Snacks in Labour haha.

[EJWx]

Probably the last thing I'll be thinking of but want to be prepared, was thinking of snacks/drinks to take to hospital when in labour.
So far I've thought of:

• sandwiches for me and the hubby
• lucozade drinks (non fizzy)
• nutrigrain bars
• nuts

Anyone else any ideas of anything they craved/wanted whilst in labour 

It depends really whether you're thinking about very early labour or more established. It's quite hard to eat once labour really kicks off so you're looking more at things that are very easy to eat and give you a quick boost. For my second labour I packed chocolate, Haribo, glucose tablets, and Nakd bites. Dried fruit and nuts are good for afterwards - dried apricots are iron rich and help if you had any constipating pain meds. Cereal bars also good. Not sure how sandwiches would work, remember the snacks may well be in your bag for weeks before they're used.

I'm always baffled by these threads
Eating was the last thing on my mind while I was in labour
Plus the early stages always made me throw up
I'm amazed that so many people seem to chow down

Oh and you won't really be craving anything in labour. The adrenaline makes it hard to eat at all, but DH was able to feed me small squares of chocolate etc. The purpose of the snacks is to maintain your blood sugar so you can keep your energy levels going. However it can also be helpful to have bits for if you end up being induced and are sitting around in hospital beforehand, etc.

Ha. We made sandwiches the first time round to take in. I had a milkshake in early labour.
Labour didn’t last long enough to necessitate sandwiches (we found them in the bottom of the bag when we got home!) and I threw up the milkshake in transition.

Interesting, I didn't eat anything when I was in labour, far too busy but I know someone who had a builder's breakfast in early labour, just before going into hospital. She recommended it for energy :-).

Was never allowed to eat anything on the very remote chance a general anaesthetic was required. They wouldn't even let me have apple juice. It was not pleasant.

Yeah I’d have punched someone if they tried to make me eat. I managed a couple of mouthfuls of lucozade and then spectacularly projectile vomited it back up, so sacked that idea off.

Snack for afterwards on the other hand are a great idea! I was starving by then.

I didn't eat anything once we left for the hospital and throughout labour.

But we packed cereal bars, chocolate bourbons and crisps (along with some fruit) which I was bloody ravenous for about an hour after DD was born! 😂

I ate a lot of jelly babies. I would grab a few between contractions.
I also had lucozade and cartons of ribena.
I had a very long labour!

Prunes and figs!
I threw up the whole nine months but was starving during labour and ate in between contractions, and was begging for toast and coffee before they'd finished stitching me up. Best coffee of my life that one.

I’ve never been allowed anything because of the possibility of anaesthesia either. I hadn’t really thought anything of it until now!

I had a very quick labour - I retched all the way to the hospital so wasn't interested in food at that point. Later on, in between each push I gulped water and had a Haribo starmix sweet.

Flapjacks and more haribo were fab for getting me through the night in hospital

If you have risk factors for needing a c section, such as BMI over 40, twin pregnancy etc, you will only be allowed clear, non fizzy fluids in early labour, and no solid food.
If you have no risk factors, your maternity unit might allow you a light diet, but you need to check with the staff when you arrive.
The idea is to avoid you aspirating vomit into your lungs if you need an emergency GA.

Well early labour I was at home so just ate normally when I could. In hospital I ate a cereal bar, which I promptly threw up after birth and then stunk of cereal bar vomit for ages. I also had a bite of hospital toast which i also threw up

The only thing I ended up eating was glucose tablets. The ionade type drinks were good too and water.

The other snacks I packed ended up as breastfeeding night feed snacks which was brilliant. Anything which doesn't make crumbs and won't melt works. Dry roast peanuts, fruit and nut mix and fruit pouches were my favourites.

I've never heard of UK hospitals imposing food/drink bans during labour.

I did have about 15 McNuggets before going to hosp

Both times I ate breakfast, went into labour then didn't eat again for 24hrs. I wasn't hungry at all, and vomited several times! I do remember being very thirsty though so I would pack plenty of drinks! DH on the other hand went through several packs of crisps and snickers bars. With dc 1 he actually asked if he had time to nip to the hospital canteen for a hot meal! Think my look said it all and he didn't leave me! Second time round labour was coming on fast but he refused to leave the house until he made himself a sandwich as it might be a "long day" for him!

Anything you like! I sent dh out for a subway! Some hospitals discourage eating as it could cause a problem if an emergency section is needed but I ignored the nurse saying don't eat (in the USA) as I had been allowed previously (in U.K.).

I had the hospital lunch and then threw it up in labour. Afterwards I was hungry and was given toast. My OH needed the snacks as the hospital doesn't feed partners. In fact the only food of my own I ate in hospital was fruit, which my OH went to one of the local supermarkets to get for me.

If you are in hospital for a few days and the food is terrible you can always get food delivered or if you are lucky get someone to bring some cooked food in for you. I use to do this for family and friends' who I knew where in for a while if they didn't have anyone else doing this for them and they complained about the food.

Snacks are great if you're in hospital a night or two as BF makes you ravenous especially for middle of the night when OH isnt there to get you something.

I wanted ice cream. DH brought choc-ices. I was happy. Nurse was annoyed because she'd brought jelly (which I did not ask for and which I hate with a passion) and she made up some bullshit about dairy being bad in labour. Other nurses said well done DH keep it up carry on.

I was sick as a dog through out labour and in the end needed a emcs so quite glad I didn't eat.

Dh on the other hand was hungover so was munching the whole time. Our hospital had a M&S which was a bonus for dh.

Good luck x

I took snacks, didnt need them during labour but after 12 hrs with no food, the 1 slice of toast they gave after giving birth, didnt even touch the sides.

• Peperami

-cheese strings

• Crisps
• Granola bar

We didn't even get the snack bag in from the car before I gave birth - I'd been throwing up for about six hours before DS was born - but I basically inhaled it afterwards. I have the fondest memory of shovelling jelly tots in by the handful while gazing at DS and wondering if he was actually the most beautiful newborn ever born (photographic evidence reveals he was actually a bit weird looking at that stage, but I'm pleased to report that he's now the world's most beautiful three month old).

A Freddo ( little chocolate bar for non U.K. readers) - the Bounty bar and Flake being snaffled by the hardworking, back rubbing father to be 🙄