Eating During Labor | Is it okay to eat during labor? New episode of BLABBERMOM |
Did your hospital or midwife allow eating during labor? Most of us MomCavers weren’t allowed to eat once we arrived at the hospital. The reasoning behind this (barbaric, in our opinion) practice is that in an emergency, general anesthesia may be used and any food eaten could aspirate into the lungs. While this may be a concern in very rare cases, most laboring moms are doing the most physically demanding work of their lives and could use some sustenance.
Last fall, the American Society of Anesthesiologists put out a press release calling for an end to the ban on eating during labor. They argue that aspiration is nearly nonexistent today and laboring women could use the nutrition.
The research suggests that the energy and caloric demands of laboring women are similar to those of marathon runners, Harty said. Without adequate nutrition, women’s bodies will begin to use fat as an energy source, increasing acidity of the blood in the mother and infant, potentially reducing uterine contractions and leading to longer labor and lower health scores in newborns. Additionally, the studies suggest that fasting can cause emotional stress, potentially moving blood away from the uterus and placenta, lengthening labor and contributing to distress of the fetus.
In our webseries Blabbermom, we talk to real life moms and capture some of their funniest parenting moments. In this brand new episode, our friend Valerie of MommyRandR.com has a funny story about eating during labor.
Eating During Labor… or not?
Were you “allowed” to eat during labor? Did you cheat? Tell us in the comments below. And if you liked this video, please subscribe.
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