Labor snacks, other goodies?

[BonanzaJellybean]

I am planning to do a homebirth (this is my first), and am in the process of putting together a stash of labor snacks and drinks (for myself and the labor support crew) and comfort items for during and after the birth. Does anyone have any suggestions of what to include? What things are you making sure you have on hand?

[Hiker_Girl]

We're not having a homebirth (, but we're taking some snacks to the hospital with us. Since we don't plan on being there long, however, we're just taking a few things like energy bars (Luna bars for me- YUM- and Cliff bars for DH), peanut butter crackers, little boxes of raisins, etc. You might also consider picking up some fruit leathers, trail mix, and maybe some granola bars (if you don't care for energy bars). Also, don't forget the fruit! Just some apples, oranges, and bananas are perfect or you might consider getting some dried pineapple, mango, or banana chips because they're so easy to handle.

Hope that can give you some ideas.

[mamamilkers]

I'm really in to having lots of things to drink, so am going to have stuff to make my emergen-c/white grape juice/water cocktail as well as vitawater and hansen's mandarin lime soda. Will also have clif bars, crackers, yogurt, mac-n-cheese (my ultimate comfort food!) and lots of popsicles!

We unfortunately don't have a big freezer to store pre-made food, but I will try to stock it with meals as much as I can (if I'm lazy will just go to Trader Joe's for frozen meals), at least enough for the folks who want to eat here and a day or two of meals for our family.

I'll be interested to hear what everyone else has to say about this. I didn't eat much in my last labor, but I was away from home and didn't have many food options. One reason, of the many, that I'm excited to be at home for this birth is that I can have all different kinds of food and drink available!

Oh-- and a bag of ice! I LOVE ice

[peilover010202]

Yes, I totally agree with the ice! I LOVED eating ice through my whole labor.

I'm taking pb crackers and juice, energy bars, and RRL/nettle tea to the hospital.

[louloubean]

labor and after snacks

I'm a fan of the apple and eve juice boxes.
easy to drink even if you're upside down!

good luck

[veganf]

popsicles

[ColoradoMama]

I can't eat or drink during labor. During three labors, I've had three different midwives push apple juice on me. I thought I was going to hurl. This time I think I'll put up a sign that says - "NO APPLE JUICE!" I never thought about having snacks for everyone else though - that's a good idea. I definitely want food for right after though. I'm going to make some creamy vegan corn chowder and some creamy potato vegetable soup and put them in the freezer. That way dh can pull one out to defrost when I go into labor. I'm also going to make some double blueberry muffins to freeze for afterwards, too. I'm usually ready to eat the carpet after I've delivered!!! With my last delivery, my mom made a potato vegetable soup while I was in labor - I think I ate THREE bowls of it after I delivered. I don't think dh even got any! I guess I'd better make a BIG batch!

[the_lissa]

I'm making a bean salad.

[SummerTwilight]

I bought recharge (6 bottles), pb crackers, raisins, fruit popsicles, sorbet, yogurt, honey, and plan on making a shepard's pie in early labor depending on time of day since it is hearty and pretty plain. Oh and I bought tomato soup (comfort food for me).

[NewAtThis]

Let's see...so far I have some recharge, some RRL iced tea, honey sticks, popsicles, Luna bars, granola bars, applesauce, ramen, and miso. I'm hoping to have some fresh fruit, especially berries in the house, and the fixings for a birthday cake (my labor project, and a sweet treat to celebrate baby afterwards!).

My planned post-labor recovery meal is ww pancakes with bananas and walnuts! It's my favorite post long run meal, and I think it will work well for after birthing too!

[crazyeight]

i feel like i should have a real meal but i have no idea what to pack or make. after ds' birth i was hungry but i don't remember what for or even remember having a craving. So i just have a few things right now that i could pull out of the pantry. I will make OJ and pour it into some bottles, granola bars, mini oreos, some cereal cups and pudding cups. I'll be at a birth center and they encourage us to bring anything we want......but i don't know what i want...

[hajenkatt]

We will be stocking up on organic chicken broth. It was easy to heat and helped settle my stomach the last time. It was nice to have to not worry about chewing anything, helped keep me hydrated, but didn't turn my stomach the way plain water did.

[wildflowermama]

Dried fruit, Knudsen's lemon lime sodas (for nausea), Cokes in glass bottles (it's a sentimental thing) to toast baby with if it's not late at night, non alcoholic sparkling soda to toast if it's late, rrl and nettles popsicles and infusions, buffalo steaks (post partum), stuff for smoothies, watermelon (and salt to put on it!), emergen-c, pear juice, and the fixin's for peanut butter and jelly, lemon luna bars. Oh, and cow milk. I also have dried fruit and nuts, but I always have that stuff around.

The birth team (homebirth) has been instructed to bring their own snacks. If I feel up to it, I will make soup in the crock pot for them, but this whole thing is all about me and my family. I also will have normal stuff I have for my kids on hand as well as a few treats for the kids. (Things I normally don't keep around like mac and cheese in the box and these lemon ice cups that they love.) I am providing coffee and tea for the team, but they will have to make it if they want it.

I gave my team a list of things they should bring for themselves: snacks, caffienated beverages, water bottles, toothbrush and toothpaste, change of clothes, deodorant, breath mints, ect. I've been told that it has been helpful for the members who don't have much experience beyond their own births. Might be worth a try for y'all having homebirths.

[veganf]

Originally Posted by wildflowermama

The birth team (homebirth) has been instructed to bring their own snacks.

My midwives have always had "food for midwives" on the supply list for me to provide. And when I think about it, the last thing I want them to do is waste time getting their own food ready; I just want them to get here asap! If they'd had to stop and get food from their fridge last time I'd have been catching my own baby, LOL, which I'm prepared to do this time, but wasn't last time!

I just keep plenty of frozen meals ready, a pasta salad and green salad in the fridge, a few cans off soup, and the fruit bowl full. Last time no one else ate anything anyway. Everybody had a cup of tea, I had a spinach tofu salad wrap, and everybody went off to bed.

I'm always amazed that some women can plan to make food while in early labor and actually follow through with it. I couldn't have budged from when I was if my life depended on it!

[Ursula Rose]

i've been slightly annoyed and puzzled by the "food for midwives" on my list too.

they are going to have to eat what i have for me and dh: luna bars, salad, bread, broth, juice etc.