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Childbirth

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

Original poster

Food suggestions for birth partner

90 replies

pinkflamingosinthepool · 31/08/2015 12:51

Having done plentiful research into what to pack in my hospital bag I feel I have everything I need and more except one thing - everyone just says "food" or "snacks" for birth partner. But that just seems so vague and we have run out of energy to think about this!

If everything goes relatively smoothly with the early labour stage he can make/nip out and buy sandwiches to bring with us, but who knows in what circumstances we might be rushing off to the hospital! Does anyone have ideas of non-perishables that we could have in the bag that won't go off between now and whenever it might be that I pop?

OP posts:
mrsnec · 31/08/2015 12:55

Cereal bars and cartons of juice and possibly haribo type sweets.

Inshock73 · 31/08/2015 13:52

Tbh, I wouldn't worry too much about snacks. I packed sweets, drinks, crisps, I looked like I was going on a picnic :) I ended up being induced because waters had broken 36 hours earlier and my labour was only 4 hours and it was a first baby! Everything went out the window :) The playlists on my iPod were quickly forgotten, the iPad stayed in the bag along with all the snacks, my carefully chosen clothes to wear in the birth pool weren't needed as my water birth also didn't happen. Take a couple of drinks, some biscuits, sweets, crisps etc but don't worry too much about it, your partner can always pop to the shop in the hospital.

LooksLikeImStuckHere · 31/08/2015 13:55

Malt loaf worked well for us, cereal bars etc.

Bluestockings35 · 31/08/2015 16:04

I was told pot noodle or similar that can be made by pouring hot water because there will be a kettle to use....

worriedmum100 · 31/08/2015 16:42

I've packed kettle chips, cereal bars, chewing gum, flapjacks, haribo, small bottles of water with sports cap and dextrose tablets! I've also packed a change of underwear and a toothbrush for DP.

mrsnec · 01/09/2015 06:02

I ended up having emcs. I was then nil by mouth for a few days afterwards and when the docs said it was ok for me to eat it was a while before the next meal so that's when my snacks came in handy so I'd be inclined to pack something anyway. Hadn't thought of malt loaf or pot noodles both good suggestions.

ButIBelieveInLove · 01/09/2015 06:18

A snickers, which is pretty much a balanced meal imo.

ToBeAChadsman · 01/09/2015 06:26

I packed a couple of those John West salad things (tuna, pasta/rice/couscous and a tiny bit of veg) - they're with the tinned fish in the supermarket so have a long shelf life.

twojumpingbeans · 01/09/2015 06:49

In the nicest possible way you've got enough on your plate packing for you and your lovely new baby, why not suggest your birth partner packs their own snacks? When I had my two the last thing on my mind was whether DH was hungry. You all sound much more thoughtful than me!

BathshebaDarkstone · 01/09/2015 06:53

I can't remember, but we didn't use any of them! Grin

BathshebaDarkstone · 01/09/2015 06:56

This is the second thread where people have mentioned clothes to wear in the birth pool - why on earth would you need them? I just stripped off! Grin

hesterton · 01/09/2015 06:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

randomsabreuse · 01/09/2015 07:17

I brought "shared" snacks - tracker type things, crisps, oatcakes and drink for both. Easier to have fewer bags. Sunday night not a good time to acquire more things! Actually only ate things after it was all done (quick 1st stage) but birth partners are even less likely to be fed than you are - hospital meal times are fixed and out with those it is a sandwich if any are left. Ended up with Macdonalds for dinner as stuck in, missed dinner and late Sunday isn't conducive to the acquisition od classier food!

DurhamDurham · 01/09/2015 07:23

I've had two babies and honestly cannot remember if my husband ate anything at all.......it didn't cross my mind then and I'm only mildy curious now Grin

SpaghettiMeatballs · 01/09/2015 07:34

DurhamDurham my DH definitely didn't eat anything either time. Babies were born two hours and 20 minutes after arriving at hospital respectively. I'd have questioned his sanity if he'd thought it appropriate to crack open his picnic at that point.

He just got a pizza on the way home after DD and his mum had made him dinner (she had DD) the second time. He wasn't happy as he wanted his celebratory pizza again.

OP I'd recommend just sticking some cereal bars in that you can both have if necessary.

Dixiechick17 · 01/09/2015 09:07

We packed big bottles of still lucozade, brilliant for me during labour and for my DH. Then we packed cereal bars, haribo and some chocolate biscuit bars. My DH also packed a handheld game thing, did a playlist and a change of clothes.

By the time I got on the birthing unit it all went out od the window as she arrived just over three hours later. My DH was gutted he didn't get to play his games lol. The lucozade was great though as we got there at 4am, and I kept being sick, stopped me having to go on a drip :)

Ragwort · 01/09/2015 09:13

Totally agree with twojumping - you are giving birth to a baby not going on a picnic. Hmm.

Maybe I'm tough but packing snacks for my DH was the last thing on my mind when I went into hospital - most hospitals have coffee shops/snack shop/vending machines don't they? And if your DH is really so helpless that he can't sort out a few snacks/change of underwear - God help you when you need a supportive co-parent .............

weeblueberry · 01/09/2015 09:18

And if your DH is really so helpless that he can't sort out a few snacks/change of underwear - God help you when you need a supportive co-parent .............

That's a bit unfair! Hmm If she happens to be making up the hospital bag what's the difference if she adds her partners snacks or not? I don't think it's exactly an indicator of how he's going to parent ffs... Maybe she's off on May leave and is just getting everything organised while she's got time??

worriedmum100 · 01/09/2015 09:22

My DP is a brilliant co-parent thanks. Hmm

Nothing wrong with thinking about your partner if you have more time than them at that particular point. I'm on mat leave he's working full-time. It took two seconds to chuck a pair of boxers, a toothbrush and some socks in the bag.

The snacks are for us both not just him!

annatha · 01/09/2015 09:26

I'd go for non smelly, blander foods because if you're being nauseous the last thing you need is dp tucking into a bag of smelly crisps or a tuna salad next to you. Flapjack, sweets, non offensive crisps, crackers etc are good. Just something to tie him over until baby is here. Get him to find out about the hospital canteen opening hours, where the vending machines are, local butty shops etc so if you are in for hours he knows where he can get more food if he needs to but I wouldn't worry too much, my dh can eat for england but he was too caught up in his daughter being born to realise he was hungry so went through the drive thru at 4am on his way home from hospital instead

Fartbaby · 01/09/2015 09:29

Are you serious OP? You're not preparing to birth in the river Ganges, are you? Or the Congo? You are birthing in a Western hospital, right? With vending machines and canteens...Hmm

Sillysausage2 · 01/09/2015 09:33

I took those Belvita breakfast bars, a multipack of dairy milk and a bag of haribo.
We were both starved afterwards so it was nice to have something with the tea. If you're bf you'll be starving at night too so the breakfast bars are great

weeblueberry · 01/09/2015 09:33

Why on earth would you choose to pay a small fortune to eat out a vending machine when you could shove some snacks in a bag? Confused

Sillysausage2 · 01/09/2015 09:35

I'd stay away from the smelly stuff too, I would have killed OH sitting there eating stinky crisps or tuna Angry

GladysTheGolem · 01/09/2015 09:36

Myprotein do cookies and sachets of protein latte/hot chocolate (& a speshul ladies protein bar in an ikkle pink wrapper, grrh) which is what we packed for both of us (pregnant me ate the lady bars obviously). About £1 each item, Holland and barret should sell similar.

FartBaby I gave birth to 3 babies during the middle of the night, no vending machines close by; shop and cafe both closed. So it was either pack snacks and food or have nothing.

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