If you had or having a HB are you planning to feed the MWs?

[unpaidworker]

I am now in the final stages of pregnancy and planning a HB. When I last saw the MW they hinted heavily about coming out without breakfast or arriving at teatime ie they need feeding. In theory I don't have a problem with this and they are welcome to help themselves. I am worried that I won't know when I am going to go into labour and so can't plan to have say pizzas in (have small fridge and freezer). Plus they don't mean that they want me or DH to sort out food for them do they? I have hired a doula who I think will sort them out but obviously it is not no 1 priority!

tbh I never even thought about it - but then I planned and had a very quick birth

I was having a homebirth (didnt make it, had a emergency c section) however i made a massive box of food. it had all stuff for me, like lollies, cereal, cereal bars. but also stuff for DH and midwife, it had crisps, chocolate, lucosade, crackers. I had an independant midwife and she had asked for tea and biscuits but when it came to it, they were all using my box. When i transferred to hospital the food box came too and i have loving memories or sitting with epidural in as DH and Midwife sat rummaging in box for haribo and crisps!! They bloody needed it to cos i was in labour for 32 hours.

Tea and toast

I made a batch of muffins for mine. Stuck them in the freezer, & my mum defrosted them in the oven & made coffee while I was wailing away upstairs. Apparently, they were hugely appreciated - and one of the midwives copied out the recipe afterwards!(Nigella's Snickers & Peanut butter, since you ask. Nom Nom).

I will try to have food around, after all I get really nowty and don't work well if I'm hungry, and the last thing I want is the MWs to be the same...

I've been wondering about this too, I think I've decided to get some snacks in like cereal bars, crisps, nuts etc cos what I don't want to happen is either my husband or my birth partner having to go out to sainsburys right when I need them! They will also need things to eat and drink too.

We're very hospitable in our home and I would be appalled that somebody come here for several hours and there was nothing to offer them!! (I sound like Bree Van der Kamp don't I...)

I had a homebirth visit at the weekend and asked the midwifes what would be appreciated. She said chocolate biscuits were a favorite but didn't mention anything more substantial! I will be making sure basic food around for dh and i so assume they will share that too. Wasn't planning on providing three courses though! Unpaid I would be a bit surprised if they expect full sustinance as they must carry food with them as it is their job to spend hours in different homes!

My MWs brought a packed lunch - and we fed them biscuits and toast. They didn't want anything else. Make sure you have plenty of tea and coffee in a my midwife was around from 9 am until 6pm - labour on and off for 6 hours and then a very quick 'proper labour'. they didn't want to leave me as they (rightly) pointed out - once I started labour in earnest it was likely to be quick (as she was my second).

It's just like having unplanned friends dropping by.

Good luck with your HB - mine was a truely wonderful experience.

Lots of chocolate biscuits. We gave them enough to take back to their colleagues on the ward, too.

I'd get some nice yoghurts and things in, sandwich stuff, maybe cheese and things that don't go out of date too quickly, you could always also have some baked potatoes in as they could just bung them in the microwave themselves if the labours long. Or freeze a pack of bacon and muffins and they can stick them under the grill or microwave. But maybe that's a bit far? I don't know.

Maybe have some apples and bananas and bits in as some people like to eat healthily, but biscuits, cereal bars, crisps, haribo etc must be nice as I guess it's long for them, too.

Tea, coffee, water and juice would be good.

Soup, bread, jam, butter- soup and toast are easy and quick to make. They might want mints, too.

I want a homebirth next time so I think this is a great thread!

These are just ideas and I've probably gone a little bit far, but you get the jist.

I just had a nice box of biscuits and enough tea/coffee and milk for them, MW's didn't ask for anything else, dh showed them kitchen said they were welcome to help themselves but they had packed lunch, think mumofbaby's idea of bread for toast and some cans of soup would be fine if you want to have something more

Am also thinking of a homebirth (hopefully) this time and hadn't considered the problem of feeding people! I'd probably make sure my fridge and cupboards were fairly well filled pre-labour anyway (don't want to be going shopping with a newborn). I'd suggest a couple of cartons of fresh soup, some rolls, cheese/ham/bacon to go in them, some fresh fruit and yogurt and plenty of tea/coffee/milk/juice. Can't go far wrong with that I reckon. And that covers breakfast/lunch or dinner so whatever time of day you're in labour there should be something they can eat. Also soup might be good for you in early labour as not too heavy. (although I must say when I'm in labour the last thing I want to do is eat anything). Best of luck.

Oh yes and a big box of choc biccies never goes amiss does it!

I filled a cupboard with midwife treats and as far as I know DH and the doula completely forgot to offer them anything. Oh well, they kept me going in the early bf days of non-stop hunger!