Food and Walking in Labor

Labor is work. A long one spends real fuel. Midwives at home and at birth centers have generally let women eat and drink in a normal labor, because a woman who is empty and exhausted pushes poorly and copes poorly. The ice-chip rule came from a fear of aspiration if a woman needed general anesthesia. General anesthesia is uncommon in birth now. A light meal is a reasonable thing in a labor that is otherwise normal.

What sits well

• Broth, or a simple soup that is not heavy with fat.
• Toast, a banana, applesauce, yogurt if it does not turn your stomach.
• Honey in tea. Water, more than you think, between contractions.
• Small amounts. A plate you would serve at supper is usually too much, and it may come back up.

Stop if you are vomiting, if the labor has become a transfer, or if your midwife says the situation has changed. A hospital that still limits you to clear liquids is allowed to have that policy. You can ask. You can also bring the broth and see what the midwife on shift actually permits for a low-risk labor. Do not sneak a heavy meal against a clinician who is preparing you for surgery. That old risk was about anesthesia, and it still applies on the way to an operating room.

Walking, kneeling, and swaying matter as much as the food. A baby who is coming down needs room, and the pelvis changes shape when you move. Lying still on your back is the position that suits a monitor, not the position that suits most babies. If a continuous monitor is truly needed, ask for a wireless one so you can stand. If it is not needed, ask for a midwife to listen at intervals and let you walk.

Rest is also a position. A side-lying mother who has walked for hours is not failing. She is spending the strength on the contraction instead of on her feet. Eat, drink, move, and then lie down when the body asks. No one outside you can time that perfectly.