Isotonic drinks for labour

[Oeisha]

So, just been on my tour of local hospital and MW said to have:
"Low calorie isotonic drinks" to hand, but not Lucosade type drinks as they can make your mouth dry.
Firsly, I though carlories were helpful during labour.
And second...anyone got any ideas what brands she's talking about (she wouldn't say!)...as I'm the least sporty person on the planet, tend not to drink or eat anything described as a "low calorie" version of anything and thirdly have been previously told to avoid these drinks as they often have caffeine in them and I'm a caffeine-free migraineur...any ideas?

I was told only to drink water in active labour...

No idea, sorry!

No idea. Sonds odd to me, I had lucozade tablets and cartons of pineapple juice in my last labour, was fine. Whatever you do take, make sure it has a straw or a sports cap

Well, that's what I was thinking. Surely water, and small amounts of food at a time were best...
She did give me an idea to pack a cool bag though...and stuff it full of those tubey yogs and similar...

DH was v insistent that I had Lucozade when in labour with DD1. To replace lost isotopes or summat. I spat the toxic brew out and stuck to water. He drank them all himself! In fact all I had all day was water, couldn't face anything else.

I took a few cartons of orange juice with me to hospital but what I could really have done with was some decent food.

I was induced so we managed to sneak out and buy chips between gel insertions but those ans cadbury eclairs were all I had whilst I was there. The hospital food was awful.

Isotonic drinks are basically water but with a small amount of sugar and salt to replace that you lose in sweat. Kind of like rehydration salts after the squits! In times of severe dehydration they are more effective at getting your body rebalanced. But unless you are severely dehydrated (as in been in labour and panting and sweating for days without drinking!) I'm sure drinking plain water regularly will be fine.

You could have some as a back up (I personally think they taste like squash made far too weak, an they are a quid or so each) but I'd stick to water - unless you like those isotonic drinks!

Just make sure you empty your bladder frequently during labour, and that your wee is nice and clear and pale coloured.

Oh and I think the 'no calorie drinks' idea is to encourage you to eat food, rather than drink sugar.

But it's your labour, I say take a picnic and eat or drink as much or as little as you want to, as and when you feel like it. You can't really plan your appetite!

I would say eat/nibble little and often if you can. Because having a massively full tummy can be just as bad as an empty one, especially if things suddenly progress quickly. It can make you feel (or be!) quite sick!

I had an epidural as I was induced with the drip and was told that I wasn't allowed to eat anything (which turned out to be good advice as ended up as EMCS) but could drink lucozade to keep my blood sugars up. I'd never even drank lucozade before but actually found it made a big difference very quickly and stopped me feeling shaky during a 12 labour with no food. Maybe take a selection of stuff as you never know what will happen/what you will be allowed or want to have.

Asda do still isotonic drinks - near the lucozade and energy drinks section, some with sugar and some low calorie. Sports top and were 40p a bottle the other day. Taste ok too

I took a supply of water and gatorade - its still, so no burpy gassy goings on!

When my SiL was in hospital after giving birth my brother asked me to bring a supply of Purdey's, which I believe is isotonic - it had to be the caffeine free version, there's one in a gold bottle and one in a silver one.

Never tried it myself so no idea what it tastes like - I dislike most energy style drinks APART from Lucozade which is my favourite hangover cure...and I'm not having many of those these days...

I had Lucozade Sport - not the fizzy sort. It's isotonic and has a sports cap so v easy to drink during labour. I hate the taste of it generally but found it great in labour.

I don't know why you'd need low calorie drinks - I was really glad of the calories in the drink as I didn't want to eat anything at all while in labour so the Lucozade kept me going.