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Childbirth

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

What snacks to pack in my hospital bag?

28 replies

TooTiredtoGoogle · 26/07/2011 19:55

Last time, I just felt sick and didn't want anything during labour ... could barely manage water.
This time, I hope not to feel the same level of sickness, so want to pack some snacks, but can't think what.

so, what snacks did you enjoy during labour?
Oh, and what snacks did your OH enjoy?

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thelittlefriend · 26/07/2011 20:14

I packed cereal bars - ate a couple on the ward the day after she was born and the rest when I got home!

TooTiredtoGoogle · 27/07/2011 20:19

Thanks. Problem is, I hate cereal bars.
Am now thinking cans of coke as I can sometimes have cravings for that

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debka · 27/07/2011 20:32

Glucose tablets or Kendal Mint Cake to keep your sugar levels up.

Large bar of chocolate for when it's all over.

Didn't give a toss about DH first time Grin, second time it was only an hour so we didn't get the chance!

CointreauVersial · 27/07/2011 20:33

Ha! Pack whatever you want to see coming back up again during transition!

meloncholy · 27/07/2011 20:37

Sweets - I had haribo and some of those chalky lollipops (as well as some crisps, nuts, nutrigrain bars and fizzy drinks - which DP also ended up eating)

MmePamplemousse · 27/07/2011 22:38

Dried apricots (energy and roughage!) and cartons of fruit juice, for during labour. But be warned that second babies can come too quickly to allow any snacking!

I'd also recommend taking something you can imagine having for breakfast as the NHS stale bread roll with too little butter may not be what you crave. Chocolate (always chocolate while breastfeeding). My husband had crisps. Lots of crisps. There again, he loves crisps.

TooTiredtoGoogle · 28/07/2011 07:39

Ooooo, good idea about something for breakfast - I did find I couldn't stomach the NHS's idea of breakfast last time.

Why chocolate for breastfeeding?

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BertieBasset · 28/07/2011 11:42

Biscuits!

QTPie · 28/07/2011 13:18

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

supergreenuk · 28/07/2011 13:22

What about belvita breakfast biscuits?

TinyDiamond · 28/07/2011 13:40

I have packed chocolate cereal bars, a packet of those horribly synthetic tuc sandwich crackers (mmmmm), cartons of um bongo and cranberry juice and 2 double deckers. Seemed like a good idea at the time when I was out shopping!

CointreauVersial · 28/07/2011 22:50

OMG, the NHS breakfast was the best! A huge vat of porridge; I was in heaven.

smelli · 28/07/2011 23:08

I couldn't eat during labour but my mum brought me cherries for afterwards. They were the most delicious thing I have ever tasted.

MmePamplemousse · 29/07/2011 18:24

Don't know why chocolate. When I am not breastfeeding I can take it or leave it. Whenever I am breastfeeding (was, was, was) I keep reaching for the choc chip cookies, the chocolate buttons ? extra chocolate on my (decaff) cappuchino ? I think it must be the iron and the calcium :)))

nothingsoextraordinary · 29/07/2011 23:09

I'm bringing a coolbag with a carton of milk, bite-sized frosted wheats (they've seen me through the pregnancy, might as well be there at the finish), two bowls and spoons (not getting caught out that easily), crackers and slices of cheese. Also considering yoghurts.

And I'll probably have a C section, so it's not as if it'll be 3am or anything.

MamaMia100 · 01/08/2011 13:34

Those energy gels you can get for running (available from sports shops and also ocado) are great for labour as you're unlikely to feel like eating but likely to need energy Smile

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 01/08/2011 13:37

check hospital policy. Mine was nothing but water during labour, I assume in case an EMCS was required. Lovely senior midwife let me have my sports drink though, after the other MWs said I couldn't Grin

iklboo · 01/08/2011 13:42

Tuc cheese biscuits
Flapjacks

My folks brought me an egg custard when they visited the next day Grin

nocake · 01/08/2011 13:46

Sports drink kept my DW going when she was in labour. She wasn't allowed to eat, because of the high risk of an EMCS, so without sports drink she would have been in trouble. She used Science in Sport Go which comes in sachets as a powder that you can mix up in a bottle. The flavours aren't as strong as something like Lucozade sport.

bagelmonkey · 01/08/2011 13:48

I took bagels :)
Also took elevenses bars, chocolate,dried apricots, yogurty raisins and biscuits. All of which got snaffled by DH
Had a bottle of squash that I would totally recommend.

Luckily my mum brought me in a pizza because the hospital food was horrible and I had to stay for 5 days.

Truckdriver · 01/08/2011 20:17

JellyBabies :)

I ate breakfast, had something to drink then promptly threw it all up. At the point I needed to push the MWs said that I needed something to give me energy - JellyBabies was the only thing I could stomach. Funnily enough I had got them after reading it on MN :)

Chynah · 01/08/2011 22:45

Surely it would be best just to pack the snacks you would enjoy normally - your taste is unlikely to change.

TooTiredtoGoogle · 02/08/2011 07:45

Not really, Chynah. I don;t normally snack and when I do it tends to be stuff like watermelon (very messy) or cake (too crumbly) , hence was looking for inspiration.
Like the idea of dried fruits and nuts ... will make a trip to Holland and Barrett today. Thanks everyone for all the ideas Smile

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BoftheP · 03/08/2011 14:50

Lucozade. I couldn?t keep anything down for a couple for days before the birth and hard no energy, managed a few sip of lucozade every now and then which helped me through it.

Somebody said breakfast, I agree. I could have murdered a fry up afterwards but was offered NOTHING straight after the birth ( thankfully DH left his stale sandwich and some bananas for me) Seriously though, NHS food is appalling, midwifes are busy, who knows what time you?ll give birth, might be hours till visiting time. Pack all your favourite food, you?ll need the energy!

Steeplearningcurve · 04/08/2011 22:33

Didn't have time for snacks during labour (very quick!) but definitely recommend taking something for when you get to the ward. The midwives were great generally, but between being in a side room and having noone with me I managed to get missed out for breakfast and lunch and I was too much of a hormonal wreck to ask Blush

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