Best Snacks To Bring To Hospital For Labor
Best snacks to bring to hospital for labor – Labor can be intense and often times you are not allowed to eat while in active labor. However, your partner and support people should eat so they can be the best labor partners they can be during this exciting time. Some hospitals, depending on how far along you are in labor, allow some snacks in. We are going to dive in with the best snacks to bring to the hospital for labor that everyone will enjoy.
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Why You Need Snacks During Labor
Though many hospitals do not allow snacks during labor (check with your hospital first) some do allow it. Snacks are not only for the mother to be, but also the father, partner or care provider. There is one big reason why bringing snacks for labor is important. Labor can be very long! Yes, sometimes a family can be in the hospital for days either waiting for baby to come and/or recovery after labor. Though the hospital (most of the time) provides food for the mother to be, options for food for care partners can be limited.
Since labor can be hours, if not over a day long, people need to be fueled and be on their top game. Labor can be intensive, exhausting and very painful. Packing the ultimate hospital bag can be a game changer for a smoother labor. If you have good food, you can have the strength to push and work through the pain. Similarly, if your care giver, partner or father of the baby is eating well, they will be able to be ready to assist mom to be or birth parent as much as possible.
Healthy snacks are best because they give you that good energy that fills you up and keeps your sharp during labor. After the birth and during the time remaining in the hospital, snacks may be able to feed you and your care giver when there is not enough food available. The hospital and surrounding area may have limited options and spending as much time as possible with your baby and getting rest is important.
What Kind of Snacks To I Pack For Labor?
Since babies can be unpredictable, it is good to pack as many non perishable food items as possible! We don’t know how long we will be in labor and how long our after birth recovery will take. From emergency c sections to long labors, parents cannot always predict their labor and birth plan. So it is important to pack food that won’t spoil in the next 48 hours.
Generally, it is a good choice to pick foods that give you energy. If you bring all comfort foods, it does not give you enough to get through this physically intense experience. Choose foods that will fuel you, especially if this is your first time giving birth or attending and helping during a birth.
Lastly, it is important to choose foods that are healthy. The nutrients get you through the long process of labor and help you as you begin your road to recovery. Alternatively, the father to be, partner or caregiver will need good nutritious foods to help them be a good help to mom to be.
It is integral to call the hospital and ask what you can bring in. Hospitals may have allergy policies on certain foods like peanuts for example. Clarify with the hospital first before labor starts.
The Best Snacks To Pack For Labor
Why are snacks so important during labor? There are so many reasons! From nutritious to energy filled, snacks are an essential for labor for your team.They help you stay awake, focused and keep everyone healthy. Here are some delicious snacks that you should pack for labor that will help you get through this once in a lifetime experience.
Ginger Cookies
For the nauseated mom to be or a stressed out caregiver, ginger cookies are those tummy soothing snacks that really make it easier. The light hint of ginger and the comfort of a cookie, these are known to ease your stomach which gives you more time to focus on the labor that is happening. They are non perishable and can be stored easily. They are found at any major grocery store. For the baker in the family, fresh ginger cookies are delicious.
Whether store bought or homemade, ginger cookies taste great, make a delicious treat and are known to soothe stressed or nauseated stomachs.
Muffins
These are a filing fiber friendly snack that everyone is going to love. You can pick from banana, carrot, blueberry, cranberries or more! Delicious muffins are great fillers
Crackers
Crackers are known to calm stomachs when they are upset. Something as simple as a saltine or a more elaborate cracker can be a great filling snack for those in the labor room. Add some banana or a nice spread if eating during the same day and have a really healthy alternative to eating hospital fast food.
Apple Sauce
Apple sauce is a favorite treat of many. The smoothie applies go down easily and an ease a troubled stomach. Packed with fiber and healthy sugars, its a nice treat in the labor room.
Trail Mix
This is a delicious and nutritious treat that you can make at home! Pick your favorite trail mix staples and mix them together for a filling snack in the hospital. Remember to ask the hospital first what their allergy policy is before adding any nuts to the trail mix. Feel free to make this snack in bulk!
Granola Mix With Raisins
This delicious treat is yummy and good for you. Feel free to make this mix in bulk because you may be in the hospital for a few days. This is a family favorite!
Raisins
The natural sugars in raisins can give you the boost you need during labor, whether you are the mom to be and allowed to eat or one of the care partners in the labor room. Pack a lot of these as people go through each small pack very quickly!
Dehydrated Fruits
Get your fruit fix without worrying about the fruit rotting while at the hospital. Make a variety of dehydrated fruits. Strawberries never tasted sweeter if you have a sweet tooth! Banana is subtle but has a kick. Our favorite is peaches. They taste delicious when dehydrated! Now you don’t have to worry about your fruit aging, especially if you are at the hospital for a few days.
Beef Jerky
This may be an acquired taste for some, but those who like it, love it! Beef jerky is that salty snack that gives you a protein kick. It also is delicious and does not go bad. This non perishable food is perfect for those who may be in the hospital over twenty four hours.
Dehydrated chickpeas
These delicious pop in your mouth snacks are full of protein. Chickpeas are a favorite around the world. They’re delicious, vegan and good for you. This makes a perfect food to pack, especially for those long haul hospital visits.
Oatmeal Packs
Oatmeal packs are simple, affordable and low maintenance! As long as the hospital can provide you with hot water, you can have a delicious oatmeal snack in minutes.
Granola Bars
These yummy bars are quick, easy to pack and filled with fruits and fiber. This is great for a family looking to fill up quickly.
Hard Boiled Eggs
This protein friendly snack is portable, easy to make and can last through out the day. Make sure this is one of your earlier snacks as eggs can spoil. A hard boiled egg gives you the energy you need while filing your stomach. Store them in a container when packing them in your labor bag.
Soup
This is especially good for those cold days going to the hospital. For the wintry days or the soup lovers, soup is a hearty and healthy snack in the hospital. Vegetable soup is one of our favorites. There are many soups to choose from. As long as you put it in a thermos, you can have soup that is hot for hours. Alternatively, you can bring soup packets that are easier to store. The hospital should have hot water that you can use to heat your soup. Delicious and nutritious, soup will fill you up while you are in the labor room.
Cookies
It’s nice to have a yummy treat! Cookies can be a boost of sugar. Oatmeal and raisin cookies can be especially yummy and makes a good snack. Have fun choosing a fruit for your cookie when choosing your cookie snack.
Fruits
These are perishable items but they can be consumed in the first few hours of labor. Fruits are perfect energy snacks. Full of natural sugars, fiber and so much more, apples, bananas, oranges and more can give you the fuel you need to carry on.
Juices
If you love juice, an orange juice or apple juice may perk you up during labor. Though energy drinks are fan favorites and they do wake you up, they also can make you feel like you’re crashing a few hours later. Keep your blood sugars stable and have a juice! They can be put in a cooler or left in the bag.
Tea
It’s nice to have a tea during labor, especially on those cold days. Bring a few tea bags during labor of your and your partner’s favorite teas. The hospital should have hot water and a cup ready for you. Bring a thermos cup if that is easier for you.
Pretzels
This salty treat is perfect while in labor and very easy to store in your snack labor bag.
Bagels
Bagels are very filling and full of fiber. Choose a prepackaged spread if you prefer and eat this during your first day.
Sandwiches
On your first day, have a sandwich! make your favorite sandwiches so you can eat and stay full during the long hours ahead. This is a perishable item and should be eaten as early as possible.
Nuts
Check ahead of time if your hospital allows nuts and if it is an allergy concern. If it isn’t, pack some delicious pistachios, peanuts, almonds and so much more. They have protein and they are delicious.
These are some of the best hospital snacks you can bring for labor. They are nutritious, delicious and full of the right vitamins or nutrients you need during labor and after birth. Sometimes the hospital cafeterias are busy, closed or just not good, so bringing snacks is a great way to stay alert and healthy.
Always remember to stay hydrated and make sure your care team is hydrated during your stay at the hospital.
How To Pack Your Snacks For Labor
When it is time to go to the hospital, no one knows for how long. It could be as little as a day, but it could span to a number of days, depending on how the labor goes, the recovery and the babies health. It is important that since the stay is minimally overnight, that parents pack their snacks for labor. This involves a bit of planning.
A cooler bag with a ice pack
Have a cooler bag ready to go. Hand held ice packs are great to keep perishable items fresh. Pack perishable items that need to stay cool in this when it is time to go. The excitement and anxiousness of labor may mean you don’t have a lot of time before you leave. Leave this bag next to the fridge and set aside a spot for your perishable items in the fridge so it is a quick grab and go. Heavier items go at the bottom of the cooler, where the lighter and breakable items go on the top securely in the bag.
A Thermos
A thermos is great if you want to pack a hot chocolate for those cold, winter labors, fresh water or some hot soup. Store the thermos at the bottom of your snack bag. Bonus points if your thermos comes with its own attachable cup for serving. A thermos is a lifesaver, especially for soups. This will make sure you are eating healthy and hearty at the hospital.
A Bag for the non perishable snacks
Pack everything in sealable tupperware. Items that are packed in bags will go on the top of the bag, while the heavier items are safely secure at the bottom.
When you arrive at the hospital
Don’t worry about the snacks right away! The most important thing is to check into the maternity ward. Once you are in the maternity ward, your birth partner, the father, or your care giver can go back to the vehicle to pick up snacks and any other bags that are needed. It takes a little while to settle into triage and eventually the maternity room. As long as the labor is going slow, there is a lot of time to go back and grab snacks. Make sure to go back to the vehicle earlier in the labor. As labor progresses, the pain intensifies and it is best to have everything ready before it can get more complicated.
Tips For Birth Partners During Labor
This is for the fathers, partners, birth partners and caregivers of the person who is giving birth. When you see your loved one in pain, many birth partners want to be in solidarity with their partner. This means many caregivers don’t eat if the mother to be or birthing person cannot eat. Trust us when we say, please eat. You are the support system for your partner in need. Eat discretely, but make sure to have full meals or a lot of snacks if you can.
Birth partners do this because we need your energy to be up so you can be the best support system you can be for your partner. The nurses, doctors, doulas and midwives are there dedicated to the health and safety of the mother/birth person and baby. We have to make sure that you are healthy as well! Sometimes, care partners end up in a hospital bed right next to the baby!
Eating regularly and keeping your strength up helps you make rational decisions. If there is an emergency, you are of sound mind to make sure you make good decisions in the best interest of mom/birth person and baby. Secondly, you will be a great help if you are healthy, full and sharp. Lastly, you can put the focus on the family giving birth and the health of the baby.
Things To Remember
-Though hospitals are getting better with their menus, some of the food is not so appealing. That is why we bring snacks!
-Hospital food delivered to the birth room after birth is only for the birth person, not the partners.
-Hospital cafeterias are only open for a limited time during the day. When you are ready to eat, they may be closed!
-Near by restaurants and grocery stores vary city to city. This is why we prepare a snack bag! Also, we may not want to leave the baby as caregivers.
-Making sure you’re eating means you are being the best caregiver during the labor. Eat discretely if you feel bad but make sure you are eating!
-Remember to keep yourself and your team hydrated! Hydration is important.
Being A Good Caregiver
Being a good caregiver means being a healthy caregiver. These points remind caregivers that they may be the ones driving the baby home and they need to be sharp and ready. Eating regularly sets you up for care giving success. With these things in mind, you are going to be a great birth partner and caregiver. It can be intense at times to see someone you care about in pain or distress and it is important that you are ready to help out in any way that you can.
Best Snacks To Bring For Labor
When going into labor, you have to speak to the nurse or doctor if you can have snacks while you are in labor. If so, great! Pack for two. If not, pack for your birth partner, the father or caregivers that may be with you during this labor journey. We have so many delicious snack options for every palate. It is good to make sure to check with the hospital about any foods that are not allowed in the maternity ward because of potential allergic reactions.
With so many options to choose from, you and your team will be healthy, fully and full of nutrition while you welcome the newest little member to your family! Staying well during labor means healthy snacks during labor.
Are You Ready For Labor?
Labor can be mysterious, intense and come suddenly for some parents to be. Are you ready for labor? Whether you are giving birth in a hospital or at home, you are going to want as much information on the labor process as possible. Similarly, you will want to know what you should expect after labor. If you are in your final trimester or just curious about the labor process, check out these great posts full of education and inspiration.
What Happens When You Have The Baby? Second Labor
Learn what happens after you have the baby and the lesser known “second labor” that occurs. Interesting post that cannot be missed!
4 Ways To Prepare Your Body Safely For Labor
Here are 4 must know ways to prepare your body safely for labor.
How To Be The Best Advocate For Your Child
When your child is sick, you are going to be your child’s number one advocate. Here is how to be the best advocate for your child.
With these important posts, you will be ready for the labor process as best as you can be. Whether you are the one giving birth, a caregiver or someone who is a close family or friend, understanding the labor process is very important!
