Childbirth doesn’t always come as swiftly and easily as you imagined if you’re a first-time mum. Depending on the hospital you choose (public or private), the level of health cover you have and any possible complications you, or your baby may encounter, your hospital stay could be anywhere from 24 hours to a week.
Sure, the hospital will provide you with meals throughout your stay, but a wise mum will add some snacks to her hospital bag that can be eaten either during labour or at other times throughout your stay when you’re feeling hungry.
To be honest, I didn’t eat any snacks during the labour and delivery of my 3 children. But, my labours were relatively quick, some mums can be in labor for many, many hours or even days. Considering these long, backbreaking times, food is vital to keep your energy and bodily fluids at optimal levels.
And, if you’re not hungry during the process, there’s a good chance your birthing partner will be, so having healthy snacks at hand is a good idea.
Usually, doctors would advise you to not eat any solid food within 8 hours, especially if you’re undergoing a Caesarean section.
Why? With other muscles getting relaxed to focus on childbirth, your esophagus may be unable to keep solid foods inside your stomach. As a result, it poses a risk of inhaling food into your lungs.
But, wait. No food for 8 hours? Come on. That’s unbearable for a physically demanding task. Fortunately, doctors understand that labouring moms also need a source of energy and hydration. Thus, you can prepare such snacks for your hospital bag:
- Easily digestible food
- Protein-rich
- Carbohydrates
- Non-greasy and non-spicy
9 Basic Healthy Snacks for Your Hospital Bag
Here are some snacks for your hospital bag to relieve you during your stay:
1. Soups
Researchers say that eating protein led to more satisfaction for labouring mums and may even lessen nausea.
Thankfully, a basic dish like chicken soup is a great source of protein. You can prepare a homemade one and set them up in leak-proof containers.
But if you haven’t had the time to cook, your labour partner can grab canned soups from the store and microwave them in the hospital pantry.
While it’s a protein-rich snack and hydrates your body, it’s also undeniably a comforting after-birth food!
2. Salted Crackers
Grab something easily digestible like crackers. Whether plain or flavoured, crackers contain the carbohydrates you need during your labouring hours.
However, salted crackers have more sodium content and help retain the fluids in your body, so you may opt for these rather than plain ones.
3. Jerky
Want a snack you can grab on the go? Then jerky is a good addition to the list.
It’s a lightweight snack not only for campers and adventurers but indeed for labouring mums, too!
Due to its sodium content, it can help you retain bodily fluids which are critical for hydration. However, you wouldn’t want to consume too much salt, so eat it in moderation.
If you opt for a better alternative, try other snacks like meat bars. Better yet, try coconut jerky for a healthier substitute!
4. Hard-boiled or Scrambled Eggs
No dish is easier to prepare than hard-boiled or scrambled eggs. Fortunately, it’s an accessible source of protein and a light meal to ease nausea.
5. Applesauce
Fight hunger and dehydration with a packet of applesauce. Unlike fruits that catch bruises or spoil after a few days, applesauce is a more convenient snack that you can effortlessly slide into your hospital bag. Not to mention, it’s nutritious, too.
Chilled applesauce is a treat during a tiring labour period, so keep them in your insulated cooler bags ready to snack on when you need to.
6. Greek Yoghurt
Greek yoghurt fuels the body with healthy calories. It distinctly has less sugar than your ordinary yoghurt.
The truth is, glucose levels are on the rise during your labouring period. But because Greek yoghurt contains less sugar, it may help you reduce impending feelings of nausea.
Of course, it also has probiotics to keep you from bloating and aids in a relaxed tummy overall. Stir it up and enjoy some with ripe fruits like strawberries, peaches, and grapes, too!
7. Fruits
Bring easily accessible fruits like berries, grapes, and chopped up melons. Bananas are great, too, but make sure you consume them first because they easily bruise and perish. Or better yet, bring banana chips!
Your hospital visit can take as long as 5 days. That said, if you’re packing fresh fruits, eat them first before other snacks to avoid spoiling.
But if you want more convenient ready-to-eat fruits, you can buy dried pineapple, apricot, and pear, too. They have a longer shelf life with no hassle to wash and peel.
Moreover, dates are one of the healthiest dried foods you can munch on during your labor. They contain iron and potassium and won’t spike up sugar levels.
8. Isotonic Drinks (Sports Drinks)
You’re about to undergo a process that is physically demanding, so it makes sense that sports drinks would be a good addition to your ‘snacks for labour’ arsenal.
There’s a chance you won’t feel like eating anything during your labour, so isotonic drinks like Gatorade, Lucozade Sport, or PowerAde can give you the energy boost you might need. They contain salt and sugar similar to your body so you absorb it faster and hydrate you more effectively than water alone.
However, avoid sports drinks that are too sugary and dyed. They contain too many chemicals and may even increase your glucose levels.
9. Coconut water
Coconut water always works its nutritious wonders. It’s a powerful source of electrolytes which are essential minerals – sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and a lot more – to replace the electrolytes you release through sweat.
It’s nutrient-packed and perfect for breastfeeding mums.
Other Snack Ideas
OK, we’ve looked at all the healthy snack ideas you might like to pack in your bag for your hospital stay, but you might want to consider some more ‘treat-like’ snacks too. I had gestational diabetes with 2 of my 3 pregnancies so had to follow a fairly strict diet.
I remember being very jealous of the mothers who were advised to bring a bag of lollies with them to snack on during labour. Sometimes your body just needs a quick hit of easy to digest sugar, and that’s when a bag of lolly snakes, frogs or raspberries could be just the thing you need.
You might also like a quick something sweet straight after labour too. Not recommended for mothers with diabetes or gestational diabetes ( I know, I checked with the midwife) – they keep testing your blood sugar even after the birth and you don’t want to spike it for the sake of a lolly!
Also, if you’re not a fan of hospital food, or have particular dietary requirements, you might want to pack some small bags of chips or popcorn, and maybe even a block of chocolate – you’ll be celebrating the birth of your beautiful baby, might as well celebrate in style with some chocolate!
Wrap Up
These are the 9 easy-to-prepare hospital snacks for your labouring hours.
In addition, it’s extra convenient to prepare your snacks in insulated cooler bags, ice packs, and separate food containers to organize your food stack.
Moreover, dads need some snacks, too, don’t they? Prepare snacks for you and your care partner. Even if you don’t eat your snacks, your birth partner will surely gobble them up!
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