Eating before being admitted

Steph121215 · June 2015

Hey Group! I'm a FTM - I'd Ike to pick the brains of all BTDT moms about a small part of the labor process.I know that many women's first births can be quite lengthy and after you're in the hospital you get what? Just water and ice chips to eat? So my question is - Should I try to eat a lot before being admitted to fill my canteen for the long haul? Are there reasons I shouldn't? Anyway, I would love input from you experienced ladies! Thanks!

double2rouble · June 2015

The reason not too is that if you end up needed a csection you can aspirate during surgery. I had dd at a birthing center that allowed me to eat but didnt want to. I did drink juice.

smlowe9311 · June 2015

I'm not entirely sure you could unless you have a scheduled c-section. With dd1 my water broke at 4 am so I didn't really have a chance to eat before because I was sleeping. But for me from start to finish I was only in labor 7 1/2 hours so it wasn't too bad. And the hospital was really great about calling to have food brought up as soon as the baby was born.

amiejl · June 2015

I ate a little something while in early labor with all of mine before going to the hospital. I had midwives with my last delivery and they let me eat during labor which was so needed since my water broke long before contractions really got going. If you're feeling well and hungry, I would eat, but I never wanted to "fill up", just eat enough for energy. Oh, and you can usually get juice or popsicles which can be great during labor.

aah1013 · June 2015

double2rouble said:
The reason not too is that if you end up needed a csection you can aspirate during surgery. I had dd at a birthing center that allowed me to eat but didnt want to. I did drink juice.

This would only be a risk for general anesthesia because you would need to be intubated. Otherwise, you are awake with a spinal for c-sections. The anesthesia cut off for food/drink at my work is 6 hrs for solid food and 2 hours for liquids. This is of course in non-emergent situations.

JaqiDec04 · June 2015

I wouldn't eat depending on how long you had been in labor. If you believe your walking in very early, and very little dilation, I might eat.

However, if I've been walking around 3-4 cm dilated, and then labored at home a while, definitely not. If something were to happen, and you needed an emergency c-section, it could cause issues.

It had been over 12 hours since I ate when I went in for my c-section with DD, and I still ended up throwing up on the OR table.

ChariZae · June 2015

I snuck some snacks with my first (m&ms, granola,banana) but I didn't have much of an appetite and still ended up vomiting when I was pushing (an exhausting 1.5hrs). With my second, I ate a light breakfast because I was scheduled to be induced at 11, and just had juice at the hospital.

Once my contractions really started, I didn't think about eating. I was thirsty, but really wanted to concentrate on handling the pain. Right after delivery I was famished and had people on standby to get me food.

Krysta6 · June 2015

My dr suggested I eat something on the way to the hospital. In my mind, its no wonder women are exhausted by labor between the physical ass kicking and the lack of food for hours to days!

cjvisona · June 2015

In my experience, you won't want to eat once you are in true labor. I can't speak about a very lengthy labor, but food will be one of the last things in your mind once baby is on the way.

CaitLewis15 · June 2015

I celebrated my induction morning by meeting my family at Cracker Barrel and eating a country boy breakfast.

I probably wouldn't recommend that.

Sweet Sadie Mae · June 2015

I was too nervous to eat. Plus if you try a natural birth there's always the chance of pooping... also having contractions and going to the bathroom (even just to see) sucks!

swelniak · June 2015

I was admitted the night before to be induced and not only did I eat my "last meal" at a favorite restaurant, but the nurse gave me cereal in the morning before they started my pitocin. I also had a friend who just had a csection this week and she ate dinner out and her water broke at 3 am, csection at 8:30. There's not really much you can do to plan for it...

Kristyhana · June 2015

I didn't eat much the day of my induction last time because 1- I didn't want there to be a poop incident and 2- I was too nervous. But I'm glad I didn't. I wasn't very hungry during labor (18 hours) and I vomited a lot towards the end. And no poop! Lol.

Telebell · June 2015

I was starving by the end of the ordeal and DH refused to feed me. I snuck cookies when he was in the bathroom. I ended up with a c sec at the end and then oddly wasn't hungry for days afterwards. This time I'm packing my own hospital bag and there will be plenty of food hidden in it. Being hungry made the whole thing worse. What are the actual odds of (a) needing general anesthesia, and what's the worst outcome (b) IF you do vomit and (c) IF you aspirate some? Possible pneumonia? The odds are pretty low of all those things happening; I'll take that chance.

arwestover3 · June 2015

Eat! I wasn't allowed to eat for my 30-hour labor and I threw up anyways at the end. It was terrible, I had absolutely no energy. The U.S. is one of the few countries that routinely prevents laboring women from eating. I'm a distance runner, and you definitely don't tell a marathon runner not to eat before or during a marathon! I understand the logic of don't eat in case you throw up in case you need to be intubated, but modern medicine is also at the point where that's rare and they can handle that...

adtaylor2015 · June 2015

Lurker from S15 here- I was induced with my first at 7AM and was told to be fasting (nothing after midnight). So I went roughly 19 hours without anything except ice chips. It was not fun. I was starving after I had him.

Bingj · June 2015

My first birthing experience was a very long 2 day induction. I wasn't even thinking about food, but I think I did get to eat some dinner the first night at the hospital. With my second birth, I was laboring at home most of the day and on the way to hospital I made my husband stop at a gas station and buy me cookies. I puked them up acouple hours later then it was time to push :-)

nbpa3027 · June 2015

As mentioned by others, the reason for not eating is if there is an emergency situation and you need to be put under general anesthesia, you could aspirate--and the worse that can happen if you aspirate is you could die, not just get pneumonia-- the risk is incredibly low, but the hospital has to tell you not to eat because they never know when a situation may arise.

That being said, the risk is incredibly low and there is potential you are going to be there for a long time, so you will just have to go by how you are feeling at the time. Once I was in labor, I did not want to eat at all. I was pretty nauseous throughout the whole thing, so the thought of even ice chips was not at all appealing.

komorebi · June 2015

I've never pooped while pushing. And i wouldn't stress that cause it'll happen if it happens. It's actually more common for scheduled births because early labor can loosen you up and clean you out. Fun and sexy times!

I'd eat because usually once you're in active labor you don't want food and you don't know how long it'll take. I'd want to die if i didn't eat for two days. I had Gatorade during all of my active labor phases but they had to make me. But I'm always glad once i drink it. You might puke, you might not, but you'll need your energy.

saintpaulJess · June 2015

I had a normal-sized meal before I went to the hospital and a clif bar a few hours later.

midge519 · June 2015

With my first I went into labor at 830 pm and refused to go to the hospital until I ate. I didn't eat a ton but I wanted food. I wasn't allowed snacks during labor but didn't really want anything at the moment any ways. At the end I begged for chocolate milk the moment he was born and so I got it. And the nurses brought me food right away, it was almost 4am when he was born. With my daughter I hadn't had breakfast yet and didn't have time between contractions to dress my son much less eat anything. Her labor was incredibly short (3.5 hours from first contraction to her first breath) so I had lunch right away after she was born. Both times I pooped while pushing, most women do from my understanding. It's just the same motion as pushing so it just kind of happens. They are trained to handle that. I did get incredibly nauseous with both labors so I don't think it mattered either way for me.

sante12 · June 2015

My induction was scheduled for 3pm with DD but I was not admitted into the labor room until 11pm that day. I wasn't in much pain and after that was very sleepy. The doctor said the baby would not come till mid next day. They made sure I had a regular breakfast and they brought me lunch too. I delivered at 3:45pm that day. So I still plan to eat regularly unless the staff tell me otherwise.

ngarcia1119 · June 2015

With my first I worked all day, had lunch at noon, went to my doctor appointment at 4:30p where my water broke while they were examining me. I drove myself to the hospital down the street and stopped to get food since it was close to dinner time and knew once the doctor gave orders I wouldn't be allowed to eat per my hospital policy. The nurse even asked me if I stopped to eat because if not she was going to get me something before the orders came in. I ended up with an emergency c-section the next morning at 9am and wasn't allowed to eat any solid food until about 3pm that afternoon. If I hadn't stopped I would have gone over 24hours without food and I personally cannot go that long.

emc3576 · June 2015

With my first, I went into the hospital on Tuesday and had her on Thursday. I had ZERO thoughts about food and didn't even realize I was starving until about an hour after delivery. Pack a couple of snacks to tide you over while your person is out getting you a real meal.

babyynumbertwo2015 · June 2015

I Would definitely eat something before heading into the hospital but I wouldn't binge eat! You don't want to poop on yourself in labor, and pooping post baby is no joke! That being said, I remember being starving during labor so I would at least have something in your stomach before heading in!

woowoojellybean · June 2015

Labor with my son lasted about 8 hours, after my epidural my mom snuck me some panzarotti, I had only eaten breakfast and went into labor during the early afternoon before we got lunch so I was hungry!! I had no problems!

ElleMF728 · June 2015

I'm definitely eating at least a little something this time around. Last time I went into labor at about 3am and so hadn't eaten since dinner. DS was born at 3pm BUT I had a magnesium drip which means no eating for an additional 24 hours after birth and so wasn't allowed anything except ice chips until 3pm the following day.

I really do not want to go 48 hours without eating again and since its not unlikely that I will need another Mag drip, I'm going in prepared this time even if I have to stop somewhere on the way.

ljburrelli · June 2015

I ate but I LOVE FOOD!!

My water broke at 730 am. I made DH take me to breakfast at Panera. Then I did some laundry and cleaned and went to the hospital around 1 pm. I was in labor for 37 hours before I had my son and was so happy that I ate.

bishopgn · June 2015

I recommend not eating. I did before I was admitted on the suggestion of the triage nurse and lets just say that oatmeal did not stay down...I did it neutral so not sure if that is why

silly514 · June 2015

I was only told I couldn't after the epidural, 23 hours into labor....but like others have said I didn't want anything in active labor, it didn't cross my mind. I was admitted at 4am so it had been a while since dinner. When it was all done around 6 pm the next day I was ravenous... I never got sick. Definitely loved the freebie water bottle in my room throughout!

ellasnow · June 2015

If ur at home i say eat! I also say...stay at home resting and getting through the early stages at home where your in ur element. I had a smoothie and part of a sticky bun and while at the hospital yogurt and a small part of a granola bar but honestly by the time i was at the hospital i wasn't thinking about food..i was focused on birthing. While i was at home up to 5cm dilated i was talking and moving around and eating.

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