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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Did you eat and drink in labour?

36 replies

Snaf · 11/03/2007 11:54

I'm writing a literature review on eating and drinking in labour and thought it would be interesting to find out about MNers' experiences.

This is completely informal, btw, and will not be used for my essay in any way, I promise! It's just for my own interest as there doesn't seem to be much qualitative research around the subject

So...did you eat and drink freely in labour?
Did you want to? Where you told you couldn't? If you were told you couldn't, what were the reasons given? Do you think it made a difference if you had e.g. a homebirth?

Any thoughts, very much appreciated!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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TheBlonde · 11/03/2007 11:58

No I didn't eat (was throwing up a lot!)
Drank water but not enough so ended up a bit dehydrated

DaisyMOO · 11/03/2007 11:59

Being able to eat and drink in labour was one of the main reasons I had a homebirth, as I had been told I wouldn't be 'allowed' to in hospital. I couldn't imagine how I could do something as physically demanding as giving birth without being able to eat or drink if I needed to, but as it turned out I didn't really want much once I was in established labour. I had high blood pressure and my doula had read somewhere that cucumber could lower it, so I stuffed in quite a bit of that, but other than that I didn't have anything until just before the second stage when I gulped 2 cups of raspberry leaf tea with maple syrup and pushed ds out 2 contractions later! I think I just needed that fuel to give me the final bit of strength needed.

raspberryberet · 11/03/2007 11:59

When I had ds I was told I couldn't eat, and could only have small sips of water. Dh was brought meals and endless cups of tea, while I could only watch him eat.

And then, 28 hours and one emergency section later, I was given a bollocking because my pee was the colour of espresso and I was severely dehydrated.

They told me I wasn't allowed to eat or drink again when I was in labour with dd, and this time I told them where to go and did as I pleased. Still ended up with a section, but at least this time I didn't end up on a rehydrating drip for two days ...

mykidsareincharge · 11/03/2007 11:59

no - violently sick 1st time. Not enough time 2nd time. Food last thing on my mind . Toast after was great though!

BizzyDint · 11/03/2007 12:00

i drank water yes. didn't eat, but only because i had no interest in eating. i laboured in water and had gas and air.

motherinferior · 11/03/2007 12:00

Hmmmm. Yes, actually, I did. Both times.

First time round I had quite wacky midwives, a community team (Oakwood, King's) who supported you in labouring at home as long as possible. That labour built up over around, ooh, 30 hours before I went to hospital, during which time I did eat and drink IRCC (frankly, I can't imagine not eating for that length of time). Cannot remember any food being offered during the next, oooh, 16 hours before the eventual ventouse, though.

Second time round it was a home birth. I distinctly remember eating cold chicken in the early stages. But left the red peppers in the oven where they'd been cooking for my tea until DP opened the oven to warm the babygro

lulumama · 11/03/2007 12:03

With DS, i was induced, had breakfast at home, then to hospital and ate and drank nothing....DS delivered by em. c.s around 13 hours after i had last eaten...the morphine made me vomit any way !

with DD i woke up in labour, had tea and toast and plenty of fluids, then had a doze around 5 hours later, woke up in much stronger labour, tried to eat a sandwich and some apple juice, but just made me throw up!

did not eat until after DD was born in the early hours of the following morning..was desperate for water and ice, but the hospital had no ice , had sips of water, but nothing else

did not feel hunger

stressteddy · 11/03/2007 12:04

No food- had just eaten a large chinese takeaway when contractions started
Just drank water throughout

lunavix · 11/03/2007 12:06

Labour one - with ds. 31 hours long, involving pethidine, epidural, ventouse. All I wanted was water with ice but ice machine was broken. Was in a foul mood.

Labour two - with dd. Technically 9 hours long (20min on notes!) I ate and drank tons - in the hour before having her (was about 5cm dilated) I was standing in the cafe contracting, having a sausage roll, can of coke! I then walked to the shop and bought some haribo, a cherry bakewell muffin and other stuff which I polished off that night whilst figuring out the whole breastfeeding malarkey.

Biglips · 11/03/2007 12:06

You know what i cant remember!!!! - had my dd on oct 2004 but what i DO remember that i was puking for England during the induction..

Original poster

Snaf · 11/03/2007 12:12

stressteddy. I always maintain that it was h's spag bol that brought labour on!

I should add mine, I guess. I don't recall eating a thing from the start of contractions on the Tuesday night until after ds's birth on the Thursday morning. I do remember being bloody starving at one point, but by that time I was on synto, epidural and IV fluids, so could only crunch delicious, energy-giving ice chips I will refrain from drawing un-evidenced connections here...

That tea and toast afterwards was manna from heaven, I swear.

OP posts:

stressteddy · 11/03/2007 12:16

Snaf - glad it wasn't just me!

serenity · 11/03/2007 12:23

Attempted to eat a bowl of cereal at home when I was in labour with DS1 much to DH and Mums amusement. I know I didn't eat when I made it to hospital, because by the time I made it onto the ward afterwards I was starving, but as it was around 1am there was nothing to eat I took supplies with me for DS2 and DD, but they were too quick for food to be an issue (so I stuffed the M&Ms afterwards ) IIRC I didn't stop drinking, and I don't recall anyone telling me not to drink either.

MadamePlatypus · 11/03/2007 12:28

Possibly - with both DCs had about 2-3 days of braxton hicks type contractions that were very irregular and very far (hours) apart. However, once proper labour started it was all very intense and quick and was throwing up stomach contents within about half an hour of it all kicking off, and then was in to pushing stage very quickly.

I think it probably depends on the nature of contractions. I have never really experienced contractions where I would have been able to eat. Its been very all or nothing.

juuule · 11/03/2007 13:46

I've eaten if I've felt hungry but don't usually feel hungry - too excited. However, apart from my first labour when I hadn't got a clue about anything, I always have a bottle or two of Lucozade to drink.

melpomene · 11/03/2007 13:55

First labour: exactly the same experience as stressteddy, i.e. went into labour after having a large chinese takeaway, so didn't feel like eating anything and just drank water. Spooky! (Maybe it was the pineapple fritters that did it.)

Second labour: Had a couple of slices of toast for breakfast.

The snacks I had packed in my hospital bag did come in very handy though, because I ended up having emergency CSs both times so was in hospital for 3 days.

jofeb04 · 11/03/2007 14:05

Hiya
I wasn't "allowed" to eat or drink anything due to fear of needing section etc, but as soon as dc were born, I was offered tea and toast which I tried to eat and drink but couldn't anyway!!

Original poster

Snaf · 11/03/2007 20:11

Bumping for the evening crowd. Thanks all for your thoughts so far, 'tis interesting...

(Can I ask if you actually ended up with a section, jofeb04?)

OP posts:

MaeWest · 11/03/2007 20:19

I had homebirth (which prob made a difference). Drank loads of water as was labouring in July heatwave last yr, also apple juice. Had a few mouthfuls of pasta early on but too nervous to eat much. Also had a few cereal bars as labour progressed, which reappeared in spectacular form just before I went into second stage

As I recall, MWs and DH were actively encouraging me to eat something to give me energy for pushing but I felt so sick I couldn't face it, ended up munching 2 polos to sustain 1hr 20mins of pushing . The large pizza i polished off shortly after delivery tasted great.

funnypeculiar · 11/03/2007 20:25

Drank some water with ds (my first), had no desire at all to eat; with dd, hardly had time to get my knickers off, let alone sort out a buffet

Clayhead · 11/03/2007 20:27

Yes! Cereal bars and cranberry juice. Wasn't even in labour for that long either but was thirsty!

JustSometimes · 11/03/2007 20:32

Didn't fancy food at all. Had a few sips of water, but was very sick.

treacletart · 11/03/2007 20:32

Didn't really have any time to! DS was a very very fast unplanned home birth (less than 4 hours from very first twinge) - don't even remember drinking any water. Was originally planning on taking cereal bars, dried apricots, sandwiches, chocolate and ginger beer into hospital!

jenny260906 · 11/03/2007 20:36

i had a home birth 5 months ago (my first baby). I ate several pieces of toast, a few mini chocolate bars, a banana and drank lots of water and a couple of decaf teas!

Having said that i did see it all again after about 10mins of gas and air!... nice!

Doubt i would have eaten as much if i was in hospital as wouldn't have been as relaxd and able to ask for food!

WestCountryLass · 11/03/2007 20:43

Did not eat with DS as he was prem and had nothing packed and no one offered me anything even though I went in at 8pm and did not have him til 4pm the next day DH did get me water.

DDs homebirth was quite fast, though I did drink Lucozade and have some dextrose sweets as was tired and contractions slowed down.

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