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Feeding your MW/Post birth meal

1K views 23 replies 13 participants last post by  mamabear7 
#1 ·
We had our home visit yesterday, and it got me thinking about what to have on hand to feed our MW and her assistants. What have you done/are you planning to do? I guess I'm thinking sandwich stuff (bread, deli meat, etc.) and fresh fruit and chips? I figure that stuff would be nice to have on hand for us and for family after the birth anyway if they don't end up eating it.

The other thing my MW brought up was that I should think about what I might like to eat after I give birth. I so clearly remember the cold spaghetti I was given in the hospital after my daughter's birth, and I would like to have a more pleasant memory this time. I guess I'm just having a hard time figuring out how to plan it- like I have no idea when this baby is going to come, so how am I supposed to plan for a post-birth meal? To complicate matters, we live in a very small mountain town. We have two small grocery stores, but they close fairly early, and there are only a few restaurants, so it's not really like we could send someone out to grab something.
 
#2 ·
We were at a birth center, not home, but we were told to bring a meal for afterwards. I made a big pot of lentil soup and some homemade bread and then froze them both. When I went into labor I took it all out of the freezer and brought them down to the BC with us.
It was great to have a home cooked meal, even one haphazardly rewarmed by my distracted husband (who knew you could burn frozen soup :smile:)
 
#3 ·
What an interesting question... something I hadn't even begun to think about! lol

I'm not a picky eater, but I'm definitely a moody eater - I'll eat just about anything, but I have to be in the mood for it!

hmmm.... another thing to think about while I'm sitting around waiting for him to show up!

For those of you who have given birth were you more in the mood for "comfort food" or something "light" after the birth? My absolute biggest comfort food addiction is mac and cheese, but sometimes that ends up sitting in there like a brick!
 
#6 ·
What an interesting question... something I hadn't even begun to think about! lol

I'm not a picky eater, but I'm definitely a moody eater - I'll eat just about anything, but I have to be in the mood for it!

hmmm.... another thing to think about while I'm sitting around waiting for him to show up!

For those of you who have given birth were you more in the mood for "comfort food" or something "light" after the birth? My absolute biggest comfort food addiction is mac and cheese, but sometimes that ends up sitting in there like a brick!
Maybe you could freeze small portions of several different meals. Then just heat what sounds good at the time and everyone else can eat what's left. I hate that MW asked to fed - as if we don't have enough to worry about. Why can't they just pack a small cooler?
 
#5 ·
I had leftover spaghetti. In retrospect it's a but weird but DD was being transported up to the NICU and I was discharged myself, about 2-3hrs after the birth. We couldn't ride in the ambulance with her, and I knew they would need a little time to get her "settled" before we would be able to see her, so we went home, packed some clothes (I was still wearing my clothes from work- I hadn't really gotten very undressed) and had some food. When you don't know when it's going to happen (I mean, that's the case for all of us), it's hard to plan... But I like the idea of food from the freezer. The hospital cafeteria has pretty limited hours, and all the local restaurants close by 9, but there is a fridge/freezer/ microwave there.
 
#7 · (Edited)
I was really wanting a nice home-cooked comfort-food meal after DSs birth.... I didn't get that...I got yucky hospital eggs and cereal.... so I will be thinking about freezing something yummy to bring. We're going to visit a birthing center on Saturday. I was suppose to already have done this...but the "what if's" got me.....I decided my nervousness about delivery all have something to do with being in a hospital. SO....we will most likely be giving birth at the birthing center unless I get horrible feelings when we get there..... I'm 33wks on Sunday and I'm JUST now changing where I'm going to deliver....what is wrong with me AHHH!
 
#9 ·
Oh, my MW didn't ask to be fed, I just feel a responsibility to have something for her and her assistants since there aren't really a lot of options for quick food around where we live. She said they bring snacks, but if they're at my house for 12 hours, I want to make sure they (and DH) eat.

I can't really speak to the comfort food vs. light food question because after my daughter was born, she was taken to the NICU and I was just a roller coaster of emotions- I just ate what they put in front of me. I was telling my DH yesterday that since that cold spaghetti meal after her birth is so burned in my mind, I might make some homemade bolognese sauce to have in the freezer and plan on having that after this birth to create a better spaghetti memory!
 
#10 ·
Oh, my MW didn't ask to be fed, I just feel a responsibility to have something for her and her assistants since there aren't really a lot of options for quick food around where we live. She said they bring snacks, but if they're at my house for 12 hours, I want to make sure they (and DH) eat.
Well, that's good. :smile:

Since she didn't make any requests (which I think is a good thing!), I'd have some basic stuff like you said - lunch meat, cheese, bread or wraps, mustard, mayo. Stuff that you would have around anyway. Maybe paper plates and paper towels so that there's little cleanup. I don't usually use paper products, but when I need "quick and easy" I break my own rules!
 
#11 · (Edited)
my babies were both born in the early morning and oatmeal has become my unofficial post-birth meal. with sugar and milk. mmm. it's good for milk production and has some fiber, too. i prefer to make it myself, but it's warm and comforting to me either way.

for the MW, i'll have to think. mine is a vegetarian, so maybe things like hummus, cheese, pita, veggies, olives. yogurt and fruit. and some sandwich stuff for whoever wants it. though now thinking about soup, i might have a big pot of split pea or lentil on-hand instead.
 
#12 ·
I'll have to check my paperwork, but one of the things to have on hand for my upcoming homebirth is stuff for people to eat (both me and the staff), and the paperwork even had suggestions on it. I found that helpful so I'm not starting totally from scratch. I'll probably work up some type of soup and freeze it so it can be reheated in the crock pot. Then have on hand either a bunch of styrofoam cups or a bunch of mugs so people can eat out of those (depends on whether or not we get a dishwasher before then).
 
#13 ·
I usually spend early labor preparing food ;) I love to cook, so it is relaxing for me. Last birth I made a vegan mac and cheese that was a hit with all the midwives :) Thinking I may do the same this time, as well as a crockpot full of soup....I love soup and this is soup season! I also may throw a loaf of banana bread in the oven if I have a long labor....would be yummy for breakfast. Banana bread, pumpkin bread, muffins are all things that freeze well, so you could make those ahead of time and just take them out of the freezer when labor starts....
 
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#14 ·
I've been thinking about this, too - I'm planning to have some stuff in the freezer, but I think I want to have something specific? Mac & cheese sounds great! I'm bordering on GD, but I heard that the protein plus pasta might be ok, and even currently, a little regular mac & cheese hasn't caused me issues....
 
#15 ·
This thread is reminding me how much I really wanted something yummy that afternoon and evening (baby #1 was born in the early morning hours). I really couldn't have cared less what I was eating right after she was born but after the immediate high wore off I wanted a treat.
My mom brought leftovers down with her from MA that were soooo unappealing and I was really annoyed that no one seemed to be interested in making something good (both of my parents are pretty good cooks, and my husband is perfectly adequate), so now I'm thinking I should have a few meals and breads frozen for the couple of days after when I want to be treated to good cooking but don't want to ask anyone to do it.
 
#17 ·
I'm also low on energy, but I have a bread machine... I should bag up the ingredients for my favorite recipe, and add those to the snacks bag with directions. Honestly, it also sounds like a good way to get people out of the way for a few minutes! "Hey, could one of you go get the bread started?" better than boiling water, at least! :wink:
 
#19 ·
These are great ideas! I love to cook too, so I'm loosely planning on that being an early labor project for sure. Pumpkin bread or banana bread or muffins is such a good idea. I also appreciate the reminder that it's not really about what I'll want to eat right after the birth, but what I might want for lunch or dinner later in the day. I told my husband that what I'll probably want is just some scrambled eggs in a tortilla with salsa and lettuce right after, but now that I think about it, I will probably be starving for a big yummy meal a few hours later.
 
#20 ·
I have been making meals to freeze the past few Saturdays... My freezer is packed; x3 chicken noodle soup, x3beef stew, x3 northern woods wild rice soup, 2 lbs. peach glazed chicken tenders ready to thaw and throw in the oven, sassy sloppy joes, 2 meatloaves, 6 big meat and veggie pasty pies, 18 pumpkin muffins, 1 pumpkin chocolate chip loaf, lots of chicken stock and am going to keep on cooking and freezing till the baby is here.


Actually I'm thinking of making this a way of life; cooking a few meals every Saturday and always having good homemade food on hand. I'm glad that this thread was started, I hadn't even thought of having food for our midwifes! I think they deserve to have food and snacks; they need to keep their energy up too!


If anyone is interested in a great cookbook, Don't Panic Dinner's in the Freezer is a cookbook I've been using for my frozen meals. It is solely dedicated to frozen meals. I bought a used copy off of Amazon for $7.00 including s/h. Worth every penny in my opinion!
 
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#23 ·
I uc so half the question is irrelevant to me. Although, I do agree that the mother shouldnt have to feed the midwives and staff. I know when I delivered my friends baby, I brought my own food and even though she offered me stuff, I declined as I didnt feel that I should burden her more.
If a person wants to do something then that is fine, but I dont think that the midwives should require it. But to each their own ;)

As for food, thankfully my church is great about bringing food before and after. My mom also brings stuff too. I am picky and typically follow a strict diet, so I always have stuff on hand for me. It is typically a soup or sometimes a cereal. Once we get moved into our house, I would like to (if I have time and energy) to make some freezer meals for my family.
 
#24 ·
:wink: thank you! I don't have anything else in order yet and have been waiting to do so (i.e. money being saved) so I figured I should be doing something. I absolutely love to cook and think I am great at it hehehe, but I dislike cooking when I am tired and worn out; so when stuff is on sale at the grocery store I stock up and make a few meals to freeze on a Saturday afternoon when I've got the energy. And of course my new cookbook was very motivating...:wink: I've never really done anything like that before. It is an extremely rewarding feeling looking into my freezer and knowing I can be lazy for a few weeks and still eat good!
 
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