What Foods/drinks Did You Bring for When You Were in Labor and Afterwards?

ditto to everything below - but also if you eat you may have to have an enema.

Really - you need to limit or eliminate food.

I had no time to eat, the contractions started at 4 mins apart...

I brought the kind of tea I liked, and sent my stepson out for bagels for breakfast as soon as my daughter was born. I was starving!

Nothing! My labor was so fast I didn't even get ice chips. Afterwards, though, I was sooooo hungry! The hospital food was actually good, so I mostly ate that, but my hubby brought me take out from Outback the night after :-)

The last thing I wanted when I was in labor was food. I didn't bring anything to eat.

Um...you are not supposed to eat! They want your stomach and gut empty during labor and childbirth so there's nothing for you to vomit up, and also so it is safer if you have to have an emergency C-section. Did your doctor tell you to bring a stash of food? I'd be surprised....I was given a popsicle or two but that was all I was allowed.

You will be far too preoccupied to worry about feeling hungry. Don't waste time or money on stocking up except for AFTER your child is born. By the tiime I was done, the hospital cafeteria had closed and I was starving and my husband didn't know the area at all to find take-out....

My daughter was born at home and I had prepared a big ol' package of labor food for me and my "team". Turned out I didn't want a darn thing. I drank a cup of coffee on the second morning of labor - and that was heaven. I drank water like it was going out of style and sucked on some raspberry leaf pops that were in the freezer throughout the labor. Other than that, the idea of food was about as appealing as a bag pipe serenade (read: not at all).

Now, it DID come in handy to have some ready made meals at home in the freezer, as well as friends dropping food by. Congrats in advance!!

I have never heard of anyone being allowed to eat or drink during labor because if you do you then cannot have anesthesia for an emergency.

They supplied the yummy ice chips.

Food? During labor? That's a first...

All I ate were ice chips (and they were pretty stingy with those).

Of course, AFTER giving birth, being ravenous, I ate like a horse.

Is this your first? Food was the last thing on my mind.. good thing too since the Anesthesia made me throw everything up.... Are you sure you want to eat a lot before giving birth? Also, all they would give me was juice and even that was bad... My advice, stick to crunching on Ice while in labor.. :)

I've never heard of that either because of the anesthesia. They gave me my epidural shortly after I arrived. I was in labor for 13 hours so I was famished by the time my son was born. While we were waiting for the time to push to come, my husband got me a fruit cup. I was so exhausted that was about all I could eat before passing out.

The hospital I delivered at, did allow food...IF the woman was having a medication free birth. (No anesthesia, pain medication, etc.) However, they said they only recommend food in the beginning of labor, because the stomach should be empty, if the woman decided to use medication, or needed a section. They suggested light, bland things. Crackers, bread, applesauce, etc. With that said, my doctor said she never really had any women who did choose to eat much.

If you are having a hospital delivery, did you make sure they actually allow you to eat food? I know birthing centers usually do, but most hospitals don't.

Once you are in active labor you won't be allowed to eat anything. Sorry.
I wasn't even allowed to drink anything... you'll get ice chips.

Any food would have been solely for my husband. And I have heard it is smart to pack stuff for them in case your labor goes long, so they won't have to leave you to get food (or go hungry). You don't want them 3 floors away if something unexpected happens.
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oh and yeah.. I wasn't even hungry. I was a little preoccupied with the whole labor and delivery thing. But once the baby was born, I was STARVING. And the staff will bring you pretty much anything you want if they have it available. Some places will let you bring in a bottle of champagne and keep it in a cooler/fridge for you for afterwards.
I was cold from post delivery (I think that is pretty normal) and all I wanted was a hot chocolate (in June/July in the deep south...). They made me one and brought it with a fresh right out of the dryer warmed blanket.

being in labor was one of the few times in my life when i did NOT want to eat!
khairete
S.

Serioulsy? Who is thinking about food during this time?

Ask your doctor/hospital ahead of time. They didn't let me eat anything, other than ice chips. I had to beg for jello, I was famished.
After the first one was born I learned to eat before I left for the hospital!

Actually, eating is a pretty common practice in most cultures. The only reason that American hospitals don't want you to eat is in case you have to have a C-section, but that comes from the time before localized anesthesia. I never understood the no food thing. What happens if you were driving home from having dinner and you got in an accident and needed surgery? Somehow food doesn't seem to be an issue in that situation.

I brought kids cliff bars and some twizzlers. I tried to eat something as my labor was long, but I wasn't really in the mood.

My blood sugar was dipping low so they got me Sprite to drink but nothing else. I've never heard of having anything to eat. Certainly not a granola bar.its not good for your lungs.

Early in the day (labor began just before sunrise), I had a sandwich.
And I sipped water (panting made my mouth dry).
Mostly I didn't want much.
Once in the hospital, we had popsicles and ice chips (again to keep my mouth from getting too dry).
Nothing else was permitted - and besides they had an IV in my arm - so that keeps you from feeling hungry.
After giving birth (36 hrs labor from start to finish), meals were permitted (hospital food isn't great but it was alright).
We didn't do champagne, but we had a chilled bottle of sparkling cider.

repeating a lot of the below - popsicles, water and ice were all that was allowed. the lovely (red) popsicle came up while I was being stitched up after my emer C-sect. But 44 hours of labor - not hungry at all. Good Luck!

Hospitals won't let you eat. We had to beg to be allowed juice. Only to drink it just before hitting transition and throwing it all up :(
Learned that the hard way with my first child. I was starving!!! I hadn't had lunch before my water broke and I labored through dinner too. I hadn't had a big breakfast because we were supposed to meet a bunch of people for a large lunch out.
In the birth center I had my other 2 they allow and even encourage you to eat. I sent someone to go get me Peppermint Patties! I had a few other things to nibble on as well, mostly junk food because that's what I seriously craved, I think I had some chips as well. I didn't want a full meal but having little snacks made all the difference. After my third was born we got pizza from the place around the corner.
Ask if eating is even allowed. Odds are it's not if you're going to a hospital.

I homebirthed, but I had no desire to eat anything. I didn't even want ice chips with my last. The active labor went so fast there was no need...... I did have a banana at teh beginning of active labor, but that was that....and I hadn't eaten since the night before. I also had a cup of tea!

I baked some banana bread. It was SO GREAT to have in the room after I had my baby. My midwife wouldn't let me eat during labor, which is a good thing since it was an emergency C-section!
I also brought some apples and wheat thins.

During labor, the hospital provided juice, water, ice, popsicles..

After labor, you could have their hospital food, or bring in food..
My sister brought in sandwiches that afternoon and for dinner, I remember my husband brought in some food, but do not recall the meal.

My contractions started 5 minutes apart right about dinner time. I had spaghetti with homemade tomato sauce and headed off to the hospital. I was really concerned that if I went without dinner, I would not get to eat anything until DS was born. And seriously - no way was that going to happen. Since I had just eaten dinner and don't usually eat at night, I didn't have anything more. DS was born about 4 am. I went to sleep and when I woke up we had hospital breakfast- which actually tasted really good.

The snacks you pack are for hubby/birthing partner. You likely won't have the inclination to eat. I did pack lollipops and mints, those helped a lot.
Good Luck!

I was surprised at all the responses, but then I reread your question and it does say eat/ drink while IN labor.
I did not have an appetite. I did pack snacks for others and myself afterwards. Just light snack food. Nuts because they tend to keep me full. 100 calorie packs of snack food. Granola bars. Coffee/ iced coffee would have been great-but I breast fed. I did drink some smoothie type v8 drink.
The hospital food wasnt bad but it took a little while to come once ordered and sometimes I was famished from all the activities, visitors, classes, pictures, nursing, etc. I couldn't wait to go home!
Good luck!

Labor contractions make me throw up, so anything but water came right back up. My first labor was over 23 hours and I wasn't even hungry.

I noticed they changed the rules in the 28 months since my first baby, when I could only have ice chips. My doctor let me drink a redbull this time! As for food, I had to sneak it in, and I brought milanos. ;)
Hmm, I'm also surprised at the number of posters saying they had no appetite during labor. I was starving! I had my husband be the look out while I snuck some of my cookies, and I ended up with a c section, too. Guess I'm just a bad girl. :)

My first child was born at a birthing center with a midwife and I was encouraged to bring food/eat during labor because it is labor and you need to keep your energy up. Anyway, I ate some cheese and crackers and fruit. I don't remember what else we took because I didn't eat it.

I'm another with no appetite during labor... I did have popsicles with 1 and 3 but it was b/c I was drinking so much water she wsnted me to slow down andvi was just so thirsty!

My hospital let me eat, but guess what? I was sick as a dog with my first because of the demerol, even with the anti-nausea meds they gave me. I HATE demerol and will never have it again for any reason. All it did was make me drunk and sick and did NOT help with the pain, and it took away all my sense of self-control.

After the demerol wore off and after I FINALLY got to 4 cms, they gave me an epidural, and I could eat. Jello and broth (though the broth was too salty). I was so grateful to feel like I could eat at that point.

No demerol with my second, but still, I could not eat, even though I really wanted to in my head. I just had NO appetite and don't think I could have put a thing in my mouth.

I hope you'll be luckier than me in this respect.

who thinks about food with that much pain? 32 yrs ago if you got ice chips you were lucky-but i went all natural-no drugs,etc.the pain was horrifying-but did it with both my kids..good luck-hope all goes well!!

I was allowed no food or drink during labor. Ice chips only.