Study authors analyzed 11 studies, which included five randomized controlled trials that incorporated 3,130 women who were in active labor and at low risk of needing anesthesia. Tranmer said the review found "no benefit" to restricting oral food and fluid during labor. However, the authors acknowledged that they found relatively few studies to analyze.
Honestly, what are they afraid we're going to eat? A full-course meal? Most laboring women are kind of busy breathing and coping with labor pains, aren't they? In my three labors, I've eaten some food just before going to the hospital so that I didn't have to labor while starving (with number #3, I finished my large chocolate Frosty just before checking into the birthing unit--I was a fairly happy camper until transition began), and once I've been at the hospital, I haven't wanted to eat. Some water and maybe light juice, yes, and maybe even chewing gum. But heavy food was not appealing to me once labor really got going; I was focused instead on bringing a baby into the world in just a few hours (and updating my Facebook status via the hospital's wireless internet connection, this last time ;) ). I would like to see all hospitals lift blanket restrictions on food and drink during labor and exercise some common sense about a laboring woman's need to intake calories to keep up her strength.
Hey, wandered over from the home school carnival but had to comment on this. My first birth was induced at the hospital and took 24 hours . . . I was SO hungry! They even ran out of ice chips for a few hours and wouldnt let me drink water, it was awful! The home birth was over 2 days . . .i ate several small meals and was very grateful to be able to do so - at the hospital it would have been pitocin instead of food! The third was too fast . . . woke with contractions, by the time I was sure I was in labor, they were 2 min apart, and he was born 10 minutes after we got to the hospital.
ReplyDeleteThe worst part, tho, is that hospitals dont provide evidence-based care. They have policies, and no motive to change those policies.