I have everything on my list for my home birth (I'm 39 weeks) but I'm struggling a little with what kind of 'light foods' might appeal while in labor? Do any of you have any suggestions of what might be nice to have on hand? So far I've bought some gator aid and some fruit juices to water down, I have some dried fruits and nuts and some crackers - any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

Peace.

I drank GatorAid an munched on cold watermelon on and off during labor. I also had a big loaded backed potato for lunch about 1 1/2 hours before she was born - just in time for the real 'work' the carbs helped!

I drank a ton of Recharge (like gatorade)...and ate quite a few whole wheat english muffins toasted with butter. It was the only thing I wanted.

Good luck!

I had a yougurt and fresh fruit early in labor. After I got past the long predomal phase I wanted nothing to eat. I had a few sips of water and sprite, during pushing. But quite honestly food was the last thing on my mind.

I guess I would get a little of everything you never know what will sound good.

While I was in labor I wasn't hungry at all, but drank lemon recharge, I also had banannas and oranges. Make sure you have something yummy for afterwords.

After four hb's I can honestly tell you that eating is the last thing you may want to do. Think of marathon running. What do you eat during a race? However if you have a long labor, you may need to keep your strength up, so light snacks as:

kosher gelatin
frozen juice in an ice cube tray
soda (7-up?)
consomme
buillion
saltines
water
OJ w/ brewer's yeast
or warm water w/ brewer's yeast

may hit the spot and energize you if you need it. It can come up just as easily too, so keep a vomit basin on hand.

I was NOT interesting in eating during labor (even when I was hungry,) but it was a long labor and I thought I'd better keep my strength up. The only thing I could manage was water and boiled eggs. That probably would be disgusting to someone else. :) Probably the best thing to do would be to have a variety of foods on hand that you normally like to eat. Now that I think of it, I probably would have enjoyed a turkey sandwich on that kind of bread that's had the hell processed out of it. I normally drink a lot of orange juice, but I could not bear the thought of it during labor, maybe because I sensed it would be hard on an empty stomach.

I packed fresh fruit peaches, grapes-orange juice lots of water!
I think we brought yogurt and crackers too, but the fruit was all I ate. It was late at night -but remember, everyone is different. My midwife suggested soup, muffins, fruit.

Fruits, I wanted them cold!! Frosen fruit bars, pineapple tatsed the best....

It has been awhile..... I can't really remember what else.
Granolamom