Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Currently in labour. What to cook DH?

177 replies

MummaBear4321 · 05/11/2020 11:06

I am 40+3 and I think I am in slow early labour. Contractions about 9 minutes apart, have been going since about 7am. Sometimes they widen to 11 minutes for a while, sometimes back to 7 for an hour or so, but they are mildly painful. I am at home, DH is in work, DD is in nursery. On my last labour I was having contractions for 36 hours, 25 of which were in hospital. Poor DH only brought snack bars and crisps with him. I was in so much panic and pain I begged him not to leave me to go to the canteen. He was absolutely falling apart with hunger by the time DD arrived. I sent him home 2 hours after she was born because he was a shell of a man.

This time around I want to be prepared and I need to stay upright to bring these contractions on, so I am going to cook. What do you think I should cook that we can bring in in tubs, he can eat cold, but will be a sort of dinner substitute? Pasta of some form?

OP posts:
PinkPlantCase · 05/11/2020 12:31

Good luck OP Grin

I’d be tempted to make a lasagne too, for after baby’s here. Or a shepherds pie!

Those meals that take ages but are so worth it.

WoahHeyThere · 05/11/2020 12:31

Wow some of these responses are ridiculous! Can no one do anything nice for their other half without scores of "Why can't he do it himself, he's not a child, it's not your job to feed him blah blah blah"

Not everyone is a selfish prick and only thinks about themselves you know.

I vote a nice cheesey pasta bake!

GabsAlot · 05/11/2020 12:33

i was ging to say let him do it himself but hes not there-pasta soups that sort of thing

good luck op

HunkyPunk · 05/11/2020 12:34

we are a partnership. He was so brilliant last time. Didnt leave me for one second. Helped in any way he could. The least I can do is make sure he has some basic food that he can scoff in the corner for 5 minutes to keep him going, especially as I want to keep busy. Some may see that as old fashioned and be shocked and say men should get on with it, but he is my partner. I look out for him, he looks out for me.

Well put, op. That's the way it should be. Good luck Flowers

porridge bars. I make the latter for me and the kids school snacks mostly, but you can add anything like choc chips or dried fruit or whatever you fancy. They're like flap jacks but less sugary and sickly sweet.

Sounds lovely! Do you have a recipe? Smile

WoahHeyThere · 05/11/2020 12:35

Ah didn't finish reading the posts and see you went with pasta anyway 👌😁

notasillysausage · 05/11/2020 12:35

As a heads up, my trust didn’t allow home made food on any of the wards due to covid

CorianderBlues · 05/11/2020 12:37

Some of the over-reactions are hilarious.

OP had v long labour before, 24+hrs in hospital.
DH really suffered and couldn't stay long with newborn DC, having not eaten for (at least) 24 hours. To have drive OP and DC home after that would have been (rightly) criticised.
OP wants to prep something quick and easy while DH is at work, to keep her upright and to eliminate the need for DH to be rushing about in hospital.

At no point has DH requested, demanded, suggested, or even hinted at this.

I feel sorry for some of your husbands.

LittleRa · 05/11/2020 12:47

35 hours is a really long time to not eat. Plus it isn’t just for labour either. The Covid restrictions at my hospital mean that birth partners who come in with women in labour, once they’re on the ward/in the birth suite etc, if they leave they will not be readmitted. The mums get fed by the hospital, but the birth partner does not. I’m very lucky in that it is one of the few hospitals in the country with all private rooms in the birth suite and ward and your partner can stay for as long as you are in- overnight and everything. When I had my DD (at a different hospital) we were in for 3 nights, due to her having a low birth weight. ExDH came and went during visiting hours. If I’m in a similar time this time, DP would have nothing to eat for 4 days!! I’m on the Facebook page for the maternity services department and some people have been taking coolers full of food in etc! People recommend taking pot noodles as the midwives will give you hot water apparently. You can get people to drop food etc off at Reception for you, but the midwives are rushed off their feet (apparently 40% up due to people choosing this hospital over the other local one due to the private rooms) so don’t really want them to be having to run around bringing food from Reception. There’ve been tales on the Facebook page of Dads nipping out to the car to collect another bag or even get the baby’s car seat, and not being allowed back in.

Newnamenewopenme · 05/11/2020 12:48

How dare you want to keep yourself busy and your husband benefit from this! Don’t forget to take something for yourself because hospital food isn’t the best.

Good luck with the labour, let us know when it’s all gone smoothly!

bilbodog · 05/11/2020 12:52

With my second i took in smoked salmon sandwiches for DH but ended up eating them all myself🤣🤣🤣🤣

I can recommend Christmas cake for afterwards though - had DD on 2 january.

CorianderBlues · 05/11/2020 12:53

Oh god yeah, I completely forgot to say,

Good luck!! I hope it all goes well, congratulations! Grin

PopsicleHustler · 05/11/2020 12:59

My lovely man would be buying my takeaways and whatever I fancied while I am in labour. Put your feet up love. And send him to the shop for tins of quality street. You deserve them for what you're about to go through.

Best of luck for the baby

Giganticshark · 05/11/2020 13:04

Bake a cake!!!!! The cleaning up alone will keep you on your feet for ages Grin

WoooImAGhost · 05/11/2020 13:06

Oh yeah, Christmas cake is actually the perfect food for all situations. If your DH did have time to stop by the shops on the way home, loads of places are selling mince pies if you like them. They're a pretty good sugar hit and easy to eat.

Angry and in labour Christmas cake baking is probably best avoided though Grin

Sparkletastic · 05/11/2020 13:06

Hope DH pulls through.

Original poster
MummaBear4321 · 05/11/2020 13:10

@WoooImAGhost

Oh yeah, Christmas cake is actually the perfect food for all situations. If your DH did have time to stop by the shops on the way home, loads of places are selling mince pies if you like them. They're a pretty good sugar hit and easy to eat.

Angry and in labour Christmas cake baking is probably best avoided though Grin

Oh my god. I am so asking him to stop at co op for mince pies and squirty cream!
OP posts:
TheOrigRights · 05/11/2020 13:11

@PopsicleHustler

My lovely man would be buying my takeaways and whatever I fancied while I am in labour. Put your feet up love. And send him to the shop for tins of quality street. You deserve them for what you're about to go through.

Best of luck for the baby

The OP wants to stay active and busy and WANTS to cook, not put her feet up. Her partner is at work.
Bakeachocolatecaketoday · 05/11/2020 13:13

Just be careful - 25 hours with my first - 6 hours with my second.

With my first it took 18ish hours to get to 3cm dilated (and was pretty much exhausted!). 2nd time round (homebirth) I was pottering and making breakfast for my toddler and I was already 6cm.

TommyShelby · 05/11/2020 13:17

If you think you might be a while OP, you could freeze some plastic water bottles to keep your snacks bag chilled. Then when they are defrosted you’ve got a nice cold drink Halloween Smile

Shuddawuddacudda · 05/11/2020 13:17

Quiche Lorraine is gorgeous cold as well as hot. So ham, onion, cheese, eggs and pastry - obviously better if you have pastry at home.
If not, pasta. I bought a ready-made salad of farfalle pasta with spinach, pine nuts and parmesan from Morrisons the other day. I was really nice. Seemed to have some olive oil dressing on it too.

Otherwise, you could cook some sausages and put them in the fridge until they're needed - cocktail sausages or the likes.

Not sure whether you can cook things like samosas or onion bhajis or something. They're nice cold.

You can always pick up a packet of cooked chicken pieces too in a supermarket (or he can). Good bit of protein - keep in tinfoil and a freezer bag if you have it.

Nahmfor · 05/11/2020 13:28

You don't need to cook his dinner, if he's worried about time tell him to grab a McDonald's or something quick.

Why is everyone posting weird things on mumsnet today

savethewales · 05/11/2020 13:29

@peachescariad

Is this one of those old MN threads from 1950 that someone has just found and added a comment to bump it on???

This is a joke right?
Don't forget a ribbon for your hair and lippy during labour.....

Have you fucking heard yourself? We seem to have travelled back in time when women were unable to read.
Newnamenewopenme · 05/11/2020 13:32

While you are waiting you could get ahead with stuff for after the birth so you aren’t preparing tea each night (you or dh). Make sure for your other child they have outfits ready to put on each day so that you aren’t having to think on a morning if you’ve had broken sleep. Put phone chargers around the house so if you get stuck with baby asleep on your chest you don’t have to worry about 0%

Ismellphantoms · 05/11/2020 13:34

My DH made homemade macaroni cheese and when I ate it cold in hospital it was absolutely delicious.

Original poster
MummaBear4321 · 05/11/2020 13:34

@Nahmfor

You don't need to cook his dinner, if he's worried about time tell him to grab a McDonald's or something quick.

Why is everyone posting weird things on mumsnet today

Did you read my previous posts? My last labour was 52 hours, 24 of which I was in hospital, and 36 of which DH didnt eat anything bar a few chocolate bars for. I dont think a McDonalds will keep him going for 36 hours if I go that long again (obviously I hope its quicker but I dont want to assume it will be). I have pasta done for him now anyway and am in the bath, contractions 7-8 mins apart.
OP posts: