Can You Eat During Labor? (and Why You Might Get Different Answers From Different Doctors)

Labor can get pretty long and, well, boring at times. It’s natural to wonder whether you can bring a snack to the delivery room—or at least sip on some water. That’s why I asked my provider about eating during labor early on in pregnancy. Of course, the answer I got wasn’t black-and-white: Essentially, your provider needs to assess your high-risk status before giving you the go-ahead to munch on anything. So, can you eat during labor? Can you drink anything? It depends on a few key factors. Read ahead for all the details—plus some recommended foods and liquids if your doctor does let you chow down.

Key Takeaways

• If you’re being induced, getting an epidural or are considered high-risk for any other reason, you likely won’t be able to eat during labor.
• Eating during labor, if your provider greenlights it, offers a lot of benefits—including increased energy, potential for a shorter labor, preventing exhaustion and maintaining good vital signs for you and baby.
• Some common food and drink options your provider might suggest during labor are fruits, breads, Jell-O, granola bars, coconut water, honey sticks, popsicles and applesauce.
• Experts recommend avoiding large, greasy and spicy meals while in labor.

Can You Eat and Drink During Labor?

Sorry to fuel the confusion, but the answer isn’t crystal-clear. Really, it depends. Typically, moms-to-be with low-risk pregnancies who’re laboring without interventions are allowed to eat light meals or snacks throughout labor, says Liesel Teen, BSN, RN, a labor and delivery nurse, mom of two and the founder of Mommy Labor Nurse. On the other hand, if you’re being induced, getting an epidural, have any factors that increase your risk for a C-section or your pregnancy’s considered high-risk in any way, you likely won’t be able to eat during labor.

“Most providers now agree eating and drinking during labor is fine if the mother and baby’s status is low-risk,” says Brooke Ray, CNM, WHNP, a certified nurse midwife and women’s health nurse practitioner in San Diego, California. Adds Teen: “Most of the patients where I worked were allowed ice chips and/or sips of water during labor at the very least. Of course, there are exceptions to the rules.”

Whether you can eat or drink during labor also depends on your individual hospital or birthing center’s policies and protocols. Different healthcare providers might also have different preferences, so it could even depend on who’s on shift that day, Teen says.

Why Some Providers Won’t Let You Eat During Labor

The main reason some providers have rules against eating during labor is your safety. “A lot of it has to do with anesthesia policies and whether or not there’s a chance the patient might end up needing a C-section,” explains Teen. Basically, having a full stomach can increase the risk of food aspiration into the lungs, especially during general anesthesia, warns Teen.

Christine Greves, MD, FACOG, an ob-gyn at the Orlando Health Women’s Institute in Florida, says she allows clear liquids during labor unless the patient needs a C-section. “Once a C-section is called, we stop oral intake, so nothing by mouth in order to reduce the risk of aspirating,” she says. “This can occur if you vomit what’s in your stomach, and if it goes into the wrong pipe, meaning into the windpipe and the lungs, that’s very dangerous.”

The good news is, only about 5 percent of pregnant patients require general anesthesia now, thanks to the advancement of local anesthetics like epidurals. And the chances of aspiration with local anesthesias are very small—with one study showing a 0.004 percent rate of aspiration during C-sections performed with local anesthesia. (For the record, the aspiration rate for general anesthesia is .009—also not astronomical.)

What Are the Upsides of Being Allowed to Eat and Drink in Labor?

For me, the biggest upside of eating and drinking during labor was increased energy. During my first labor experience, the induction took three whole days, and if it weren’t for quick bites of nutrient-dense snacks and sips of coconut water, I would’ve had a much rougher time. (Shoutout to my birth team.) “Just like any extreme sport, labor and birth are physically demanding, and the mother and baby need fuel and fluid for energy and hydration,” says Ray.

Here are a few more benefits of being able to eat and drink during labor, according to Ray:

• Can help reduce the length of labor. Ray says that the uterus functions much more efficiently when hydrated. Sometimes, it’s enough to help shorten your labor.
• Prevents exhaustion. Cleveland Clinic notes that labor typically lasts anywhere from 12 to 24 hours for first-time moms, and about eight to 10 hours for other births—that’s enough to make anyone extremely tired. “Eating and drinking during labor is essential to prevent exhaustion,” says Ray.
• Helps maintain good vital signs. Fueling up throughout labor can help support you and baby. “Mom and baby’s vital signs are more likely to stay in a normal range with good hydration,” notes Ray. Since you pass nutrients along to baby through the placenta, whatever you’re nourishing yourself with during labor, baby will happily drink up too.

Solid Foods You Might Be Allowed to Eat During Labor

If your provider gives you the green flag to eat during labor, it’s best to focus on energy-packed foods and drinks. The hospital where I gave birth to my son four months ago gave me a turkey sandwich and graham crackers in the beginning stages of labor—oh man, did that hit the spot! Teen recommends sticking to snacks that are simple, and high in protein and carbs for the most “bang for your buck.” Some examples include fruits, breads, Jell-O and granola bars, agree Teen and Ray. Nut-butter packets also pack a punch.

Liquids You Might Be Allowed to Have During Labor

Again, hydrating can help keep up your energy, reduce the length of labor and maintain good vital signs for you and baby. And it’s a good idea to add in some electrolytes to avoid imbalances, suggests Ray—especially if your labor is going on for hours and hours. I personally loaded up on large cartons of coconut water in my hospital bag and sipped on those throughout both of my intense labors. Below are some examples of labor-fueling liquids (other than water), according to Ray and Teen:

• Coconut water
• Gatorade
• Fruit juice
• Popsicles
• Broth
• Honey sticks
• Smoothies
• Applesauce
• Fruit pouches

What Foods and Drinks to Avoid During Labor

It’s best to avoid greasy meals during labor, experts agree. Teen points out that labor isn’t unlike running a marathon. “Are people eating greasy hamburgers and French fries halfway through their marathon? No, but you’ll often see marathon runners drinking sports drinks or eating those gel packs that contain carbohydrates and electrolytes,” Teen says.

And, for the record, during my two birth experiences, I really didn’t have the time, desire or energy to eat a huge meal in between contractions anyway.

Moreover, avoiding greasy foods could also help minimize nausea. “Having something greasy and heavy in your belly, like a cheeseburger, could increase your chances of nausea and vomiting. Not to mention throwing up a burger during labor just sounds awful,” says Teen. Ray suggests avoiding spicy or acidic foods for all the same reasons.

To Sum It Up

If your labor is low-risk, you’ll likely be able to have some snacks and liquids during the process—just make sure to stick to energy-boosting options. If you’re having a C-section or are high-risk in some way, your provider will likely recommend you stop eating at a particular time. Always make sure to follow your provider’s specific instructions. “Even though some people’s labor and delivery process is very long, and they’re hungry, we generally follow these rules for a reason—your safety,” says Greves.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.