# "Last Meal" advice?



## Verse

I was wondering if anyone had any advice on what to eat before heading off to the hospital for the big day? At our childbirth preparation class the nurse was advising everyone to try and stay home for a while in early labor and pointed out that since we would not be allowed to eat at the hospital that we should try and eat something before coming in. Just looking for ideas of things to put on (and keep off!) the menu... Thanks!


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## Samemka

Why wouldn't you be allowed to eat at the hospital?? You'll be encouraged to keep your energy levels up, some labours can go on for days!


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## Steffyxx

Lol well i would say stay away from curry and anythiing spicy (for obdvious reasons) ;) but to be honest when i was sent home after going in to be checked after waters broke i didnt have an appetite when it came to eating i cooked myself a big pizza at 1am had one bite and was sick :( and watched other half eat the lot dont know if this is common ?!?


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## NaturalMomma

Something high in protein. For ds1 I ate a ton of yogurt and peanut butter sandwiches before going in. At our hospital you are not allowed to eat once you get there, not until baby is born.


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## 5-a-side

I had biscuits and chocolate during labour. Not a meal I know but did help with energy.
I would go for plain meals, nothing creamy or spicy. And something light too. Maybe a pasta dish? Or something plain on toast?


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## yourstruly10

All I will say is dont eat a buffalo chicken sandwhich lol.


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## kristel_

I had sweet chilli noodles with chicken at the start of my labour, i got to the hospital and was sick as soon as i had the gas and air. Needless to say it looked and smelt gross and i won't be having that at the start of labour next time!! :haha:


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## princess_vix

once in labour i wasn't hungry i was to excited then when i got into full blown labour i was too sick and tired to eat :(


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## FirstBean

I came home after my check after my waters broke and had a jacket potato but could only eat half I was feeling very sick didnt have much of an appetite.


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## mandyselinger

Well, I am planning on having a huge salad with spinach, tons of veggies, nuts, cheese, and chicken! Also, lots of fruit as that always does the trick for me as far as energy is concerned! And as far as not being allowed to eat in the hospital, that is true where I am from...you are only allowed ice chips, but I am thinking that I might try and sneak in something, maybe fruit or even granola bars because if my labor with our daughter is as long as it was with our son, I will starve.


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## Rees

I had a roast dinner :lol: (I went into labour and gave birth on a Sunday) I felt it gave me enough energy to get through labour, also at the hospital I was eating Chomps and Wispa Golds, mmmmmm.... The choc certainly helped me :)


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## Staceysparkle

I'd heard about so many people that were in labour for days and starving so I was determind to have a good feed before going in and ordered myself a chinese :rofl: It took aaages to come though and my contractions were getting stronger but I managed to wolf down half of it before we went to the hospital but when I got there I felt really sick and had a really upset stomach (might just have been the clearout though) and after being in the pool for a bit and some gas and air projectile vomited all over myself, the pool, midwife and OH so don't think I would recommend that lol.


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## sam#3

The best meal you can have is one high in protein and complex carbs - so plenty of wholegrain. This will really help keep your energy levels up 
This is then usually toppped up by lots of sweet fixes through the labour!


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## sequeena

I'm thinking something plain like toast...


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## helen1234

flapjacks :)


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## sam#3

mmm warm flapjacks.... (or flapjack mix scraped out of the bowl!!)


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## puppycat

I think the 'not eating' rule is a precaution is US hospitals due to the high c sec rates.

I had a McDonalds because I needed to eat there and then! lol


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## membas#1

i was cooking dinner when i started feeling like something might be happening...we finished cooking dinner, ate, cleaned up, went for a walk and i went into labor. my "last meal" was salmon burgers. once in labor i ate a banana and an apple, and drank juice and water. i had a short 7 hours from the onset of true labor (after dinner that night) to her birth. After she was born i ate lots of yogurt and granola and cheese. protein is great for labor and fruit/juice kinds of things for some sugar energy helped me too :)


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## Rmar

I had oatmeal. I had it just as I was going into active labour. If you are already in active labour, small snacks are better because some people do get sick. Eat when you feel like it. Most of the time, apetite goes away during the later part of labour so have something ready for afterwards. I had a banana milkshake to bring back some energy. You'll want something to give you energy afterwards because it isn't a good idea to sleep before you urinate and it took me about 6 hours to go.


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## Nikki_d72

Eat like you are about to run a marathon! So complex carbs and protein. 

Unfortunately many hospitals stop you from eating "just in case" you need operative delivery - talk about setting you up for a fail, eh?! Maybe sneak in some small snacks so you don't get exhausted, or put it in your birth plan that you insist on being able to eat and drink during labour and organise it beforehand. You would never be expected to go without energy and hydration doing that amount of physical work in any other circumstances, it's ridiculous. Many folk swear by sports drinks like powerade as well to get them through.


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## Marlarky

I had Chinese food the night before and I was find during labor. I didnt eat before I went to my dr appt though (when they saw my bp was through the roof and broke my waters at 3cm) so I was starvinggggg during labor. But seriously Im convinced Chinese food is what made my baby come out! I ate until I couldnt eat anymore and then kept eating even though I could barely eat anymore. I wanted baby to have nowhere else to go but out... well it worked!! Had him at 40+1 :)


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## NawlinsMama

The second I walked in the hospital doors (I was induced) I was craving a BK stacker. So, against the (very vehement) wishes of the nurse, DH went out and got me one. I told her I *wasn't* having a C-section so it didn't matter. :haha:

Eat what you want. It will allllll come out right before you go into labor anyway. :blush:


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## krockwell

I would advise staying away from ham sandwiches and apple juice... :haha: 

Although, it was probably too late (I was in hospital for 2 1/2 days being induced before I ate this) to be eating... 

Of course, I didn't have my puke dish, and no one (nurse, OH and my mom had left the room for a while cuz nothing was going on) was in the room with me... so vommied all over myself, the bed and it even went on the floor at the end of the bed :haha:

I would say, eat something light, but full of protein to help you through! :thumbup:


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## knitbit

Just FYI, when you go into active labor, odds are everything is going to come back up at some point anyway. Let's just say that your body evacuates everything to make room. Sticking to easily digestible and hydrating foods here, LOL.


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## dan-o

Hmm after reading this, I think I'll stick to something soft and easy to throw up then lol! :haha:


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## fifi-folle

Porridge or pasta in the early stages was suggested at my birth prep class then lucozade type drinks for later with lollies or sweets to suck for later in labour.


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## jstarr

I don't get why some hospitals won't let you eat?! what if you were in labour for a long time? I would say its better to eat little and often of long lasting high energy foods, like complex carbs etc

Also I wasn't sick and didn't feel sick at all so don't not eat because you're worried about throwing up, lots of people don't


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## Verse

Thanks so much for the suggestions--keep them coming :) 

The nurse pretty much said the not eating policy was an archaic rule that the hospital just had not gotten rid of yet. But for someone with a fairly high metabolism who is used to eating lots of frequent, small meals spending 12+ hours with no food is a good way to make me pass out under normal circumstances. 

I am told that the hospital allows ice and popcicles...


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## Celesse

I threw up everything from evening meal the day before labour until after she was born. 

I'm pretty sure they can advise you not to eat during labour, but no one can say your not _allowed_ as that would be against your basic human rights.


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## Kte

I managed a bit of chicken pie and mash potato just before we set off to the hospital (arrived at 7cm). I wasn't really hungry at that point but my OH and his Mum seemed to be in denyal I think so they just got on with making dinner as ususal! I had just eaten what I normally liked up until that point.


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## Siobhan14

I know one thing I won't be eating anywhere near to my due date is cabbage rolls! A friend of mine is of Polish descent and her mom made a huge batch of cabbage rolls one night...so friend decided to eat EIGHT! Sure enough, she went into labour the next morning and had an epidural so she could not control her bowels...she was cleaned up 3 times by the nurses and one actually commented that she would likely never be able to eat cabbage rolls again :haha: I would be mortified!


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## Eternal

i ate something spicy lol! but i did all week trying to induce labour. i didnt give birth for nearly 24 hours later though so glad a had a proper meal as i didnt eat my whole labour.


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## Rhio92

I can't remember my last meal :haha: The moment I went into labour, my appetite vanished. I remember forcing myself to eat cereal, and the hospital tried to make me eat toast ( didn't want to take cocadomol (sp) on an empty stomach) but I just couldn't (I chucked the cocadomol in the bin lol).

My advice would be to eat what you fancy (within reason!) If you dont fancy eating any of the high carb recommended stuff, then don't. You might as well enjoy your last meal :haha:


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## Rees

I never had a clear out, nor did I puke after my roast dinner. I only pooed while pushing, so everyone's different, don't let people's stories of throwing up their food stop you from eating something while you're in labour.

And mmmmm, flapjack, might have to make some very soon!


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## holly2234

I cant really remember what i had. I think it was a jacket potato and cheese though. That was just before my waters went because i had dinner, had a shower then got into bed. Then my waters went (typical!). After that i ate a few sweets. After Erin was born i was sooo hungry and unbelievably thirsty! I ate loads of toast and cereal bars and crisps and drank about a litre. I was never sick and im told i didnt poo either.


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## kittycat18

I intend on eating a bowl of cereal, a yoghurt and a piece of fruit before I leave for the hospital. I am taking 2 bottles of water, oranges and some sweets to the Hospital with me to suck or chew on :D


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## LockandKey

I went out to dinner with my DH and some good friends at a favorite Japanese restaurant when I hit 40 weeks, 3 days later she came


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## lozzy21

Something light like soup.


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## AshleyNichole

i know when i first went in labor with my son @ 28wks i was eating some chicken and veggie soup and just got the feeling like i couldn't eat anymore, and puked once i got out the door to head to the hospital and puked more later on that evening @ the hospital :(


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## mommy_2008

lol dont eat while u are in labor because u will be throwing up and shittin from when u get in the hospital lol :) its so true


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## sophisticat

I had one and a half slices of toast and a lovely cup of tea about 7 hours before he was born and that was it! I really had no appetite. Once I got to hospital I thought I'd better eat something (we are allowed to eat, and I'd packed lots of snacks) but I only managed one dried apricot.


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## wishuwerehere

I don't really remember being hungry, but it was 10 at night when i went into labour...
I did have sips of lucozade during labour though, that was like nirvana!


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## flashy09

The whole pooping on the delivery table weighs heavily on my mind. Scared to eat anything I don't want my husband to see a few hours later!


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## misspeach24

My last meal was special salmon curry ordered from one of the best indians in scotland, unfortunatly it ended up all over my bed later on that night. Sufface to say I cant look at that curry again 
In my second day of labour I couldnt eat a thing, everything just came right back up!


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## aileymouse

I was eating pizza and chips at home before going in to hospital.
I didn't see it again later. Had a quick labour once in hospital so didn't get chance to eat anything else. Was sipping lucozade throughout though.


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## lynnikins

i had pizza and wedges before going in to be induced with ds2 wasnt sick and i was sipping water during labor ( was overnight so they werent serving food ) with ds1 i ate normally till i got to the hospital then i had a bit of sausage cassarole for dinner ( just a tiny bit ) and apple pie with custard and was fine it didnt come back up lol


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## MLS

I was induced, so before I went in, I had a nice BIG steak, and some twice baked potatoes. Yummy!!!


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## Charlie_x

with DS2 i had a kebab and he was born the next morning, what ever you do dont have a kebab as your last meal!! pmsl


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## emalou90

I ate, some seabrook crisps (which i will never eat again) and an apple at lunch.
went to hosp at 4
then i threw up at 4:15 after my internal because i was so excited in a nice cardboard bowl :haha:


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