Be Ready for the Big Day With Lily + Llama!
An amazing way to prepare for the big day is to get a pre-packed hospital birth bag from Lily + Llama. While you can handle the snack preparations, Lily + Llama’s pre-packed hospital bags provide you with everything else you may need for your labor day.
Having a baby is usually (and quite literally) “labor”-intensive. Throughout the labor process, you need to keep up your energy and strength and stay hydrated. Snacks are usually the best and easiest way to quickly get nutrition and hydration and far tastier than the traditional ice chips you may be given. (Pro Tip: You'll want to bring a large water mug with you to stay extra hydrated with water and ice chips! We recommend THIS cute 30-ounce water mug by Lily and Llama).
But, this begs the question: Which snacks are the best, and perhaps more importantly, can you bring your own?
Do Hospitals Allow Snacks for Labor?
First things first: Yes, generally, you can bring your own snacks into the hospital. Keep in mind that individual mamas may have certain restrictions placed on what you can eat. Also, think of all these snacks for labor in the early stages while waiting for things to really begin. Once you’re in active labor, you shouldn’t count on access to snacks anymore.
The Best Hospital Snacks for Labor
Now that’s out of the way, let’s explore some of the best snacks to bring to the hospital and some things you should avoid!
Trail Mix
Rather than big meals, labor snacks come better in small packages, like trail mix. You can get the energy and nutrition you need from trail mix made up of peanuts and other nuts, raisins, pretzels, and so on. If you like, you can also get the kind with M&Ms, but you’re going to want to try to keep the sugars for labor snacks as natural as you can.
Fresh Fruit
Pack a banana, some strawberries, or whatever other kind of fruit you desire for some delicious labor snacks. If you’re bringing fruit along to the hospital, it should be amongst the first hospital snacks for labor you consume since fresh fruit can go bad if left out for long.
Frozen Fruit
Another way to get some needed natural sugars and hydration is to pack some frozen fruit for labor. These frozen fruits you’re bringing along should be easy to eat. Leave the strawberries behind this time, and opt for things like blueberries or grapes. You can also bring along some frozen bananas, but it may help if you slice them up first.
Smoothie
Frozen fruit is great, but if you can make a smoothie with frozen fruit beforehand? That would be even better! Just think about it: Want to have bananas and strawberries and blueberries and grapes as your hospital snacks for labor? An easy-to-ingest, easy-to-digest smoothie is all you need!
Cheese Sticks
Besides being delicious, cheese sticks have the added advantage of being very small. They won’t take up much room in whatever container or cooler you bring with you to the hospital, so you can pack several. Along with fresh fruit, cheese sticks should be consumed early on since there’s no telling how long you may actually be in the hospital or in labor.
Consider some neat dairy-free options for the lactose intolerant!
Muffins
Fluffy, delicious, and (depending on how they’re made) nutritious, muffins are wonderful hospital snacks for labor. Just a bite or two from one can keep you energized for a while, and this means you can make them last for a while (and share with those around you, if you want).
Consider some gluten-free recipe options, as well!
Labor Snacks To Avoid
It’s totally understandable that you want to have your favorite snacks and drinks with you in the hospital, if for nothing else than comfort food. However, some foods should definitely be avoided when you’re in labor.
Acidic Juices
For instance, acidic juices like lemonade, grape, or orange juice are a no-no. Your stomach may be unstable, and the last thing you want is the burning from these acidic juices coming back up.
Sugary Snacks
You should also do your best to avoid hospital snacks for labor with high or added sugars, like candy bars and colas. These may provide a much-needed energy boost at the start, but the crash will inevitably come if you have them. It’s better to keep a steady intake of healthy, natural sugars throughout labor.
Junk Food
You should also hold off on fatty or greasy junk food, like potato chips. In addition to potentially upsetting a very sensitive stomach, these kinds of labor snacks will prevent you and your muscles from using your energy most efficiently.
Food for Thought About Labor Snacks
Every mamma’s situation is different. This means that “What can you eat during labor?” is a question with a variety of answers, depending on your situation.
Remember, none of what Lily + Llama tells you here about hospital snacks for labor constitutes medical advice. If you’re wondering whether certain foods are right for you to eat as labor snacks, consult your physician well before your due date. This will enable you to prepare the best snacks for labor.
To see how Lily + Llama’s hospital bags can save you time and stress as your due date approaches, visit our website today!
