Present for friend having an induction??

[plipplops]

A friend of mine is being induced on Monday and is worried about the whole thing (going into hosp, being left on her own, actually giving birth etc!) Can anyone recommend a present I can get her that might actually be useful/comforting/a distraction - both my labours were fairly quick so I didn't really hang about in hospital that long...

I'd really appreciate any thoughts...Thanks :)

How about a CD or a book she can listen to/read whilst she is in there? I was induced both times - quite boring for most of it!

Nice gesture though :)

An epidural.

Thanks, think I'll get her a book, and I wanted to send some really nice biscuits or something but she's got gest. diabetes. I don't know much about it but would she be allowed to have them?

I was thinking aromatherapy oils would be nice and a bit of a treat in hospital

When induced I wasn't allowed to eat as there is always the possibility of a C-section. Also, eating biscuits was the last thing on mind, unless they had been laced with large doses of painkillers.

induced for all 5 of mine, and you are allowed to eat, infact they encouraged it, you NEED energy to give birth!

so snacks may be welcome, also magazines as it may be a long process.

I wasn't allowed to eat in case I needed a c-section either. However I was ravenous afterwards and was glad of something to eat then!

Very surprised they encouraged you to eat, 4madboys.

I ended up needing a general, so good job I didn't.

honestly MOST hospital encourage you to eat, had my last dd 5mths ago, the eldest is now 11 and they encouraged me to eat with each of them.

trying to labour without eating is crazy! your body needs energy, they used to not let any labouring women eat, but nowadays most hospitals have changed this policy. am amazed tbh that some still have it in place.

from a quick survey of friends etc most i know want you to eat, even when being induced.

and if you look up most policies on induction it says nothing about not eating!

i would not have had the energy to labour had i not eaten, esp with ds1 who took THREE days of labour to arrive.

others all much quicker thankfully!

I was induced and took a load of stuff into hospital - cards, books, my knitting etc but didn't use any of it as my labour ended up being v quick!

How about a stack of magazines? Especially the trashy ones as they won't be too challenging to the brain but would keep her amused.

My sister visited me in hospital and brought me some nice shower gel which I really appreciated for my first post-birth shower!

right a quick google shows a few studies done on the eating in labour issue, they used to starve all women in labour as they were worried about the risk of aspiration if they needed a c section, studies done showed there was no increase in risk between those that did/didnt eat AND more to the point they also showed that women not allowed to eat often suffered from ketosis, where the body tries to burn fat for energy (infact in my last labour i had ketones in my urine and they went and got me some toast and tea to have!) AND studies also indicate that mothers not allowed to eat are more likely to have babies who have problems with blood sugar levels following birth.

so it was recomended in 1993 that women be allowed to eat in labour.

anyhow good luck to your friend and def something to help pass the time as there can be LOTS of hanging around when induced xx

and incase they tell your friend she cant eat
here

www.nhs.uk/news/2009/03March/Pages/Eatingduringlabour.aspx
nhs website from 2009 saying its ok to eat and there is another one in 2010 :)

some labouring women dont like to eat, but many do and if its a long drawn out labour then its important they do eat!

Thanks for all your thoughts! I've got some nice looking sugar free biscuits and a book which I think she'll like. She's not local so I need to post everything anyway, and knowing my luck she'll have him on her own before then anyway so won't be able to read a book for the next two years, and will be able to eat normally again!