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Original poster

Can you eat and drink during labour?

25 replies

first1 · 07/04/2010 14:40

Hi ladies,

I'm 34+2 and just packing my hospital bag. I've got drinks and snacks on my list from my pregnancy book, but what if during labour you need an emergency CS? Surely that can't be done without a totally empty stomach? I remember haing my appendix out 18months ago, and despite it verging on bursting, the surgeon made me wait til the contents of my stomach had totally emptied. If(God forbid) labour doesn't go swimmingly and I do need an EMCS, I won't want to wait! ...I guess I've just answered my own question here haven't I!?

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flybynight · 07/04/2010 14:44

I could be wrong, but most EMCSs aren't done under a general anaethestic, I don't think. Some are, of course, but I think most are epidural.

You need energy during labour - it is hard work. Take some Gatorade to give you an energy boost.

PrettyCandles · 07/04/2010 14:46

I ate and drank as, when, and what I wanted in all my labours.

With my first, in fact, I didn't want to eat at all, jsut drink. I was labouring on the labour ward for 24h before ds1 was born, and the midwives were always worried that I sent my meal request form back un-marked. They kept coming in and trying to encourage me to order some food. In the end I would order soup, just to keep them happy, but I never managed to eat it.

OTOH, with my second the only thing that stopped me eating was the contraction!

If you need an EMCS, they won't make you wait until your stomach is empty. OTOH labour is hard physical work, and you need the energy. If you're really worried, you could always take some of the sort of energy gels that athletes use on marathons. They give a burtst of energy, but don't stay in your stomach for long. They are sickly sweet, though.

babyOcho · 07/04/2010 14:50

I remember eating a mars bar when I was in labour. It actaully tasted really nasty, I think strange things happen!

MrsHappy · 07/04/2010 14:56

You need to eat and drink as it actually improves your chances of avoiding complications (keeps your strength up etc).

EMCS are usually done while you are awake and they can give you anti-emetics to stop you throwing up.

I had a general last time having eaten dinner a few hours before (although admittedly threw most of it up in labour!) and it was fine. They give drugs to stop you hurling and press on your windpipe as they knock you out which is supposed to stop stomach contents going the wrong way iirc.

Of course the ideal from the anaesthetist's point of view would be a patient who hasn't eaten but as labour can go on for days it is not terribly practical. And when people really need emergency surgery (and risks of not operating are more than the risks of someone having something in their stomach) the doctors would not wait to operate because the patient had eaten dinner a couple of hours before.

GwennieF · 07/04/2010 15:00

I ate Haribo jelly sweets the whole way through and then had an EMCS....

You can hardly be expected to go 24 hours plus without food!!

cinnamongreyhound · 07/04/2010 15:53

I wasn't allowed to eat or drink anything other than water because I was induced. I vomitted constantly as soon as my contractions started and after about 24hr the midwife told my husband to make me drink lucozade as something would hopefully be absorbed before I threw it back up but I really didn't want it! So think that having the energy to carry on is pretty important as others have said. They will tell you what you can or can't have once there so pack away! Plus your OH will probably want to eat even if for some reason you're not allowed.

mazzystartled · 07/04/2010 15:58

most emcs are done with a spinal or occasionally an epidural, so no need to starve, a GS is only done under crash conditions (extremely unlikely) or maternal preference.

BallpointPen · 07/04/2010 16:00

I took a lovely picnic, bacon, tomato and mayo sandwiches, they were delicious.

The midwife was a bit concerned in case I threw up at around stage 2(she'd have had to clean it up, I guess, so understandable really) but I didn't so all was well.

LoveBeingAMummy · 07/04/2010 16:02

I remember having a bowl of cheerios before i left for the hospital, I got one foot out of the door and had to go back in to throw up. Didn't even cross my mind to eat after that (mind you i was 9cms when i got to the hospital)

Trillian42 · 07/04/2010 16:26

My hospital warned us that we can't eat or drink anything other than water during labour, for exactly that reason - in case an emergency C-Section is required. So no boiled sweets, no 7up... nothing!

I get weak if I don't eat regularly, so I'm not looking forward to it. I can't imagine it will help things much!

flybynight · 07/04/2010 16:41

Do you mind me asking where you are geographically, Trillian? Just out of nosiness, because I've never heard that before.

Trillian42 · 07/04/2010 17:14

Not at all flybynight, I'm in Ireland. I'm not sure if it's standard in all the maternity hospitals here or just mine. The hospital did say that they only use general anaesthetic if there isn't time to wait for an epidural to take effect, ie in the case of real emergencies. This is only from the time you would be in the labour ward though.

Lulumaam · 07/04/2010 17:18

you should eat and drink and the risk of aspiration into your lungs is v v minimal

all my clients have eaten /drunk in labour as they have wanted to, my fave midwife is the one who brings me all of us tea and toast during lboaur

not everyone wants to eat in labour especially once it is established, but energy drinks and sweets are a good idea , or raspberry leaf tea that is cooled and sweetened with honey

DilysPrice · 07/04/2010 17:19

I checked into St Thomas's, was told I was only 4 cm, so went out for supper - I bought a large packed lunch from a very nice bagel place on the South Bank and brought it back to my room. And a good thing too, as DS took another 16 hours.

PrettyCandles · 07/04/2010 20:50

Even if you don't eat during labour, take something for afterwards. You get HUNGRY! Towards the end of my pgcy with dc2, I prepared a quiche and a custard-n-mincemeat pie (she was a Xmas baby) in foil takeaway containers and froze them. When we went to the hospital I popped them in my labour bag, and, by the time I had given birth and was all tidied up and in the pn ward, they had defrosted. Perfect. Especially as it's difficult at 4am to get anything other than tea-and-toast they gave you on the labour ward.

HoopsAndBaby · 07/04/2010 21:00

I was induced on Friday just gone and when they broke my waters in the morning I was told that I couldn't have anything other than water, which was a really good job cause I was sick as a dog throughout the whole thing..........as soon I went on to the ward I was starving, I wish I had put some goodies in my bag cause all the hospital could offer me was a bit of toast and a cup of tea.......

GwennieF · 07/04/2010 21:17

PrettyCandles is dead right - I was devastated once DS had arrived to find I had missed my dinner!

It must have shown on my face as the nursing assistant (not sure of title) said she'd get me something and came back shortly after with sandwiches and crisps; I think I would have cried if I'd had to wait until the following day for anything to eat.

Octaviapink · 08/04/2010 07:08

I had supper while I was having 5min contractions before we went to the hospital, then as soon as I got into proper labour I threw everything up! Threw up about another four times during the process (mostly water and dextrose tablets), and then DH ate the tea and toast the midwives brought me after DD was born! I was STARVING - definitely take some post-birth snacks!

splatt · 08/04/2010 13:05

I'm an anaesthetist and having eaten really doesn't affect how we would treat you if you need an emergency section. ALL pregnant women are treated as if they have a full stomach anyway (for GA purposes) because the pregnancy affects stomach emptying (we've all had the heartburn!!!)

Most places I've worked say water only after an epidural has been sited but otherwise I've seen lots of labouring women eating all sorts!

Portoeufino · 08/04/2010 13:09

When I had dd I was not allowed to eat or drink anything other than water once I got to the labour suite. I was dead pissed off as the MW kept making tea for her and DH and I could have killed for a cup. I was the one doing all the work after all! I have to admit I didn't WANT to eat once the cxs started so went at least 24 hours with nothing at all.

pregnantpeppa · 08/04/2010 13:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

splatt · 08/04/2010 17:45

pregnantpeppa - yep just think how much space that baby is now taking up and how squished your stomach is up into your rib cage. It's smaller, holds less and empties less easily. Plus hormones simply slow down gut transit (we've all had the constipation too, right?)

pregnantpeppa · 08/04/2010 20:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

camflower · 08/04/2010 21:09

i can recommend starbursts and san pellegrino - although i may have stopped after a huge exorcist-style projectile vomit !

PanicMode · 08/04/2010 21:11

Hi first1,

Even if you don't feel like eating your DH/DP may do!! I was in for ages, didn't feel like eating and kept refusing food, but they made me eat something after about 12 hours (was sick immediately afterwards so they should have listened ), but DH was starving and the hospital options were really poor! However, afterwards I was really, really hungry and wished I'd packed more snacks/bananas/museli bars or something.

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