

[wendy1221]

When I was in labor w/ ds1, it wasn't an issue. W/ ds2 my labor stalled and I was SO thirsty (not hungry at all, though.) I was leterally begging for water and the nurses wouldn't let me have any. When my doctor got there, she went and got me a big cup of water and some apple juice herself. It was almost heaven! LOL!

I had absolutely no appetite w/ either of them, though and puked quite a bit w/ #1.

I would try to drink up before going in and then have a water bottle that your partner can refill for you and sneak you if you get thirsty. DOn't FORCE yourself to drink, though. It's good to have it offered in case you don't notice your thirst, but I see no reason to force it down. KWIM?

[2+twins]

Honey is a good way to boost your energy quickly. And dehydration can happen during labor so drinking is a good idea. Recharge is the more natural version of Gatorade, btw. I think it's made by Knudsen. Eating is a great idea if you're up to it but it's best to eat things that are easily digestible as your digestive tract slows down and/or stops at some point during labor. So no ribs! rofl

[blessedwithboys]

protein is a good choice. you can combine that with hydration if you like chicken broth. just dont make it too salty.

please dont be intimidated by the hospital/OB NPO rule. neither the doctor nor the nursing staff has the legal right to deny you sustenance. YOU are in control, YOU get to make these choices for yourself. if you want to have access to food and drink while in labor, bring it from home (and if your health condition allows, get to the hospital as close to 10 cm as you can!), and dont hide in fear of the nurses. eat as your body directs you, and if an nurse tries to tell you different, remind her that YOU are paying HER to perform a service for you.

the no red food/drink rule is actually reasonable, the only reasonable thing i have ever heard as hosptial "rules" go.

[CarrieMF]

I had all the girls in the hospital.

With my first I had an obgyn. I was given an iv as soon as I got there. I was allowed to eat and drink anything I wanted, but I only water water and lots of it. I could not get enough water during labour or after. I was so hot, turns out I was running a fever but I didn't realize it until the next day when I couldn't figure out why it was not boiling on the ward anymore. I kept soaking through those pads they put under you because I was sweating so much. I did throw up during transition, but it was food i had eaten 4 days before that, but oddly not the food i ate the night before.

The next kid the first thing I did when I got in the room was turn the heat as low as I possibly could. Everyone said that room was freezing, it was nice and comfortable for me. Nobody was allowed to touch the thermostat. I had a differnet dr and was given a hep/saline lock instead of an iv. It was so much nicer to not have that stupid iv. I was allowed to eat and drink anything I wanted but I wasn't hungry. They brought me a liquid diet(grape jello, broth, juice, coffee) for bkfast. I had a bit of water but drank less than 8oz the 7hour I was in labour.

With my last one things were different, my water broke before I went into labour. I went in at 8:30pm. I had not eaten supper. The nurse said I could eat but I figured I'd have the baby by morning, :LOL I was induced at 1:30pm, she was born at 4:47pm. Supper goes around at 4, but at 4 they had decided to do a c-section(which never happened) so they had called down to make sure I had supper. I ate everything in site. They had brought me 2 sandwiches for me to pick which I wanted, I ate both and made dh drive to the closest fast food restaurant to bring me more food though I wasn't quite as hungry when he got back.lol Before being induced I had no iv or hep/saline lock.

[EmmalinesMom]

I had a natural hospital birth w/ no IV. My midwife did encourage me to drink water and some juice during labor, and there were some light snacks around, but I wasn't very hungry. I ate half an english muffin around 9am and she was born at 4pm. I also threw up a few times late in labor, and truthfully it felt better to throw up the liquids than dry heave.

[yequanamama]

As a general rule, take a sip of water between every contraction or two or three. It's quite relaxing, and will do the job of keeping you hydrated. Compare yourself to a marathoner, who drinks water and gatorade throughout a race.

The other helpful thing - I'm sure you've heard it several times, but it bears repeating - would be to go to the hospital LATE IN LABOR. I can't emphasize that enough. Eat when you feel like it at home, and by the time you're ready to leave for the hospital (cx 2-3 mins apart lasting 1 min for 30 mins.), you probably won't be hungry.

As a side note, be reassured that you'll be better off without the IV for two reasons:
1. IVs tend to OVERHYDRATE a laboring woman, which potentially can lead to electrolyte imbalance, irregular heartbeat, and fluid in the lungs as "too much fluid moves in and out of the body tissues." (That's from Robbie Davis-Floyd)

2. The glucose/dextrose administered through an IV increase sensitivity to pain, both in the mother AND the baby. Think about THAT for minute, not to mention that the IV may contribute to jaundice in the baby.

Okay, I've rattled on long enough. You'll do just fine! No woman's body was designed to birth with a needle feeding artificial sustenance into her arm! It stands to reason that anyone will do much better without it!

[BelCanto]

Thank you all for your responses!

--Jennifer