Are you aloud to eat and drink while in Labor?

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This might seem like a random question, But i'm trying to get my hospital bag ready and when I googled/youtubed what I should put in it, Alot of people suggest things like Isotonic drinks or sweets to suck on etcetc.. Is this aloud in the UK? I always thought that you were only aloud water, But if you're aloud something alittle more flavorful, Then I'd definitely prefer that, Specially considering the fact you don't know how long you're gonna be in labor for

:D

Of course you are allowed to eat and drink when in labour. I had a full hospital lunch whilst in the early stages of labour. You will probably find as labour goes on you don’t want to eat much but you can have water or other drinks you like to sip on and sweet things to keep up your energy. I had a multi pack of Mars bars in my bag!

I think it will depend on the hospital. Where I gave birth, there was a midwife led section and also a regular delivery suite. You could bring in drinks and food to the midwife led section because if you were in there you were deemed to be lower risk of having to go and have an emergency caesarean etc. I was hoping to go in there but when I went into labour my blood pressure was high so I had to go to the regular delivery suite instead. I had loads of snacks with me but I was told I couldn't have them in case I would have to go for surgery, which I didn't have to. My husband tucked into them instead!! I think they may have allowed me to have my isotonic drink, it's a bit of a blur now!!

If you're going for antenatal classes at your hospital you could check with them or ask at your next midwife appointment.

Of course you're allowed! Whether you'll want to/have time eat is another matter. I packed my bag with nature valley granola bars and loads of mixed dry fruit and nuts and a pack of mini snickers. Oh and loads of orange lucozade.

Our hospital encourage it. I took in Lucozade and small sugary sweets for energy (skittles!) Honestly though once in established labour I didn't want anything- my midwife had to get quite stroppy before I had a sip of water (which I promptly threw up 🙄)

Yes you're allowed to eat & drink in labour. I tried to keep it light but high energy and as labour progressed I didn't fancy eating much so had dextrose tablets to keep my energy up. I had quite a long labour and ended up with an EMCS under GA so it worked well for me as I'd eaten lightly in the four or five hours before my section.

I was induced and wasn't allowed to eat at all during Labour, they said that it's in case I had to have a C section. In the end I didn't and hadn't eaten for 19 hours, blimey I was hungry! In normal labour you are allowed afaik

oh I was allowed clear fluids, tea/coffee with no milk and herbal or fruit tea though

I was induced with all of mine but was still allowed to eat.

I had the midwives trying to encourage me to eat plain crisps and drink water whilst in labour to keep my strength up. She kept encouraging me to eat and drink even after I threw it all up on her...poor woman.
I ended up having a really long labour and an emcs.

Yep. My midwife was quite forceful at getting me to eat and drink something actually- I just really wanted to be left alone at that point!

Our hospital had a drinks area that you could help yourself to.

I spent the first seven hours of my first labour at home and think I only had some toast in that time - I just was not interested in food at all and I'm normally a real greedy guts!

But some women are in labour for over 24 hours; I can't imagine it's healthy to not eat in all that time when you're going through a pretty strenuous ordeal.

I gave birth at the weekend and was encouraged to eat during labour, especially as I had missed lunch and was feeling faint. I had sandwiches, tea and biscuits in between contractions probably an hour before DS was born. I think if it's looking like a section might be needed they might tell you not to eat though.

I didn't eat anything because I just didn't feel hungry. I vomited both times. I do remember being very thirsty though, think it was the gas and air.

Yes! I was in labour for 76 hours so would've been pretty weak! Though can't remember what I ate. Probably crisps

I took in small cartons of juice that came with a straw, so handy as I spent a lot of my labour on my hands and knees or leaning over the edge of the bed. Having straws meant my DH could hold the carton for me whichever position I was in

I was in labour for 48 hours so I'd have struggled without food and water!
However I was only in hospital for the last 7 hours of it and didnt eat any of the food I packed. I was a bit preoccupied! I remember banning DH from eating the Jaffa cakes out of the hospital bag too as the noise was irritating me

Depends when you get admitted. I was taken in to the labour ward when my contractions were so unbareable I could hardly speak. I didn't want to eat a thing, I just wanted to push DD out there and then.

I ate earlier in the day though, not much. I was paranoid about pooing in the pool. I had a waterbirth. Still shit myself.

Eat the healthy stuff if you do and pack some snacks and a drink for afterwards. You'll be completely exhausted.

Good luck with it all.

I wasn't allowed to eat while being induced incase I needed a c section which I ended up getting. I was frigging starving! Had nothing for 24 hours! And didn't even get tea and toast afterwards!!

Yes, you might throw everything up like me. I puked for about 20 hours in my first lab our. They kept forcing me to have little sip of oj or some jelly for energy but I just vommed everywhere

I've always been allowed/ positively encouaged to eat & drink during labour.

Pack something anyway. Even if you don't feel like eating during, you'll be starving afterwards.

Normally you will be allowed, but if you are high risk for whatever reason, they may restrict you to water/clear fluids only, in case you have to go to theatre in a hurry (it's more dangerous to give you an anaesthetic if there's food in your stomach). Many places will also say you can only have water if you have an epidural.

I took Lucozade Sport - I find the original fizzy one disgusting - and alternated that with water throughout labour. I couldn't eat; just vomited anything I tried. Was starving afterwards though, DH got dispatched to the League of Friends for a bacon & cheese toastie!

Its changed over the years and can vary hospital to hospital but I found things like lucozade sport better than trying to eat. I remember being in labour with my first and after 19 hours of contracting every minute (was still only 4cm, back to back induced baby!) I was STARVING and wolfed down a chicken sandwich, yoghurt and some raisins and threw it back up spectacularly. The midwife had warned me I probably would and was delighted I managed to get a wee bit on her shoes just as she said she'd told me so. However in all of my very long labours my partner got hungry so it was good have snacks packed for them and I could snaffle some if I felt like it and as others have said you will be so hungry after even the placenta will look appetizing so make be prepared to munch on rich teas and send your birth partner to the nearest cafe to get you some proper grub!

Best of luck with your labour and birth

I wasn't allowed once I'd had the epidural. And I was in labour for bloody days. I kept being sick, which I think is why they didn't like it, but I'd been like that all pregnancy so I didn't really get the fuss. Only thing I wish I'd asked/challenged.