
And some other absolutely golden tips from a birth doula.....
Let's get into i!
As a doula, a large part of my job is making sure my clients are as well fuelled for labour as possible. For most of us birth is bloody hard work, and we need fuel and hydration on board, just as you would if you were running a marathon or putting your body under any other physically strenuous activity.
The question I get asked a lot is, what should I eat? Well, the simple answer is: whatever you like. But of course there are particular things that will give you more energy and might be more palatable during labour than others.

TOP TIP 1: The first mistake I sometimes see people make is moving straight to the snacky bits as soon as they go into labour. Now for MOST people, there is a very gradual ramp up, over a space of days, before labour gets pretty intense. During this time I encourage people to just eat regular meals, focusing on plenty of carbs for energy as well as protein and good quality fats.
Imagine you are an athlete carb loading ahead of a big race.  On a side note, just remember that this phase is not linear and labour may start, stop, speed up, slow down and generally keep you on your toes. DON’T BE TEMPTED TO CHASE IT. Just rest, eat, drink and let it unfold as it should.
Once we get to the meaty part, the part where those hefty contractions appear (bring it on! We need those to bring a baby out!) People often don’t feel like eating proper meals or much at all. So as a birth partner or a doula, here is your time to shine. Offer small, manageable snacks that are going to pack an energy punch, and also be easy to eat.
Here are some of my fave birthy snacks that I bring my doula clients to eat during labour:

Homemade energy balls - I usually make mine using dates, nuts, seeds, cocoa and puffed rice for texture. You can make a batch, stick them in the freezer and then pull them out when you go into labour.
I usually make a variation of this Jamie Oliver recipe.
Honey – Another doula fave. Really easy to digest and gives a nice hit of energy. You can buy the little sachets which are really handy for a birth bag and are fuss free during labour.
Fruit – Lots of people crave refreshing fruitiness during labour. Watermelon and mango are two faves. Even better in a home birth you can keep them in the freezer for an extra pick me up!
Energy bars – Dried fruit/nut/oat whatever you like
Something Savory – After quite a few sweeter bits, sometimes people want something salty or savory. Think cheese crackers, salty crisps etc.
Jelly sweets and chocolate – obvs
Also, anything that makes you happy that will give you a little oxytocin boost!

TOP TIP 2: Make sure your partner has THEIR OWN snack bag. Having a well fuelled birth partner is also very important!
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Drinks
TOP TIP 3 – Make sure you have a straw handy. When you’re in the birth zone it’s a lot easier to have a straw put to your lips than faff around with a bottle and a lid.
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Electrolytes – You can get the little powder sachet ones, I keep the Hunter and Gather ones in my doula bag
You can also make you own by combining water with coconut water, lemon or lime juice, a pinch of salt and a squeeze of honey. In a home birth sitch you could keep this in ice cube trays for an icy treat.
Coconut water – Another doula fave. Electrolytes check. Calories check. And if you don’t like the taste, adding a squeeze of some citrus or some squash helps.Â
Herbal teas - Â Anything you like! Peppermint or ginger is good if you are feeling queasy. I carry Jo Farrens Strength blend in my doula kit
Broth – Bone broth or stock also makes a delicious, nourishing and warming labour and post birth drink. I normally keep several pots of it in my freezer.

TOP TIP 4 – What comes in must come out. Sometimes during labour people don’t really notice the urge to wee (there are a whole lot of other distracting sensations going on in that area!) So as a doula or birth partner, one of your (many) jobs is to remind this wonderful birthing goddess, to nip to the toilet at least every 90 mins. We don’t want a super full bladder taking up loads of valuable space in the pelvis that that baby is trying to descend through. Also the toilet is a great place for labour as most of us have a conditioned response to relax our pelvic floor  on the toilet, and it is normally a place of privacy. The position on the toilet (sitting forwards or backwards) is also a lovely open position for the pelvis.
TIP INSIDE A TIP – Make the toilet in your birth space a place you would want to hang out. This is easy at home, but in hospital those strip lights are brutal, so pop a few fairy lights or battery tea lights in the toilet, to keep those oxytocin vibes flowing.
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You may not feel like eating much at all, but unless you have a really short labour, it really is necessary, so having plenty of options and bits you like to hand, as well as a birth partner who is informed enough to feed and water you… is an absolute must.
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IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE – I have attended births where a client was told they were NOT ALLOWED to eat anything, or drink anything apart from a few sips of water. Not even milk in tea. In fact this is still the norm for most births in America. Well basically it’s a load of cobblers, and a self-fulfilling prophesy. They don’t want you to eat IN CASE you need surgery, you don’t eat for several days, you don’t have the energy to give birth…and then you are more likely to actually need surgery. And in case you were wondering, there is no evidence to support this recommendation. With our modern anaesthetic process, the risk of aspirating your own vomit is so, so, SO tiny, in fact there are no recorded cases of it happening in recent years. And the proportion of women who need a general anaesthetic is also very, very small. So to tell any birthing person with an epidural, or who you deem ‘at risk’ for a surgical birth, that she must suffer through labour with no food just seems cruel. If you want to read some more on this, I highly recommend Evidence Based Births article linked below, which unpacks all the research in much greater detail.
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Hospital policy is not law, and this recommendation will change depending on your health care providers’ personal opinion. If you want to eat and drink, I encourage you to do so.
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Rant over. For now....
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If you are interested in more birth chat, come and follow me on Instagram, book onto one of my fabulous Hypnobirthing courses, or come and find me for a chat about my doula support offerings. I offer face to face classes in Long Eaton (Derby) and doula support across Nottingham and Derby. I can also offer online birth planning sessions from anywhere in the world.
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