I'm almost 39 weeks pregnant! ACK! I wanted to get a bunch of opinions suggestions on foods to pack in my hospital bag though. What do you bloop moms recommend that won't make me necessarly throw up, and that I can just lightly munch on throughout early and transitional labor?

My favorites were applesauce and yogurt, grapes, crackers and apple juice and ice water. SIMPLE carbs that are easy to be broken down. I eventually hit a wall and I didn't WANT to eat any more after a certain point and started throwing up - good thing about applesauce etc. is it digests fairly quickly. Hard candies also Meg, they'll keep your mouth moist (and bad breath away) along with giving you a small dose of sugar. I really, really loved jolly ranchers.

I didn't bring snacks. My labor from start to finish was less than 4 hours, and they wouldn't let me eat anything at the hospital, anyway...
I would probably take things like banana chips, or other dried fruit. Maybe some kind of baked chips, or mini rice cakes. I'm not sure I'd be able to eat anything heavier than that!

The fact so many women do vomit during labour actually illustrates the importance of keeping good to a minimum (and light snacks which will be more quickly broken down than fatty or high protein meals), and in some women avoiding food entirely. When you vomit normally it ends up on the floor or in a bowl, but if that stuff is all sitting in your stomach and you need a general anaesthetic for a crash c-section it will most likely spill up into your throat and most importantly, because when anaesthetists you loose your protective reflexes, it will then go back down into your chest. This causes an inflammatory effect in the lungs and the woman can end up in ICU on a ventilator or even dead. It also delays the time to getting the baby out so the baby's life is at risk also.

I think we need to be sensible about these things (and a lack of nutrition in labour isn't good either), and don't believe in fasting EVERYONE, but it is justified in women who are Hugh risk. Also, i'm afraid going into labour with a breech baby is most definitely in that category and I think it would actually be negligent for a midwife to encourage you to eat in labour if your baby is breech as the risk of c-section is so high.

Argh, predictive text! When anaesthetised you lose your protective reflexes.

And high risk.

My midwife did not know until today that Sophia had turned. She said babies, can turn just as easily back to head down than breech though as well, because last week she was happily in my pelvis!

My prayer ultimately is that she will turn. I know that everyone keeps saying a c-section is not that bad, etc. But for me. It is. I would be so upset! :(

I am the same way Meg. If I had to get a c-section I would likely have a panic attack and completely cry. I have had three kids naturally, well three kids vaginally, and having a c-secion is my biggest fear, in life. :(

@mindi: That doesn't make sense. A c-section is your biggest fear in life? Bigger than the fear of dying or your baby dying? Obviously most women would rather not have a c-section, but to consider it worse than the alternative in an emergency is rather illogical!

Fears do not have to be logical. You would think you as a doctor would know that. My bigggest fear in life is surgery in general specifically a c-section, yes. The last time I had surgery (and it was minor) on that exact day my mother turned her back on me and my step dad started raping me. For me surgery brings up all those fears of something horrible happening again.

I think eating and drinking in prelabour is important. I think a lot of women literally forget to eat. Having thrown up a whole curry + naans in transition with my first child, I avoided heavy meals with my second pending labour. However, as I went into labour on easter sunday, I'd eaten a whole roast dinner. Wasn't sick this time round though.

Strange question..most doctors don't allow you to eat, from what I gather..

But, I'm guilty of eating butterscotch oatmeal cookies..I didn't get sick. I'd be shocked if someone were capable of vomiting and delivering at the same time...

nevermind..I read further..

@stephanie, I'm unsure if I should apologize or applaud you for your skill..however unpleasant I'm sure it was..

@Unauthorized...not that I am proud of it, but when I gave birth all three times, I had a bed pan to throw up in as I was pushing, I got very very sick while I was in labor.

@Meg..I loved to chew on ice, that helped me get the water I needed without throwing it up right away...I also was addicted to Jolly Ranchers. I didnt really eat anything the whole time I was in the hospital (1st time-17 hours), (Second Time-12 hours), (Third Time-8 hours) I was in labor much longer than those times, but by the time I got to the hospital I was at the throwing up stage :(

Doctors do allow you to eat, at least where I'm delivering. IN FACT, they have a mini fridge for those of whom wish to bring there own drinks/snacks. Or they PROVIDE snacks for you.

Oh and you very capable of delivering and vomiting at the same time - I did it with my first, and that was absolutely horrible which is why I wanted to know more "birth" friendly snacks! :)

lol that just sounds like way too much going on, and I've never heard of that happening. Seriously..now I'm thinking, maybe my doctor wanted me to be extra surprised if it did happen. So she could have some sort of vengeance. (We didn't agree on anything, and I thought she was particularly useless.) But, I suppose stranger things do happen..

I didn't have a typical pregnancy, so I shouldn't speculate on such things. I just know there was no mini fridge and the nurse kept scolding me for eating...and they made quite a huge deal about it..I thought it was silly.

I think it depends on the type of hospital you deliver at and also the type of doctor/midwife you have. I go to a midwife, who practices all natural birthing and laboring. I also am delivering in a natural style hospital. You have to have your baby room in with you, not the nursery, they don't even typically give medicine for pain, etc. until you are at least 6 or 7 centimeters. Sounds absurd but it's exactly what I want! :)

This hospital is also BRAND new and was recently remodeled to fit their natural views. Hence why you have the fridge, etc! :) I'm most excited about the jacuzzi whirlpool! ;-D

You should find out if the hospital you're delivering at allows you to eat first (if you haven't asked yet). I wasn't allowed to eat and it sucked because I had eaten only an apple that morning. I could only have ice chips.

I posted this for another blooper, but my midwife/doctors and the hospital where I deliver DO ALLOW you to eat. I mean truly, how can they stop you? Anyways, the rooms for labor/delivery actually have a mini fridge for those patients who wish to bring it cold drinks or snacks from their own home or liking. If not, they offer and encourage you to snack. They don't recommend FOOD, like steaks, tacos, etc. but they recommend snacking throughout your entire labor.

I agree with .LOVE.STRUCK. I wasn't allowed to eat anything while in labor with my daughter. I didn't eat anything alllll day, I was in labor for 18 hrs!! :( Literally right after she was born, WHILE GETTING STITCHED UP, I took my mom's left over Coke and strawberry cookies and grubbed on them!

And with my son, his labor went so fast(felt like 15 minutes but it was 6 hrs), I didn't get to even think of eating anything!

I posted this for another blooper, but my midwife/doctors and the hospital where I deliver DO ALLOW you to eat. I mean truly, how can they stop you? Anyways, the rooms for labor/delivery actually have a mini fridge for those patients who wish to bring it cold drinks or snacks from their own home or liking. If not, they offer and encourage you to snack. They don't recommend FOOD, like steaks, tacos, etc. but they recommend snacking throughout your entire labor. :)

I loved yogurt! Yogurt and gatorade. :) By the time I got to the hospital I was ready to push so I did not want to eat anything at that point.

Oh, and you know my opinion on not being "allowed" to do something at the hospital...lol. Your hospital sounds very accommodating so I doubt you will have a problem with that!

I've noticed these last two weeks that yogurt has been my "comfort" food! When I feel sick to the stomach even a little serving seems to calm everything down! I actually am doing yogurt, the frozen grapes, granola, and I bought dried apples because they are so easy for my stomach to digest!

Oh and yes gatorade!!! I LOVE GATORADE!!!!

@madetoshine: The fasting thing is a balance of safety/risks. For women with an increased risk of needing a c-section in a hurry (obese women, those with epidurals, women who had a previous c-section) it is unfortunately important that they DON'T eat. Drinking clear fluids is fine though.

In my labour I didn't eat at all, I just didn't feel hungry. Although I would've drank about 3 litres of water, the gas made me so thirsty!!!