My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

Childbirth

Labour snacks

23 replies

grey12 · 05/09/2020 06:13

What are/did you pack? I'm looking for ideas. Reeeeally need to get on and sort out my hospital bag!

I've heard with coronavirus that the coffee shops are closed in the hospital. Is that true? Should I pack something for DH?

OP posts:
Report
DryHeave · 05/09/2020 06:17

I ate 5 mini Soreen bars. They were the best for me! Flapjack was also good. Everything else I didn’t really bother with. Energy was the name of the game. Oh and Lucozade sport (non fizzy).

Our hospital canteens are back open. Husband went and got a bacon butty at the beginning of labour and that lasted him till he popped home after it was all over to grab colostrum (baby ended up going into NICU so was really helpful to have that!!) and some more food for himself.

Report
Bellesavage · 05/09/2020 06:22

I had malteasers and wine gums to give a sugar boost. I wasn't allowed them though as was induced and they have to get you ready for a c section. So after 24 hours of agony and exhaustion I began sneaking them whenever the midwife left the room Wink

Report
glasshalfsomething · 05/09/2020 06:25

Depending on why you are admitted; I’d pack much more than you think. I went in to be induced and ended up with and ECS two days later. Had absolutely ran out of snacks despite the husband topping me up. Easier to bring home than be starving in the middle of the night.

I found things with lots of flavour useful (dry mouth et). So strawberry nutri-grain bars, satsumas and some pastilles.

Also, graze boxes and soreen as above. Lucozade plus one of those handbag size concentrate squash things to add to water.

Next time I’m taking some homemade protein balls (lots of peanut butter and oats).

Can you tell I missed most of the meal times?

Report
20viona · 05/09/2020 08:40

Cereal bars and sweets 😂 I didn't eat anything in labour and the hospital food was horrendous but I knew that because I worked there. All shops are open in our hospital and have been the whole time so you should be able to get a coffee and cake that's edible! Congrats!

Report
lockdownpregnancy · 05/09/2020 16:50

Cereal bars, crisps, sweets, lucozade and bottles water. Sandwiches will be made but obviously not until I actually go into labour (for obvious reasons!)
Happy packing!

Report
Temple29 · 06/09/2020 17:25

I found protein bars helpful. I was induced 2 days ago and I was starving when they started me on the drip so had a quick one when the midwife left the room.

For after throw in some cereal bars and something sugary like chocolate.

Report
Chocolate4me · 06/09/2020 17:29

I never ate during labour and didn't get hungry, but I'll be taking a box or 2 of ritz crackers, a cool bag with a few slices of cheese and fridge raider chicken bites. Then lots of bottled water, crisps, chocolate, salted popcorn... If I need to stay in for more than 24 hrs then I'll ask my partner to make me some sandwiches and bring refills of the above...

Report
Bramblecrumble · 10/09/2020 15:48

@Bellesavage wish I'd done that. I was too good.

Report
Bramblecrumble · 10/09/2020 15:49

So as I was bill by mouth I had snacks after labour, pepperami great high iron snack.

Report
PolarBearStrength · 10/09/2020 15:51

Trail mix with caramac buttons and crunchy m&ms mixed in. It was LUSH.

I’ve never understood the cereal bar thing. Cereal bars are shit at the best of times.

Report
HarrietM87 · 10/09/2020 15:51

Highly recommend dried apricots as a post labour snack - will really help with that post birth poo!

Report
Margo34 · 10/09/2020 15:53

I've packed cereal bars, fruit n nut mix, lucuzade Sport (the flat not fizzy one), and some fruit in jelly pots. DH decided he wouldn't be happy with this and has also snuck in jerky, sweets and crisps.

Report
PaintYourSpiritGold · 10/09/2020 15:59

I took cans of coke, haribo, double deckers, bourbons and hula hoops - didn't eat half of it but a can of coke and packet of hula hoops was a god send after a c-section

Report
movingonup20 · 10/09/2020 16:04

What do you like? I didn't eat much during but was really hungry afterwards and everything was shut. Take you dp's preferred snacks and drinks too. I like the hike bars from Aldi and their little pots of nuts etc. If time allows on the day, I suggest that your dp eats a proper meal before you set off or grabs something early on as it can be a long time and you won't want him wandering off in the later stages

Report
barkingmadmother · 10/09/2020 16:08

You want something that's extremely high energy possibly for early labour when you're worn out. Sports supplement tablets that you can suck on. I think I may have had a cereal bar too. After labour you will be starving so make sure you've got someone bringing you something nice!

Report
Wheresmycider · 10/09/2020 16:09

Packed plenty, ate nothing, not even the hospital lunch that was provided. The thought of food turned my stomach.
Lucozade sport (non fizzy) was my saviour, sipped little and often.

In other words, whatever you take make sure it will keep as I then ate all my snacks the next day and then some!

Report
BaronessBomburst · 10/09/2020 16:12

I ate figs, dates, and liquorice for the same reasons as the dried apricot poster. I had no issues. Grin

Report
Twizbe · 10/09/2020 16:15

My labours were too quick to eat any of the snacks I took with.

After though I ate all the digestive biscuits I took. Still lucozade is also good for before and after.

Report
grey12 · 11/09/2020 08:03

Thanks everyone! Really good ideas!

I haven't gone to the supermarket since February and it's difficult to think of snacks without actually looking at them in the shelf.

I gave birth in a different country, private hospital, and they gave me watermelon juice during labour. It was FANTASTIC!! But it's not a viable thing to pack...

OP posts:
Report
Dontforgetyourbrolly · 11/09/2020 08:06

Food was the last thing on my mind ...but ex dp had a KFC Hmm

Report
Babyshine2020 · 11/09/2020 08:06

I didn't take anything but my midwife made me have toast (and made DH some) and then I was ready to push but save told me to wait an hour and have lunch (brought me and DH lunch).

Snacking never crossed my mind and I never thought about lunch

Report
grey12 · 13/09/2020 14:30

@Babyshine2020 it depends. After my first I just slept! Out of a lovely meal (starter, salad, main, side, dessert. Yes....) I ate jelly sometimes. Me and baby slept for 3 days. It was a difficult very medicated birth (maybe that's why?!)
After the second I was starving!!!! DH had to get me cookies and milk after that dinner Grin

OP posts:
Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

Carouselfish · 15/09/2020 06:06

Jamaican ginger loaf cake! Plus plastic knife!

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.