Food during labor?

[kellid]

OK, I'm one of those people that freak out if there is not food around. The hospital is letting me eat during labor and I'm so happy. I know for a fact I probably won't eat that much because I didn't the first labor (ended in c/s). But I still want it.

What foods did you have around during labor that you liked?

[grace's voice]

Strawberries!
LOTS of fresh fruit. My labor was too fast and intense to eat during, but boy was fruit tasty afterward!
I don't know how well it would work in a hospital... maybe pack a tiny cooler or something?

[kellid]

Thanks!!!!!!!!

[~*~MamaJava~*~]

I just liked basic things - toast with a little jam or butter, a banana...this was all in the hospital's mini kitchen in the maternity ward. The nurses were not big on me eating, but I went into hungry-laboring-mama-growl mode and they let me. As in, "I'm not having a section anyways, so just let me eat! I'm HUNGRY!!" I've had two long (17 and 24 hour) labours, so I needed the fuel. I took it a wee bit easy with #2 just because I wanted to avoid throwing up a whole lot (and managed to avoid it completely).

So...crackers, juice...I probably would have eaten anything they put in front of me, though

[courtenay_e]

I had mexican with the first... . Regretted it during transition, but boy was it GOOD going down. I loved salsa and chips. I think it had something to do with the sweet (before the spice) part of the salsa and the salt in the chips. Who knows? The second one I was a bit less strange. I had bananas, bear mush (like whole grain cream of wheat), and lots and lots of water. Didn't have transition, so I didn't throw up.

[Snowdrift]

I vote for anything super-high in calories. I didn't want to eat or drink anything for the last 24 hours or so of my 33 hour labor. My midwives had to really push me to eat even a little. I ended up having a couple bites of toast with honey, and some pbj and a bit of yogurt. Next time around I'm planning on looking for some super-calorie dense, high carb food. My midwives had to dig the honey out of the back of the cupboard. Next itme it'll be in my birth box.

Still can't bring myself to touch yogurt though, nearly two weeks later. Threw up way too much of it.

[Red Sonja]

Hmmmm, I wanted to have something around that wasn't sweet.

Of course, by the last time I ate the only thing left was a couple bags of Reese's Pieces and boy did they taste good!

[Desdamona]

Ok... totally OT, but courtenay_e are you talking about the same Bear Mush that I grew up with?? It has 3 little bears on the label? This totally brought baack memories for me just reading bear mush. Ahhhhh, to be 4 y/o again!

[Pandora114]

Pears:

They taste the same going down as they do coming back up...

[craftymom]

Fruit, veggies, and bread. Nothing greasy and no meat. I've had 2 induced hospital births (due to a medicated clotting disorder and insurance, this is The Way It Is). Second was MUCH better than the first--they let me eat! I went with what looked good to me, and not a thing came back up. woo-hoo!

[Skrimpy]

my midwives brought me eggs and toast with my first which I didn't really eat. With my second I did nibble on a peanut butter and honey sandwich. Third was too fast to eat anything, but I sure enjoyed a tuna salad sandwich after the birth

[DLsGroovyMoM]

I was way stupid with my first and took it as law when they said no food or drink : I had not eaten in over 24hr and about the same with drink. I was so hungry and begging for anything and they refused me anything they were even stingy with the ice chips: . DH said between every contration I would ask for chips and salsa and diet coke. DS was born at 9.27p and I didn't get to eat until after 3 am that was the best meal I've ever had...but I was sooo mad!
I didn't throw up in transition...but heck I didn't have anything to throw up. Had I thought for myself I would have eaten the chips/salsa my sil had gone to get for me. and next time by God I WILL if I want to!

[CrazyCatLady]

I wanted junk Lots of different juices, oatmeal raisin cookies, apple pie, fresh fruit (the cut up all fancy kind). Apparently I needed the sugar.

[txgal]

With Ds (hospital, ended in sect.) I was allowed to eat too. The nurse just asked that I not eat anything that would be really gross to clean up when I barfed later. I ate pudding, yogurt, jello. For my HBAC (60 hour labor) I ate normal stuff until the last 12 hours, then all I could handle were protein drinks. The brand I liked was called Nectar, it is a protein powder that you mix with water. They have fruit flavors, and they taste great, I like the lemonade.

Lydia

[zoe398]

Luna bars are awesome for labor (and for me as a doula!). I also suggest other high protein foods like nuts. Nothing acidic as it's not fun if it does decide to make a reappearance!

[grace's voice]

Originally Posted by txgal

With Ds (hospital, ended in sect.) I was allowed to eat too. The nurse just asked that I not eat anything that would be really gross to clean up when I barfed later. I ate pudding, yogurt, jello. For my HBAC (60 hour labor) I ate normal stuff until the last 12 hours, then all I could handle were protein drinks. The brand I liked was called Nectar, it is a protein powder that you mix with water. They have fruit flavors, and they taste great, I like the lemonade.

Lydia

So I have a question... I know that the reason they usually don't want women to eat is incase the woman has to have a cesarean, right? Because the meds they give you make you vomit and they're afraid you'll aspirate... but I've heard that that vomit is a very specific kind of vomit and that is green and nasty and there's nothing quite like it... so would it really matter what you ate if its going to come out being that "special" vomit anyway?
Maybe a silly question, just one of my ponderings!

[coobabysmom]

nak.. surprisingly I didn't want to eat during labor- just drank tons of water. dh and my sister were able to get me swallow some eggs & pasta which I was thankful for in hindsight but should have forced myself to eat more. During pushing I realised how depleted I was started taking "shots" of honey to keep me going... I also recommend a favorite meal afte the birth because you'll be hungry!

[RockStarMom]

Chocolate milkshakes(vegan of course)! I went into labor at 9 PM after a big dinner so I really wasn't hungry for anything more substantial. My doula made me drink some Gatorade and tons of water too, but all I craved were the milkshakes.

[StacyL]

Cheese & crackers.

[Viriditas]

The thought of eating anything during labor was totally repulsive to me. My labor was only 14 hours long, though (17 if you count waiting for the damn reluctant placenta). Dh made fresh-squeezed orange juice for me every couple hours, I drank lots of water, and herbal tea with honey helped for energy.