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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Snacks for labour?

26 replies

Moulesfrites · 09/01/2011 18:52

Further to my previous thread about hospital bag, was wondering what kind of food to pack- so far I have thought of lucozade and dried apricots. Do I need something more carby and substantial? Tia

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saltnvinigarcrips · 09/01/2011 18:57

my friend said jelly babies so i've packed some of them plus some percy pigs from M&S as they are yumpsious. I've also got some nutrigrain bars and lucozade sport for energy but I read somewhere sandwiches...I guess it depends on how hungry you are, how long you are in labour and whether or not you are 'sober' enough to think about food. I have no idea as this is my first too :) Look forward to more suggestions though.

belindarose · 09/01/2011 19:06

My DH thoroughly enjoyed all the yummy snacks I'd packed for labour, especially the haribo.

BornToFolk · 09/01/2011 19:06

Don't forget to take food for afterwards too. You may well miss the main meal on the ward and be starving after labour! I took some cereal bars and was very glad of them.

milkjetmum · 09/01/2011 20:12

I recommend non-chewy snacks. I took Haribo with me but when I needed the energy most it just took too long to chew them in the short gaps between contractions!

Snacks which are quick to eat/swallow are better for when labour is really going - things like jelly babies or malteasers.

Lucozade was great for me too - and definately keep some chocolate biscuits handy for afterwards.

rubyslippers · 09/01/2011 20:14

Never ate anything during either labour

However, I really enjoyed an entire bar of green and blacks almond chocolate after the birth of DD

notnowbernard · 09/01/2011 20:14

Food was absolutely the last thing on my mind during my labours (3 of them)

Was RAVENOUS after though

notnowbernard · 09/01/2011 20:15

x-post Ruby

I even devoured the NHS hospital food after DC3 (had to stay in overnight)

KenDoddsDadsDog · 09/01/2011 20:17

I wasn't allowed to eat anything as was induced!
You will defo need snacks for afterwards - I was cramming green and blacks creamy milk into my mouth in the middle of the night as they had nothing to give me after the birth!

Porcelain · 09/01/2011 20:34

Dorset cereals cereal bars are awesome, very dense and moist with dates and stuff.

frikadela · 09/01/2011 22:24

Didnt eat anything during, just guzzled a 2 litre bottle of Dr Pepper.

Afterwards I ate 2 tubes of pringles and a massive bar of galaxy.

hastingsmum · 09/01/2011 23:34

Didn't even think about food during labour with DS1, although I remember hubby eating sweets and drinking drinks I'd packed, lol. Labour was just 3 hours in hospital though so maybe if it takes longer.

It's good to have some snacks with you though for the time after, I ended up staying for a week and really enjoyed cereal bars and similar inbetween the hospital food, but I wouldn't say it's essential as at least in my hospial they always had yoghurts and bread you could toast any time of the day.

LittlePushka · 09/01/2011 23:43

Food was the last thing on my mind!! Though I recall four hours after DS2 putting away a serious amount of "Sunday Dinner" with apple pie and custard... so serious in fact that my belly was almost as taut as it was five hours previous

ClenchedBottom · 09/01/2011 23:45

Midwives were horrifed that I thought about eating anything at all, which seemed odd!
Although I suppose it meant there was less to throw up at transition......

camflower · 10/01/2011 09:42

star bursts and san pellegrino for me (although there was projectile multicoloured vomiting at one point)

thatsabloodybigtree · 10/01/2011 12:53

Jaffa cakes......mmmm. I didn't eat anything during labour (but twas very quick!) but scoffed 4 packs of Jaffa cakes afterwards.

daisystone · 10/01/2011 14:59

I took quite a lot of stuff but Lucozade was really the only thing that I was majorly happy to have. It seems to be a common theme amongst labours!

Once I had had the epidural they didn't want me to eat but I had a sneaky couple of bites of DH's BLT and brownie from Costa Coffee.

The morning after I remember tucking into a box of Guylian pralines I had been given - God was I happy to have those!

I didn't touch the energy tablets I had taken and DH ate all the crisps.

It is definitely good to have nibbles for after as that is when you are hungry! Not during. Also, remember that hospitals have shops and cafes and your birthing partner can always pop down to get something as labour may take a long while....

Quenelle · 12/01/2011 15:09

Fig rolls. Well half of one.

planner26 · 12/01/2011 16:37

Couldn't eat a thing, and if I hadn't had energy tablets don't think I could have got through it. They were brilliant (and helped DP too after 30 hours!)

jubblicious · 12/01/2011 19:01

We took loads of food which my DH ended up eating!

My lifesaver were the frozen capri suns that we took. By the time i got round to frinking them, they were nice and cold.

The cheese and tomato sandwich that the midwives brought me after labour was the best thing i have ever eaten! lol

mum295 · 13/01/2011 17:56

I didn't eat during labour, but guzzled loads of water and Lucozade. Agee with the frozen drinks idea, my hospital room was sweltering hot and cold drinks were a lifesaver!

PITA was that midwife didn't want me drinking anything but water. So I had to sign a consent form acknowledging I was drinking Lucozade against her advice and at my own risk

Best thing I did to prep for labour was to eat a massive bowl of pasta for dinner when the contractions started, around 6pm. My next meal wasn't until midday the following day, by which time I was starving hungry (baby was born at 8am but had to have an epidural post-birth whilst they stitched me back together, and after epidural I was not allowed food).

For the rest of the time in hospital, cereal bars were fab.

JetLi · 13/01/2011 21:44

I'd think twice about the Lucozade to be honest. The regular orange stuff has a bit of a caffeine hit in it. I used a caffeine-free sports drink for cyclists which was a powder you mix with water. The Lucozade Sport might be better.

tl10 · 14/01/2011 00:38

I remember the antenatal class we had before anyone had given birth having to write down a list of natural things we could use in childbirth as pain relief. We weren't exactly entusiastic but I remember the lecturer coming round and saying 'what about chocolate'? Only just remembered that but the thought of shoving a mars bar down mid contraction has just got me giggling! I remember we all looked at her like she was from another planet at the time when she suggested it and now I've given birth I feel even more so! I couldn't have eaten during the birth and without being revolting remember my waters breaking and being sick more badly than I ever have in my life pretty much at the same time- I don't think our bodies (well mine certainly) like food when we are in labour. But bring some tasty snacks and drinks for after as you will be so hungry and thirsty espeicially. Good Luck :)xx

mum295 · 14/01/2011 09:44

Agree with Lucozade Sport - that's what I had.

SGertie · 14/01/2011 09:50

Lucozade sport
Jaffa cakes
Honey sandwiches (recommended to me by NCT lady)
Sweet and savoury snacks for afterwards

MaElsie · 14/01/2011 16:22

apricots - great choice, take lots of high fibre foods

bring loads of drinks too - fruity things / vitamin drinks / bottles of frozen water

lollipops - if you have gas & air your throat & mouth will be dry

take plenty for your dh as hospitals don't have much for them and it may be a long haul

Whatever you like to snack on - fruit, seeds & dried fruit, oaty bars - anything that'll give you energy that's good for you

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