What to eat before childbirth?!

[1stBabyQuestions]

Hey all this may be a really odd question so please ignore me if that's the case, but I'm going I to be induced tonight. This is our first baby so I have had endless amount of questions, I'm currently thinking about what to eat (food is constantly on my mind anyway) before I go in to be induced tonight. I have already had two sweeps so I'm desperately hoping that I won't be waiting around for hours after given the gel.
What would you suggest? I was thinking something carby, maybe a big pasta dish? Or is a full tummy the last thing you want when in labour? X

I'm marking my place because I wondered about this as well. My midwife said little and often in the early stages while in at home, because you can't eat during birth! She said stuff like scrambled eggs or something, but I can't think of anything worse than eggs before giving birth

Well, I was going to say you normally don't know you're having your 'last meal' but obviously you will!

I would say something with slow release carbs. Nothing too rich. Nothing which will repeat on you. Nothing spicy or acidic which will burn if you are one of the lucky ones who throws up loads!

A mw advised me that it was good to eat the kind of food you'd eat before a marathon, so something like pasta sounds good. Though I've never known when it was my last proper meal so haven't tested this out.

Ok thanks guys.
Yes midwife said to me a few weeks ago that I wouldn't want much food when I'm contracting so I have snacks and stuff to take with me to hospital but to be honest I've been so hungry throughout this pregnancy I can pretty much eat anything at any time haha

Agree with the above - slow release carbs. Especially with an induction when you're not sure how long things will take (not that you ever do really...).

I remember eating a egg mayo sandwich just as I was being hooked up to the drip. Thank God the labour was over 4 hours later because God help the midwife who had to clean up the after effects of that if it had made it's way through me

Not curry or spicy stuff. Slow release carbs are good. Bring quick release carby snacks with you, because you may or may not want to eat in labour. I've had one where I could not face food during labour (and had midwives and auxiliaries worrying because I hadn't ordered food), and one where I could not stop eating. Also bring food for immediately after. You may be ravenous (I was, after all my labours) and there may be nothing available in the hospital.

God yes, food for after. The tea and toast were mythical in my hospital. I even missed breakfast cos I couldn't walk to the trolley and they'd send DH home. All I had were two cereal bars, which didn't much cut it after 24 hours of not eating!

Oh yeah and the other thing is don't assume you're going to want healthy wonderfulness actually during the labour. A lot of people said 'take seeds and healthy breakfast bars' when actually, when the time came, all I really wanted was pure stodge and sugar.

The Percy Pigs were eaten, the seeds were not.

The only thing I ate for 48 hours between first contraction and giving birth was a packet of Jaffa cakes. I wouldn't recommend that as a good last meal!

Right ok thank you- just sent hubby out for more stuff haha it's quite likely no where will be open when things kick off for us as induction is at 8pm!! (Unless they let me come home) x

I remember puking Spaghetti bolognaise...A LOT...with my first! Second, last thing I had was CAKE! Hooray!

I was endlessly sick!!!
Nevermind, baby arrived happy and healthily and is contently feeding whilst I enjoy tea and cake

Congratulations!

So nothing that burns was good advice

Congratulations OP! x

Bet your glad you didn't have curry now :)

I also had hospital spag bol before being induced. I very neatly puked it up 4 hours later. Bring chocolate.

Congratulations! Fantastic news! :D

I got induced at 8am on Wednesday, I took a bag full of food in, I had egg on toast before I went and the 2 meals the hospital provided. And also the huge bag of food I took in. For some reason I was so hungry all day, I started on fruit salads, crackers then a baguette, cereal bars then chocolate through the night as I contracted. i have never eaten like it before in my life but the mw said it was the right thing to do also, remember to drink, I drank and drank due to the dry air in the ward and then once on gas and air that was drying too so keep hydrated and good luck!

Ah didn't refresh page, congrats...cake is a fantastic choice!

I ate a huge bowl of pasta when labour was starting to take off, then had a few bites of flapjack and banana during the main event, plus was drinking lovely lucozade sports drink.
I'd brought loads of haribo with me on advice of midwives but couldn't face them at the time!
Big yes to being starving afterwards. I had toast and cereal and then sent DH for huge sandwiches, I was starving and everything tasted incredible.

I had a full English and a giant piece of cake.

Vomited it all over the floor as soon as my waters went

Oops, just rtft. Congratulations!

Congratulations! I hope you are still well-supplied with cake!