We always say birth is like a marathon, but we don’t always treat it as such.
There are many women who don’t know that they can eat during labor!
Why was eating during labor banned previously?
Women giving birth used to be put under general anesthesia, which meant that they were completely unconscious.
Health care providers noticed that women were at an increased risk of aspiration if they ate a meal prior to birth.
Aspiration occurs when food or fluids that should go into the stomach end up in the lungs.
As a result, doctors decided to limit pregnant moms to just ice chips prior to being put down. This is also why you can’t eat prior to having surgery.
However, now that we have shifted from using general anesthesia to regional anesthesia (epidurals and spinal blocks), we’re able to reexamine and update previous suggestions.
Why should you eat during labor?
Labor is a very intense process that your body goes through. If you’re planning on giving birth naturally, you’ll most likely be switching positions frequently and burning a ton of calories.
You’ll want to replenish those calories lost through small bites of food.
Of course, not every woman is going to want to eat during labor. Having nausea and vomiting during labor is very common, so you may have no desire to eat at all.
Personally, I didn’t want to eat during labor either. My doula encouraged me to drink water and take a bite of some clementines and it helped tremendously.
But, if she weren’t there, I probably wouldn’t have had anything to eat or drink. My mind was somewhere else entirely.
The best advice I can give you is to listen to your body. If you want to eat, eat. If you don’t want to eat, don’t force yourself.
Who can eat during labor?
According to the American Society of Anesthesiologists, healthy women with a low risk pregnancy would benefit from a light meal during labor.
If you are planning on birthing at an alternate location besides a hospital, such as a birth center or at home, you are encouraged to eat.
But, if you are planning on birthing at a hospital or opt into pain medication, you may or may not have access to food during labor.
For example, if you are having a planned C-section, you will not be able to eat or drink for a certain amount of time before surgery.
If you opt for an epidural, you may be able to have things like clear juice, Popsicles, Jell-O, and tea.
Talk to your provider beforehand and see what they allow and recommend.
What snacks are best to eat during labor?
When your body goes into labor, all your energy is directed to that process. Other processes that normally occur, such as digestion, take a backburner.
And because you’ll be fueling up in between contractions, you’re going to want fast and easy items.
So the best foods for labor are items that are easy to prepare, store, eat, and digest.
Think “things that I can get in quickly to keep me going”.
Here are the top ten snacks I would recommend to have ready to go for when you’re in labor.
1.Nuts and nut butters
The protein in nuts and nut butters help to keep you satiated during the long labor process. It also helps to blunt blood sugars from the carbohydrates in snacks.
Some great options are almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts, trail mix, peanut butter, and almond butter.
2. Seeds
Seeds are an additional source of protein. Pumpkin seeds and shelled sunflower seeds are great snacks to keep in the pantry or pack in your hospital bag.
3. Fruit
Fruit has a ton of carbohydrates that will help you stay energized during the labor process.
It’s also easy on the stomach, and can be prepared and packed ahead of time.
Pineapple, tangerines, bananas, watermelon, strawberries, grapes, avocados, dates, and ginger are just some of the options you can choose.
4. Frozen fruit/ prepackaged fruit
Frozen fruit options are nice to have on hand in case the thought of chewing is completely unappealing.
Hospitals carry popsicles nowadays, but my go-tos are fruit purees, squeeze pouches and applesauce. These options come in convenient single serving packs that make for a quick grab and go.
If you’re giving birth at home, you can opt to make banana nice cream or smoothie kits ahead of time.
5. Broth
Broth is another option that you’ll probably be able to get your hands on at the hospital.
Chicken broth, vegetable broth, and beef broth are very common options.
6. Dry Bars
Granola bars, oat bars, and cereal bars have a long shelf life and are another easy single serve option.
7. Candy
Candy ALWAYS helps, and it just may be the thing you need to keep your spirits up during this grueling process.
Some options I’d recommend to purchase are dark chocolate chips, lollipops, hard candy, rock candy, and mints.
8. Grains
Complex carbohydrates like oatmeal and brown rice provide energy and have fiber which can help blunt the rise in blood sugar.
If you don’t like whole grains, you can always opt for other grains such as rice cakes, crackers, cereal, pita bread, toast, graham crackers, premade waffles, rice, bagels, or cooked plain pasta.
For the latter list, I’d recommend pairing your carb with a protein. For example, you may want to have rice cakes with some peanut butter.
9. Drinks
Food may not be your thing during labor, and that is perfectly okay.
You can get your calories in through a variety of drinks, such as fruit juice, Gatorade, homemade electrolyte drinks, coconut water, and red Raspberry leaf tea.
10. Water
When all else fails and you can’t stomach anything, try to at least sneak in a few sips of water here and there. A little hydration can go a long way.
Conclusion
And that’s it! Hopefully this list will come in handy for you as you prepare for your big day! Good luck mama!
If you liked this post, be sure to check out my post on How To Create A Birth Plan that includes a FREE template!
Do you have Gestational Diabetes? You may want to read my post on The Oral Glucose Tolerance Test.
NOW I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
What did you snack on during labor and did you find it helpful?
Are there any products that you’d recommend that I didn’t mention on this list?
Let me know by leaving me a comment down below!
Sources:
https://www.asahq.org/about-asa/newsroom/news-releases/2015/11/eating-a-light-meal-during-labor
