How to make Ice chips?

[Thing1Thing2]

I'm having a home birth in June. Its my first baby, so Im taking advice from people when they tell me to have plenty of "ice chips" around. My fridge does not make ice chips... where do you get them from? Can you make them?

[Pynki]

Are these people who have homebirthed? Or had their babies in the hospital where "ice chips" is all you can freaking have from the time you enter the hospital until after your deliver.

[Thing1Thing2]

LOL! They are people who birthed in the hospital... poor creatures!

[tireesix]

You don't need iced chips (do you mean frozen potato products ewwwwwwwww or frozen water?)...... Anyway, if its frfozen water you are after, I would just make loads ice cubes and then bash them with a hammer.

Anyway, I just had cold water and cold other drinks and nice food when I was in labour. We don't do ice chips over here (although my children will on occasion eat frozen chips but then they eatt ratt food too).

[Pynki]

Originally Posted by BonnieNova

LOL! They are people who birthed in the hospital... poor creatures!

Then there you go.

They are assuming that you are incapable of eating or drinking during labor because they were not allowed to.

You don't NEED ice chips, I'd personally prefer popsicles, but that's just me.

[barefootpoetry]

I know this is mean of me, but this thread made me You do NOT need ice chips at a homebirth, I knew before you even said it that these people had only birthed at a hospital where that's all they'll "let" you eat. You can eat and drink whatever you damn well please at home (and you should be able to in the hospital too, but that's another kettle of fish!).

There are some threads hanging around, I believe, of moms discussing good foods to eat in labor, I'd check 'em out.

[mom2a4Rashelle]

If you want to have a supply of ice you could always get those ice maker counter top things that places like Target or Bed Bath & Beyond sell for around $100.....

[Xenopus]

I'm making some ice cubes out of cranberry juice and apple juice, but it's not because I have to have "ice chips!" lol

Yeah, at my first birth in the hospital, that was all they let us have. Poop on that.

love,
Xen

[Kim919]

I think I would like an ice chip... I like ice. If you could really make ice into the size & shape of a chip that sounds really good. Especially if it was like frozen juice chips... like little mini popcicle chips... frozen lemonade chips.... yes, yes, that is what I want. So are "ice chips" really just smashed ice cubes? or like the original question is there really a way to make them that shape? I'm birthing at home & I know I can eat and drink what I want but that truely sounds appealing.

[Thing1Thing2]

Yes, it is smashed ice cubes. So it's easier to suck on than a whole ice cube -lol and you can make them out of lemonade or red raspberry leaf tea. Im just not sure if 1. I need them and 2. How to make them if I do...

[treehugginhippie]

Ice chips were listed as an "optional" item on my homebirth supply list. My mw said to put ice cubes in a ziplock bag, cover with a towel and then smash them into pieces with a hammer.

[Thing1Thing2]

Thanks treehugginhippie! I will try that!:

[basilslamomma]

While certainly not homemade, I have heard that Sonic will sell their ice. Some people love that kind of ice.....Certainly more money than just crushing your own ice.....We use it to keep seafood cold. Just a thought

[*mama moose*]

I agree with everyone else that you don't NEED them, but I'll also admit I crave them like nothing else LOL!! Seriously, theres just something about crushed ice.....

if you have an ice maker on your fridge you might even have a crushed ice setting, my dad has one, its my best friend . My fridge doesn't make ice, so I buy a bag at the store and then my DH crushes it for me with his shoes (in the bag of course, I don't want his shoe germs on my ice!!). I eat it by the cupful, its a sickness

So, I do plan to have some on hand during labor, but I also plan to have plenty of other good and actually nutritious foods in the house too

[DawnaRose]

I know you don't "need" ice chips at a home birth, but I am planning to have some I LOVE ice! We go through a bag or so a day (our ice maker is broke on the fridge, so I send my DH to get some from the store) I'm not anemic, I just love ice!:

I'm planning to have 2 bags of ice from Sonic in our freezer for our birth. Its easily crunched and I love it. Sometimes I order a huge drink from there, just for the ice

[~*~MamaJava~*~]

interesting. never crossed my mind! even with my hospital births, there were no ice chips around, just water (and i told them i was eating whether they liked it or not).

after reading this, i am totally getting popsicles. we haven't had them in ages because ds is food-colouring intolerant...but i'm not

[Chakra]

Susun Weed says to make them with RRL and eat/suck during labor. Its a good uterine tonic and will help with any pp bleeding

[LotusBirthMama]

Originally Posted by BonnieNova

LOL! They are people who birthed in the hospital... poor creatures!

Hey now! I am planning my own lovely homebirth, but I was no poor creature for my last two very lovely hospital birth....

[LotusBirthMama]

Originally Posted by BonnieNova

LOL! They are people who birthed in the hospital... poor creatures!

Hey now! I am planning my own lovely homebirth, but I was no poor creature for my last two very lovely hospital birth....

[Nicole B]

I don't know about you but I'm planning on asking Sonic if I can buy their ice by the bag!:nana:
Seriously, I LOVE those crunchy "ice nuggets" they put in their drinks I get a large drink just so I can enjoy the ice afterwards

I actually really enjoyed crunching on crushed ice at my hospital births and never felt like much anything else anyway...