Thursday 10 March 2011

Snack time!

Until recently, I believed that women in labor were only able to "survive" on intravenous hydration and ice chips. I just didn't understand how it was possible to run the equivalent of a marathon with nothing decent in your stomach. Luckily for most pregnant ladies, times have changed!

If research indicates that eliminating liquid and solid food during labor is not beneficial, what snacks should I get? So far, this is my little list:

Solid food
Sliced melon and mango
Apple sauce

Sorbet or frozen fruits (much better than ice chips)
Dried fruits
Instant oatmeal

Liquid
Water (obviously)
Fruit juice without pulp
Miso broth
Coconut water

note 1: My husband and I are not living in the dark anymore. We just got cable TV (for the first time in a decade). I must confess that I watched a few episodes of A Baby Story (or as they call it on their web page "a voyeuristic peek at the drama of labor"). Of all the episodes that I watched (what? it is addictive!), none of the women had anything to drink or to eat during labor. Strange!

note 2: My mom is intense. You might tell her a million time that knitting a fancy cardigan for a newborn doesn't make much sense, well, she does it anyway. Dan and I were totally amazed by the craftsmanship that went into that tiny piece of clothing. Alice is one lucky baby!

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

haha, one of the first things the instructor at my prenatal class said was "don't watch a baby story!" she said they can take a normal, beautiful birth and make it seem horrible. so i've been trying to stay away from it (hard!) and instead watch bringing home baby (maybe even scarier!).

Anonymous said...

I do not recall being hungry during labor, (even if and that is my natural state!).

Was until much after giving birth that the hungry monster wake up.

Good luck and have fun!!
Tibi

Lina said...

Funny, I remember for the last two weeks of my pregnancy (8 years ago) I lay on the couch and watched non stop episodes of the baby story...I remember being very hungry and thirsty during my labours.

Lin said...

I don't think I ate a thing during both my labours but then they were quite intense and only lasted a few hours. I imagine if you laboured for 24 hours you'd have to rehydrate and eat!
The sweater is gorgeous - and yes Grandma's do crazy but lovely things - it's a lovely to piece to keep forever.

Di said...

The little cardigan is just perfect - and it is always worth it! My teddy bear wore my brother's first cardigan and baby vest when I was a child - and my teddy is still wearing them in his home at my parents!

Julia Edna said...

Tu accouches à l'hopital ou en maison de naissance? Car, je ne veux pas peter ta bulle mais il y a des hopitaux qui ne tolèrent pas la bouffe malheureusement. Vérifie avec ton hopital car à ste-justine, c'est le soluté et j'ai eu de l'eau sous la menace d'une césarienne...

Sandra said...

Ok so I just found your blog and I love it!!
I'm a knitter and so I love the little cardigan your mom made. Is she on Ravelry? I plan on making all sorts of crazy knits for my little one!

mjb said...

I got sick to my stomach in labor so I was hardly even allowed ice chips - I didn't get too hungry but was sooooo thirsty. Although at first chance afterwards I ordered a cheeseburger from the cafeteria and it stayed down just fine :)

Jennifer said...

What a lovely sweater!

I must have given birth at a dark age hospital because I was only allowed flavored ice chips throughout my (22 hour!) labor.

Toward the end of labor it got to the point were I could have cared less about seeing my kiddo -- I just wanted him out safely so that I could eat and go to sleep. After 25 hours of just ice chips, I would have murdered someone for a cheeseburger & a fresh coke.

UK lass in US said...

What a sweet cardi!

I don't remember being hungry or thirsty - maybe because both my labours were at nighttime. I was more tired than anything else...