I second that. If you eat, you will hurl. I promise.
And really - eating anything while you are going through contractions (even when several minutes apart) just doesn't sound like fun. I went through 22 hours of labor. The last thing you are thinking about is eating.
Not too crispy, but I want it to hold it shape when I pick it up.
There is nothing worse than limp bacon!!
LMAO... Three monsters, all born at home.
SURE I ate... Taco Bell at that, and I don't even LIKE Taco Bell.
Yep, barfed during transition... but just for the girl. The two boys, no barfing.
For a detailed birth plan, I suggest that the hospital be AVOIDED. It's dangerous, and full of germs.
I did EXACTALLY as I pleased... lots of loud music, a couple gallons of iced tea... and was wandering about taking a shower RIGHT AFTER the DELIVERY.
Dressed and shopping two hours later... oh, alright, in FLATS.
A baby is NOT a medical THING! If women in China can give birth in a rice paddy, and continue on... no reason I couldn't.
I also had first dollar coverage... wouldn't have cost me a DIME to go to the hospital.
Except I don't TRUST doctors, and will NEVER let them be in CHARGE.
Katt
Hi Robin - I enjoy your posts. I had my first, a girl, 6 mo. ago. I was also worried about getting hungry during labor but it was the last thing on my mind. I was thirsty and drank water and juice over ice chips and that was nice.
I threw up - I think some women do, during the transition stage, and it's not related to what or whether you eat.
What's scary about your first labor and delivery is being out of control and not knowing what is going to happen - the anticipation of it. So if making a drink to take with you to the hospital and drinking it in early labor will make you feel like you're doing "something" for your own comfort, do it! What's the baking soda for? And the calcium tablets?
I saw the Business of Being Born last week. It's beautiful. It's not gross at all (and I am grossed out easily). I highly recommend it.
My wife just gave birth to our daughter naturally in Idaho. Our baby was breeched and no doctor in Montana would deliver her naturally, it was just an automatic C-section, and it is illegal for our midwife to do it, so my wife did an insane amount of research and found a place in Meridian, ID that would deliver the baby naturally if she stayed breeched. (Which she did.) The ladies at the Baby Place were amazing! They were there for the family and the baby, not the cash and not trying to just "get the baby out safely." I've seen a lot of doctors play mind games since my wife got pregnant, and honestly I have very very little faith in the traditional medical community.
@ PeanutButter: "Oh yeah, and the nurses at work have a saying: "The longer the birth plan, the higher the chance of a Cesarean" "
Sooooo very true. This nurse's theory is that the stress of trying to control every detail stresses you out so hard that you can't focus on your actual job, which is delivering a healthy baby. My mom had both of us without even an IV and was home in six hours. My cousin was induced, they pushed her too hard and she had an emergency C section. Every birth is different.
My best advice as a NICU nurse who's been to lots of births is make your wishes (food related or not) known to your nurses and doctor, but be realistic that sometimes stuff just happens and the plan may not be feasible. And know that since OB/L&D is the most sued specialty in medicine, MDs and RNs get reaaaally twitchy about deviating from hospital protocol, because that can be their only defense if something goes awry. The best thing is to check in with your doc BEFORE something comes up during the labor process, when you're not in pain or overwhelmed by emotions. And if your doc says "NO. All women at X hospital must be on their backs/confined to bedrest/totally without food or drink no matter what" then maybe think about another hospital.
Dmarina, I've been too nervous to watch The Business of Being Born, actually! People always seem so horrified by it. But maybe I should watch it...sometime when he's not home.
My only birth plan is to learn as much as I can and then go with the flow and do whatever we need to do to keep everyone healthy and sane. My OB made it clear early on that she thinks detailed birth plans are setups for disappointment and difficulty, and as a somewhat rigid person I can easily imagine myself ending up in that kind of situation if I try to map everything out. It has been very interesting to read responses to this post from people with actual childbearing experience (including my mother, who responded offline and who also thought nibbling during labor did not sound appealing or right). I guess it is wishful thinking on my part to imagine that the discomfort of hunger might be able to compete with all the other, um, discomforts I'll be feeling. I am oscillating between curious about and terrified of labor and love hearing about other people's experiences. Of course, it is stories like amya413's that are the most heartening. Every story is so different.
PS Andrew just read this post and asked me to append a disclaimer making clear that my opinions do not reflect his medical recommendation :) As the teacher in our childbirth class said over and over again when any labor choice came up, "You'll have to discuss that with your practitioner." Of course, she always said it in a way that implied that your callous practitioner would probably make whatever recommendation was least likely to interrupt his golf game, but as someone who is awfully fond of more than one doctor, I can assure you that they aren't all bad.
I don't think it's true that "most" women throw up. I had a HUGE dinner (1/2 pound hamburger, order of fries, strawberry smoothie) the night before I gave birth to my daughter. I went into labor at 2 something and she was born at 6:14, and I never threw up. I was induced with #2, and I had eaten lunch. They started the induction at 6 pm, and she was born at 11:09 pm, and again, no hurling.
Like so many things, I think that there are a lot of self-fulfilling prophecies that come into play with labor and delivery.
@Dmarina - I would've LOVED to have a home birth, but my husband just couldn't get on board. Since he had to go through it, too, in a different but still difficult way, I compromised. Drug free, hospital births with an OB present, but I went home early both times.
people are so opiniated around the subject of labor and birth!
i'm having a home birth, so i'm going to eat and drink and throw up and (censored for the food blog) to my heart's content.
robin, did you watch the business of being born? that'll really get your m.d. hubby's panties in a twist ;)
Oh yeah, and the nurses at work have a saying: "The longer the birth plan, the higher the chance of a Cesarean" Try to go with the flow, and good luck!
Water mixed with gingerale on ice, and a few saltine crackers seem to work the best as a nice light snack with minimal vomiting. But most women do throw up...
I made some Labourade in preparation for the birth of my son back in March. It sounded like such a great idea and was highly recommended by my midwives as well. Unfortunately, I vomited through all 35 hours of labour and the taste of bitter honey juice was even more disgusting coming back up.
The only thing that kept me hydrated was a giant cup filled with ice and a bit of apple juice poured over top.
However, there were a few women in my pre-natal class that had success with Labourade, so go figure. I think the best advice I can pass on (just what you were looking for, I'm sure) is this: Go with the flow. Screw the plan.
Good luck!
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