Hospital Snacks

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I am currently 36 weeks pregnant and have a hospital bag packed for myself and baby but I'm struggling with what snacks to pack. All hospital bag lists seem to mention snacks but never any specific ideas. What sort of snacks / drinks have you all packed?

Most hospitals reccomend isotonic sports drinks for keeping hydrated and many will let you have these even if you are on clear fluids only due to being higher risk. You might also want some nice cartons of juice as the high sugar content is great for upping energy levels when you don’t feel like eating. Snacks wise, sweets, flapjacks, biscuits etc. are good for during labour. If you’re being induced, you’ll probably want some more substantial snacks as it can take a long time and hospital food isn’t great. For afterwards, I would just send DP out for whatever you fancy at the time. NHS toast will tide you over initially!

My midwife recommended minstrels as they don't melt! I didn't eat anything during labour (too fast and all food still in the car!) but I did enjoy the minstrels when dp got them out the car a few hours later!

I didn't have anything. Don't see how a person would even think about eating at such a time tbh

Sugary drinks. They won't let you eat in second stage but I needed some energy.

If you give birth late at night you might not get fed until breakfast so having a snack is useful.

Anything you enjoy is useful - cereal bars, nuts, chocolate. Anything you don't need to refrigerate.

I didn't take anything in for my previous two.

In active labour the last thing you want is food.

When it was obvious I was going to be in over a week after having first baby hubby did bring in some biscuits / squash etc.

During labour I had water and after one delivery suite NHS special Jam on Toast - Even though I'd missed out on two main meals you really don't realise it

Don't see how a person would even think about eating at such a time tbh
Maybe because they are hungry happymummy. Tbh giving birth takes a lot of energy in my experience! I would definitely take food. When I was done at about 5am I was starving, had nothing and DH had to leave. The toast didn't even touch the sides! Maybe take some cereal bars or flapjack... dried fruit maybe? Whatever you fancy really.

Thanks everyone. I've got a shopping list, now to waddle off and get it tomorrow

When in labour with my first I could barely eat anything and they were trying to get me to eat biscuits as I hadn't had anything and I needed energy, I completely lost my appetite with the pain. But something that's easy go eat and will give you energy such as sweets are good.

I was starving afterwards - I needed high calorie stuff like chocolate brownies.

Avoid just chocolate though - liable to melt in the sweltering wards

Dried apple and mango in vast quantities here.

Sweets. Fizzy cola bottles, Collin the Caterpillars, Percy Pigs.

Chocolate, nuts, cheesey oatcakes, crackers, flapjack/nut bars, biscuits, crisps, your favourite sweets/treats, fruit, vegetable sticks, beef jerky, pasteurised salami (like pepperami)... and definitely yes to isotonic drinks. Basically anything you like eating/enjoy that will travel OK (could use a little cold bag if you really want to take anything perishable). I was starving after my birth, although I didn't eat anything during the actual process (was quite quick).

Natures Valley cereal bars and copious marshmallows, plus lucozade. (I had a very strong sugar preference during pregnancy!!)

Trek protein flapjacks - so good! I had a PPH and infection and once they'd sorted me out I was like BRING ME MY FLAPJACK. Was a lifesaver after 1.5 days in labour with no food! As pp have said there's always a chance you could be kept a few days so really useful to have snacks to hand. If you don't need them then you can just use them for the newborn days when you're home 😊

I couldn't even contemplate eating while I was in labour but was very glad i'd packed snacks as I was starving after and the hospital food was awful.
I took cereal bars (the nakd bars are good for an engery boost), Ritz crackers, mini cheddars, malt loaf (the individually wrapped ones) and sweets, nothing that would melt as I knew the ward was going to be boiling.

I wasn't allowed to eat or drink anything but water whilst in labour. It was horrible and I ended up being constantly sick from the hunger. I would've loved some fruit juice and maybe some sweets to put a taste in my mouth as well. Once baby was born and I was in the ward I ate lots of cereal bars and chocolate. Good luck!

I didn't take anything, I didn't come into hospital until I was quite far along though. The MW's totally spoiled DH though.. he was sat there eating chips and gravy .... arse.

It’s worth noting that my birthing ward specifically asks that you don’t take any nuts in with you due to possible allergies.

I was planning on some flapjacks for sugar and maybe a packet of cheddars for salty goodness. I’ve also been told that prunes can be a bit of a lifesaver for that first post-birth bowel movement!

Ribena and Lucozade Sport were a godsend. See also: Kinder Buenos and Kitkats

They encouraged me to drink lucozade sport and mars bars that i had with me, but i could barely stomach them by the time i was on the 3rd day of attempted induction!