What did you feed your midwives?

[Thing1Thing2]

Hello - Im 37 weeks and having a home birth. I am wondering what kind of food to have on hand for the midwives. I'm not sure if I will be able to go shopping when I go into labor, so maybe I should have something that is non-perishable. Or should I order a pizza? LOL! Im totally clueless here ... need help! BTW (I have heard of people making soup - I am not that talented in the kitchen!)

[AustinAmber]

I didn't have a home birth but at the birth center where I went my family made spaghetti and meastballs for everyone, including the midwife and nurse, while I labored. Good old comfort food and easy to make too.

[Arwyn]

Nothing - my midwives were there to feed me! (They made me miso soup in labor, and heated us up some soup we had in the freezer before they left.) We did have food available (including miso ) if they'd needed it, but they're not guests, it wasn't our job to feed them.

[Mama Poot]

I think I'd made a fruit salad, but my midwife doesn't eat anything at births from what I can tell. I asked her what I should have around and she told me I didn't need to have anything, don't worry about it. She was at our house for a good 8 hours but she never ate anything.

[GOPLawyer]

(now I'm craving miso soup!! lol)

I would ask your midwife just in case she has specific diet requirements (ie vegetarian etc.)

I agree w/ the sentiment that it's not a Mama's job to fee her midwife (or anyone else during labor for that matter lol) BUT if something is made ahead of time, the midwife can get it herself. A fed person is a happy person....and I want my midwife to be happy and not in a hunger-fog. That and I think it's just a nice gesture. Honestly, it would really bother me if I had someone in my house for that long w/o making food available to them. lol

[mommathea]

My midwife said as long as the fridge is stocked that she would be able to find anything to eat. I'm thinking of having some chicken salad, we always have fruit on hand, maby some soup. Probably stuff that I have made up ahead of time for quick meals for the family.

[To-Fu]

We had delicious organic vegan food delivered from these guys:

http://www.hungry-vegan.com/

My partner spread it all out on the table and told them to go to town, and they did.

[Tuwamare]

Ask your midwife what kinds of food she prefers. If you have the ingredients for a sandwich, she can make herself one when the opportunity arises, or just have a few cans of soup or something available. I asked my last midwife what she liked to eat, and she told me she didn't care. "I'm an opportunivore," she told me. "I'll eat whatever is handy if I need to." LOL

[aprilsfools]

My MW included it on my birthing kit list that I have to put together.

Enough food for laboring family and midwives. Mom could use
some food prepared in advance that is nourishing and easy to
digest such as chicken soup that will be ready for her to eat after
the birth, regardless of the time of day or night! Healthy snacks
such as fruit, eggs, cheeses (not American), whole wheat or rye or
other healthy bread, tea, honey, peanut butter without sugar,
raisins, nuts as examples. Depending on the time of day/night and
the length of the labor, the midwives may well need more than
simply snacks - meals with protein, sliced turkey, etc.

I would just ask what they want.

[veganf]

The only thing my midwife had on her list was tea. And I never prepared anything special for them. If they ate during any of my labors I wasn't aware...but we always have plenty of food around, I'm sure they'd help themselves if they were hungry and actually had time to eat.

[momto4kids]

we fed them nothing, but then again they were only at my house for maybe 2 hours before my each of my kids were born .....not alot of time to worry about what they needed.

We did have lots of food on hand though ~ fruit, frozen grapes, peanut butter for toast, eggs ( I had a BIG breakfast after my 4th baby!)......some frozen foods too. So if they were hungry they could have found something to eat.


Dana

[xixstar]

We were planning to have wine, yummy cheese, and fresh fruit and probably something in the crock pot too, like a high-protein veggie stew or something like that. This is mostly for us and our doula because I don't imagine our midwife being there all that long, but she's welcome to it too.

I'm 33 weeks now and actually going shopping for some of the drinks and stuff I want on hand for birth to stock in the fridge (labeled, so dd or I don't drink them ahead of time!!).

[ColoradoMama]

I had a big bag of non-perishable food ready for labor that was for my family and birthing team. The kids helped me shop for the stuff, and they knew it was to be left alone until I was in labor. I had peanut butter crackers, and that's all I can remember right now because it's been nearly two years! I had quite a bit of stuff in there though. Dh was supposed to tell everyone it was there and to help themselves. Also, when I went into labor, I put a huge amount of soup in the crockpot for everyone afterward.

[Belle]

We had asked our midwives in advance what kind of food they wanted us to have on hand for them and if they had any dietary retrictions. We had our fridge stocked with all kinds of different foods for them.

The birth ended up going really fast. I think my midwives were only there for 3 hours tops. We had a pot of coffee made for them, but there wasn't any time to eat anything.

[JENinOR]

I froze a few store bought quiches. Good for B, L, or Dinner or whenever baby comes. Everyone enjoyed them very much. Keep a can of OJ in the freezer and your good to go!

[janasmama]

ooh, that gives me the idea to make a great quiche recipe that I have. I'll have to do that as soon as my labor starts if it's not in the middle of the night.

As far as the MW's go...just buy what you would eat that way if they aren't ther e for long it won't get wasted. They'll find something if they get hungry.

[Ligeia]

I just had my fridge stocked as normal. They were welcome to make anything they wanted. I didn't worry at all about feeding them because I was busy! My mil cut up some fruit and made some veggie patties I think but the midwife and her assistant just nibbled on the minimum so it wasn't a big deal.

[Thing1Thing2]

Thanks for the ideas. I guess I should ask her if she likes anything. Like I said, I wont be making soup in a crock pot or in anything else... Im not that handy in the kitchen -

I like the idea of the frozen store bought quiches!

[slave2myprincess]

i've heard some ppl say they fed their midwives and some who didn't. If i or dh had the time during labor i probably get a fruit and veggie platter. And order a try of sandwiches from subway. But before i did this i would ask the midwives about any specific foods they eat.

[Peony]

I had a very well stocked fridge, sandwich makings, a leftover bean chili, tons of salad stuff, fruit, and we still ended up ordering a pizza.