What to Eat During Labour and Birth
It’s a not-often-discussed fact that food and nutrition play an important role in how your labour unfolds.
Nutrition not only provides the fuel (energy!) for your labour and birth, but specific nutrients make it possible for the physiology of birth to unfold as efficiently as possible and for your body to heal and recovery optimally postpartum.
Nutrition is needed for the cascade of hormones that bring on and advance labour, the changing nature of collagen that allows your cervix to ripen and efface, and to help the tissues of the uterus contract and relax to bring on effective, efficient contractions.
Put simply - the food you eat both during your pregnancy and during your labour can be a helpful tool in your birthing process!
Not to mention, being prepared for what to eat when during your labour can help you feel more prepared, empowered, and organized as the big day approaches.
You can’t control everything about how your labour and birth unfolds, but you can have a kitchen, freezer, snack drawer, and hospital bag ready with ideal fuel for labour, birth, and postpartum healing!
As a perinatal nutrition expert, I'm here to shed light on this crucial aspect, provide evidence-based guidance, offer practical steps for you to add to your labour prep list, and introduce an exciting guide that dives deeper into this topic. Together, these resources can help you navigate labour and post-birth with confidence and vitality!
What actually is labour?
Let's break down what labour really means and how it relates to your food and fuel needs. Essentially, labour is the process of a baby making its way out of your uterus, either through your vagina or via a cesarean birth (c-section), which is a demanding task for everything from your energy to your hormones to your body’s muscles and tissues. This journey typically involves several stages, including early labour, active labour, and post-birth recovery. We'll dive deeper into each of these stages below!
The history of labour nutrition - are you even allow to eat?
You've probably heard the old rule that you can't eat or drink much during birth. It goes back to the 1940s when doctors started suggesting that women stick to clear liquids during labour, mainly because they were worried about the risk of aspiration – that's when food or drink accidentally gets into your lungs, especially during general anesthesia.
Nowadays only about 5% of women actually need that kind of anesthesia during labour, and research shows that fatalities due to anesthesia-associated aspiration are significantly lower than previously thought (even less common than in patients who are intubated for emergency surgery!), so it may make you wonder why we're all following this rule.
Recent studies have come out challenging these old ideas. Turns out, having a snack or sipping on some fluids during labour doesn't seem to cause any more problems. In fact, it might even help make labour shorter and less stressful for moms.
So I can eat during labour?
Most likely, yes! Recent research shows that eating during labour does not increase the likelihood of aspiration or any other negative medical outcome or event. While I can't make a blanket statement for everyone because individual needs vary, it's generally considered very safe.
Why is nutrition so important for labour?
Labour is often compared to running a marathon, but let’s really examine that comparison!
Labour often lasts 12 hours on average, far longer than a typical marathon lasting 4 hours. This extended duration makes it an incredibly demanding process for your body! Like any physically strenuous activity, your body needs fuel not only to sustain through this intense effort but also to aid in recovery after.
The nutrition recommendations for a marathon for fuel, performance, and recovery are as follows:
150-400 calories per hour
450-750ml liquid per hour
Additional electrolytes
If you consider that labour and birth are likewise endurance events that take a large toll on your energy, muscles (your uterus is a muscle and is contracting and relaxing hundreds of times!), and mental and emotional capacity, it’s no surprise that studies show having the ability to eat during labour leads to a more positive, less stressful birth experience.
Navigating nutrition needs through the stages of labour
Early Labour
Fuel Priorities:
This is the initial stage of labour, where contractions begin and the cervix starts to dilate.
This is the longest part of your labour and the ideal time to fuel well!
Choose a small meal and/or a few snacks that will benefit you now as well as later in labour when you may not be able to eat much, or at all
What makes a good early labour meal or snack?
In early labour, a balance of carbs, protein, and fibre is ideal to give you energy for now and to sustain energy levels over the coming hours
Choose an easily-digestible meal that is comforting to you. Consider what you normally have during that time of day (e.g., yogurt parfait or eggs and avocado toast), and what foods feel nourishing to you when you’re not feeling well (e.g., chicken noodle soup, oatmeal)
Choose meal and snacks that wouldn’t be the worst thing if they were to come up later, should active labour bring on nausea for you
Active Labour
Fuel Priorities:
As labour progresses, contractions become more regular and intense, leading to further cervical dilation
In this stage of labour, your hunger may decrease or go away entirely, you may feel nauseous
Ideal fuel for active labour is quick, fast boost snacks and drinks that provide immediate energy and hydration for your tissues, brain, and energy levels
What makes a good active labour snack?
Here we’re looking at simple carbohydrates that give your body an immediate energy boost.
One-bite energy balls, fruit, smoothies, peanut butter stuffed dates and electrolyte-rich drinks help replenish electrolytes and combat fatigue.
Post-Birth Recovery:
After birth, the body enters a phase of healing and recovery.
Focus on replenishing fluids and nutrients to support this process.
Nutrient-dense foods like soups, broths, easily digestible meals and proteins aid in tissue repair and restoring energy levels.
What recipes should you make to prep for a fuelled labour + postpartum healing?
I’ve put together a full guide with 3 recipe ebooks to make it easy for you to put these principles into action!
The Essential Labour + Birth Nutrition Guide
This guide is for you if you want to use nutrition to support your labour and postpartum but haven’t put that desire into action yet by prepping any food - let’s change that!
The guide has step-by-step guidance for eating during labour plus 45 recipes designed for early labour, active labour post-birth healing.
You’ve got this!
As you prepare for the remarkable journey of birth, remember that nutrition plays a pretty big role in supporting your body's strength, endurance, and resilience during labour. By making informed food choices and staying hydrated, you can optimize your birthing experience and enhance your overall well-being. Trust in your body's innate wisdom and embrace the power of nutrition to guide you through this transformative process!