What do you think of this? Did this happen to you when you were in labor? What reason did they give you for this practice?
12 comments:
Anonymous
said...
I agree that women should be allowed to eat. With all three of the boys I was not allowed anything beecause "it might come back up and in the event of an emergency c-section it would not be good for you".
I think it is crazy not to allow women to eat in labor. Eating the proper foods during labor can give you the energy to continue. I would much rather eat than have glucose through an iv!
I don't remember being hungry during labor as I don't labor long, but I remember feeling like I was starving as soon as labor was over! Since all my children were born AFTER the cafeteria was closed this seemed to be a huge issue. One time they did have some lunch meat sandwiches and cheesecake in a small fridge, that was with second child in the first hospital. But with my first child, my husband had to leave and go get food. He came back with taco bell for me. I was so grateful. I was not on diet restrictions, they just did not have food available. The third child, and second hospital, I think he went to steak and shake and got me a shake and fries. I do remember in the birthing class them telling us all we would be allowed was ice chips. I am not an ice person. Just don't like it, but did eat those during labor. I often wonder how much is good practice and how much is being over-protective if that makes any sense. :)
Actually, it has nothing to do with protecting you or good medical practice. If you eat during labor, you might (ahem) you know, during labor. Medical staff like labor to be quick and clean. That's why they push pitocin when it's unnecessary and why they don't allow you to eat. ;)
To be fair, I was allowed to eat. And then, ahem, it all came back up. The nurse told me that some people's GI shuts down during labor. So some of the concern may be that as well.
I wish I had been able to keep it down. I did need the energy through my extremely long labor.
Yes, but why would they be concerned about you tossing your cookies? You don't see parents running their kids to the ER every time they overeat before playing on the merry-go-round. The concern is the mess. Think about it. ;)
Actually, the concern was my comfort, as vomiting on top of everything else was a moment of true misery. I can assure you that I made lots of other mess, and they didn't mind a bit. (To this day, I am sure that I became a horror story they tell each other in the break room. But they were sweet as pie when in the room with me.)
I never got hungry during labor, but with my son, AFTER he was born I had not eaten for 26 hours and I could not find any idiot to bring me some food! Finally I got a sandwich about 2 hours later after my husband went to the nurses station for the 12th time. He would have went to get it himself, but we both kept thinking SURELY it will be any time now! Then, like an hour after the sandwich someone brings a regular dinner tray. DUH! Like I was hungry again an hour later. Makes me have such confidence in hospital communication! If I am ever blessed to be pregnant again, we will homebirth!
It's ridiculous. I was told I might throw up, inhale it and die, so I had better put the gatorade down and get back on the bed, or else.
Labor is hard work! You can't run a marathon on an empty stomach! My body craves what it needs--during labor, that is, otherwise it craves cake--and I do well to listen to it.
Although, if you think about it, starving you and telling you to work your butt off may speed labor, since the baby decides to move out when his food supply is cut off--haha!
My husband is an ob/gyn and it IS actually about having to have an emergency C-section and aspiration of food into the lungs. However, I have had 5 babies and am pregnant with my 6th and get so weak and tired during labor that I have convinced my hubby that this time I AM going to eat. It has nothing to do with making a mess, (throwing up), they really do not care--trust me.
I'm always soooo hungry so this time I ate a big meal when I knew I was going into labor. Unfortunately, I had to breath deep to avoid ralphing during labor so I'm not sure what the best route is...
I don't remember being hungry at all during labor (the longest was 12 hours). I did toss my cookies during my first, probably because of nerves. They cleaned me up REALLY quick. But I was always STARVING afterward - so bad I wanted a McDonald's cheeseburger and fries and I hate McDonald's!
12 comments:
I agree that women should be allowed to eat. With all three of the boys I was not allowed anything beecause "it might come back up and in the event of an emergency c-section it would not be good for you".
I think it is crazy not to allow women to eat in labor. Eating the proper foods during labor can give you the energy to continue. I would much rather eat than have glucose through an iv!
I don't remember being hungry during labor as I don't labor long, but I remember feeling like I was starving as soon as labor was over! Since all my children were born AFTER the cafeteria was closed this seemed to be a huge issue. One time they did have some lunch meat sandwiches and cheesecake in a small fridge, that was with second child in the first hospital. But with my first child, my husband had to leave and go get food. He came back with taco bell for me. I was so grateful. I was not on diet restrictions, they just did not have food available. The third child, and second hospital, I think he went to steak and shake and got me a shake and fries. I do remember in the birthing class them telling us all we would be allowed was ice chips. I am not an ice person. Just don't like it, but did eat those during labor. I often wonder how much is good practice and how much is being over-protective if that makes any sense. :)
Actually, it has nothing to do with protecting you or good medical practice. If you eat during labor, you might (ahem) you know, during labor. Medical staff like labor to be quick and clean. That's why they push pitocin when it's unnecessary and why they don't allow you to eat. ;)
To be fair, I was allowed to eat. And then, ahem, it all came back up. The nurse told me that some people's GI shuts down during labor. So some of the concern may be that as well.
I wish I had been able to keep it down. I did need the energy through my extremely long labor.
Yes, but why would they be concerned about you tossing your cookies? You don't see parents running their kids to the ER every time they overeat before playing on the merry-go-round.
The concern is the mess. Think about it. ;)
Actually, the concern was my comfort, as vomiting on top of everything else was a moment of true misery. I can assure you that I made lots of other mess, and they didn't mind a bit. (To this day, I am sure that I became a horror story they tell each other in the break room. But they were sweet as pie when in the room with me.)
I never got hungry during labor, but with my son, AFTER he was born I had not eaten for 26 hours and I could not find any idiot to bring me some food! Finally I got a sandwich about 2 hours later after my husband went to the nurses station for the 12th time. He would have went to get it himself, but we both kept thinking SURELY it will be any time now! Then, like an hour after the sandwich someone brings a regular dinner tray. DUH! Like I was hungry again an hour later. Makes me have such confidence in hospital communication! If I am ever blessed to be pregnant again, we will homebirth!
It's ridiculous. I was told I might throw up, inhale it and die, so I had better put the gatorade down and get back on the bed, or else.
Labor is hard work! You can't run a marathon on an empty stomach! My body craves what it needs--during labor, that is, otherwise it craves cake--and I do well to listen to it.
Although, if you think about it, starving you and telling you to work your butt off may speed labor, since the baby decides to move out when his food supply is cut off--haha!
;)
My husband is an ob/gyn and it IS actually about having to have an emergency C-section and aspiration of food into the lungs. However, I have had 5 babies and am pregnant with my 6th and get so weak and tired during labor that I have convinced my hubby that this time I AM going to eat. It has nothing to do with making a mess, (throwing up), they really do not care--trust me.
Laura
I'm always soooo hungry so this time I ate a big meal when I knew I was going into labor. Unfortunately, I had to breath deep to avoid ralphing during labor so I'm not sure what the best route is...
I don't remember being hungry at all during labor (the longest was 12 hours). I did toss my cookies during my first, probably because of nerves. They cleaned me up REALLY quick. But I was always STARVING afterward - so bad I wanted a McDonald's cheeseburger and fries and I hate McDonald's!
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