Being admitted to hospital with transverse baby

[Wifflywafflywoo]

I'm to be admitted from 38 weeks for eight nights before my planned section (very large, transverse baby with cord balancing on cervix).

I'm currently being monitored for GD and I have successfully diet controlled with no high readings (the only fail I've had was the 7.8 I got actually doing the test).

I've packed a hospital bag for me and baby to cover the section and stay but now need to pack for a week of sitting around.

I can't access any fridge or freezer facilities, no microwave and limited boiling water. The hospital menu is not GD friendly and I've been told to try and bring in things I can eat. The restaurant is staff only and the shop is shut.

I'm feeling a bit miserable and lost as to what I'm going to pack for a week of sitting in a room on my own. Any ideas on things to keep occupied or GD friendly food is not nutty and can be stored room temp with no cooking?! DP won't be able to visit every day so he could bring things but only probably twice during the week.

Thanks in advance

No advice but WTAF healthcare do we have here that you are admitted to hospital with GD and they can't provide you with appropriate food, you are having to patch dry rations as if to survive in a bunker. Fucking hell, if that happened to men it wouldn't happen for long.

What about getting a plug in cool box? Think you can pick them up pretty cheap. Then you could have some salady bits, cooked chicken, houmous etc for main meals, low GI cereal for breakfast maybe?

We have a great cooler....not PAT tested so not allowed to use it.

I'm part of a few GD groups and the hospital food issue is nation wide it seems. Even the diabetic food options aren't actually any good as they are still carb heavy. I was offered toast, crunchy nut or Weetabix the other day when I had an early appointment and had to fast for a test. Very much appreciated the offer but both things are terrible for GD!

Are you allowed to use phone chargers? I have done for all hospital stays and they've needed PAT testing so I'd call bullshit on that with the hospital 😐

never needed PAT testing that should say

Hope you like corned beef!

What a ridiculous situation to be in: hospitalised with GD but not provided with food suitable for GD. Your best bet really is to buy a plug-in fridge.

As for occupation, knitting, crochet (even if you don't know how, there are plenty of OL tutorials, and even a beginner could probably make a little baby blanket in a week), sewing, embroidery, puzzle books, cards (real, not on your phone), jigsaws (get a Portapuzzle to work on and pack the puzzle away in).

Yes allowed phone charger (our eyebrows raised at that too when they said yes to those but no to anything else...) and a charger for the tablet. I work for the NHS and thankfully have a fan I bought myself but had PAT tested by work so I can take that and not have to worry about charging a fan up all the time.

I'm just looking at cross-stitch kits now! Haven't done one in years so should be a laugh.

I hadn't actually thought of corned beef but now I think of it you can get those tins of chicken and things for sandwiches so might have to ask my gran to deal me out some of her collection from the cupboard...could eat some with my special cracker things.

I feel like the world's worst mother already refusing to be admitted from today as they wanted to do but I just couldn't face over two weeks stuck in that little hot room 😔

Is there a non hospital based shop close by? Remember it’s not a prison so you can nip out for supplies if needed.

Can you ask friends to make a food train for you? You could give them a daily shopping list of things to drop off for you. Maybe including a cool pack?

If they need a bit of encouragement perhaps drop a hint that some fresh suitable food now would be more appreciated than a tshirt with Mummy's little angel on it or a cuddly toy after baby arrives.

Is there a reason why your DP can't visit every day?

What about Uber Eats? Are there any suitable local restaurants?

(Shame on the hospital nutritionists... we had a similar dilema when my elderly mother with type 2 diabetes needed low carb food in hospital but wasn't allowed visitors.)

Tinned tuna, tinned sweetcorn and mayonnaise on your crackers or rice cakes? Banana, apples, celery dipped in peanut butter? Sorry it's so rubbish for you OP.

@QuebecBagnet there is a shop but it's about a twenty minute walk away (I won't have the car) and I'm advised to stay on the ward incase my waters go pop.

@Dilbertian

O dear hit post before I was done!

@Dilbertian tempted to hide a little fridge in the room I have to admit.

@ChateauMargaux the hospital is a 40 minute drive from home, DP is still working full time and tbh we just don't have the money to be paying for the fuel! I've told him I'll facetime him every day and he can come visit a couple of times that week. He'll restock my snacks and bring me clean clothes etc. A very kind friend actually messaged me overnight saying she doesn't mind popping by to see me and feed me either (she's closer than DP to hospital) so if I make their visits on different days, I can cover most of the stay hopefully.

For entertainment I've figured out Netflix on our tablet, have my iPod, got lots of Kindle books on my phone and I've bought a beautiful set of DIY felt animals on Etsy that I will sew and make into a mobile for the nursery.

What a faff on 🙄.

Probably nothing new to add but I feel for you. I was induced when I had GD and just doing two meals there was hard enough. I ordered off their menu and would just pick at the meat and veg and leave the rest. I did have a jacket potato with just cheese and butter and again ate just a little of the potato doused in the protein and fat. I also took mayonnaise sachets with me to add to everything, I was able to tolerate protein bars as snacks.
maybe if you can’t take a fridge do you have a little cooler bag with ice packs that you could use for the first day or so and when your partner or friend visit they could bring fresh ice packs and salad/chicken which would keep for a bit?
hope all goes well for the labour x

Order the hospital food and just eat what you can from it. Eg, sausage and mash with veg, leave the mash. They should have things like fruit and yogurt? When I've had sandwiches it's normally been whole meal or seeded bread with veg soup. Then just supplement with your own food. Freeze a large 4pint bottle of water and put that in your cooler, it will last a day or two. Ask your friend to bring you another one. Cured meats like salami, prosciutto are fine at room temperature for 24 hours. Take some ready made protein shakes? Boxed salads?

Can't believe that this is the state of our hospitals. Awful.

John West do tuna salad/meal things in the ribbed fish section that can stay room temperature, and you can also get tinned fish in different sauces. You should be able to get a salad or veg as a meal so you could add then together.

Don't know where you are in the country OP but my hospital has secret Indian/veggie Indian and Caribbean menus. I ordered a veggie Indian meal once and it was amazing, like a thali with about 10 different things. Worth asking if yours has additional menus in case there's a gd friendly one (ours has different dietary things marked on it like soft/high fibre etc).

Best of luck

I was admitted for 10 days with my transverse baby and polyhydraminos with risk of cord prolapse, it was brutal! I didn't have GD but there was a lovely fresh salad most days with either meat, or fish or egg! The soup was usually fine too. There should be pasta occasionally which isn't too bad an option. Weetabix is fine too! Take nuts and fruit for snacks. [https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food/eating-with-diabetes/i-have-gestational-diabetes Diabetes UK]

For entertainment, I watched an entire season of MasterChef Australia, read a lot of books on my Kindle and did some colouring in! I was 2 hours from home as well so had very few visitors. I'm not going to lie, it was very lonely but you do get used to the routine and the days pass eventually. I went for a walk before lunch every day, had a nap mid afternoon, popped to the shop after dinner for a treat and then it was bed time really!

All the best!

Diabetes UK

Sounds awful, but can you bring in a cool box and frozen blocks, getting someone to swap them over and re-freeze? Or ask on FB if anyone local can PAT test your cool box.
All I can suggest otherwise is Google Dr Jean Sutton & Optimal Fetal Positioning.

If you work for the NHS, can you take your ID badge and just use the staff canteen?

Also, I second the PP's suggestion of asking for the Indian menu...it's SO much better!

@LessObviousName thanks, my section is scheduled for 16th May so hopefully everything will go to plan 😊

@myceliumama yep I'll definitely be picking around the food!

@Matchingcollarandcuffs omg if I found a secret menu like that I'd be in Heaven! I'll do some digging immediately.

@HalloHello 10 days would be brutal. I asked if I was allowed out to walk and was told they'd prefer me not to so I'm just waiting for it to be the loveliest weather ever with my face pressed up against the window 😄 be sods law. I love Weetabix but it's one of the only foods that has pushed me almost to a fail with my blood levels! Been living off scrambled egg and sausages for breakfast for four weeks...

@Ariela is that a way to try and move baby? We've done all sorts for weeks and she's not budged. The doctor was laughing at her neck rolls on the scan last night, she's predicted to be around 9 and a bit pounds at 37 weeks with my placenta at the front, so they think she just physically can't move bless her.

Nothing to add re the food, though I'm shocked they put you in this situation. Unbelievable. What happen if you stand your ground and complain ? (totally understand you'd not want to do that when you're going to be depending on them to deliver your baby though !) Maybe complain afterwards in the hope of moving things forward in the future.

Regarding entertainment, I recommand crochet, kindle and a nintendo switch !

@polkadotpixie I may possibly have the badge in my bag with my notes... Felt very naughty popping it in there but nevermind. My role requires me to work across every hospital in our National area so technically it is valid in my hospital hotel.

@Marty13 I think gestational diabetes UK are starting to put pressure on Trusts to look at GD menu choices for maternity wards so I was going to look at their work and suggest it to the patient complaints/services team whilst I'm there. I understand that the NHS is pushed to the limit as it is but hopefully things may improve for GD patients in the future.

@Wifflywafflywoo No it's not about turning baby, but about persuading baby to turn themselves and present in the easiest way to come out by themselves. (if that makes sense) Well worth a read if nothing else.

You should definitely use the staff canteen seeing as you have an ID badge. I use my nhs ID badge in hospital canteens all over and mine actually has the name of my trust on the top and nobody has ever noticed.

I'm here! Not allowed off the ward, no diabetic meals. I was offered toast, cereal or sugary yoghurt for breakfast. Ate one slice of toast and butter because I hadn't eaten since 2pm previous day (took 6 hours to be seen and admitted to the ward) scored a 9.3 on my test, highest one to date. Having to choose normal meals and pick out veg/meat. Other half is going to drive in everyday with food. I've asked for a breakfast omlette tomorrow from the hospital kitchen if at all possible...still awaiting a response. 7 nights to go to section........