Childbirth Munching No Longer Forbidden

Childbirth munching should no longer be a strict medical "no-no," a recent study released Wednesday indicated, the Associated Free Press reported.

The study, published by the British Medical Journal, suggested that duration of labor, the need for assisted delivery, and caesarean rates were all unhindered by eating between contractions. 

It has been common practice since the 1940s throughout the world to abstain from eating during labor.  Doctors feared that it could potentially cause food to be breathed into the lungs in the event an emergency caesarean became necessary while under the influence of anesthesia. 

Nowadays, the use of local anesthesia has greatly decreased the occurrence of such incidents. 

Some doctors, however, have long debated that fasting during labor may actually be harmful for baby and mother. 

Research to date has been unconvincing and questionable, so Professor Andrew Shennan at King’s College London directed a research team to explore the consequences of eating throughout labor on delivery rates. 

The study consisted of two groups of 1,213 first-time healthy mothers.  One group was permitted to drink water, according to standard practice.

The second group could partake regularly in snacks like bread, biscuits, fruits, low fat yogurt, isotonic drinks, and fruit juice. 

Results proved there was no distinguishable difference in either group for prompting of delivery, length of labor, or percentage of caesareans. 

Even the accounts of vomiting were the same in each group, about 35 percent.

The babies revealed no signs of complication due to their mothers eating, or not, while in labor.  

Shennan’s team concluded: “Denial of food can be seen as authoritarian and intimidating, which may for some women increase feelings of fear and apprehension during labor.  Eating and drinking may allow mothers to feel normal and healthy.”

Dr Virginia Beckett, a consultant obstetrician and spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists agreed with the findings. 

“Eating during labor is not going to make things better, but it is not going to make things worse, and it might make you feel more of a human being, and that is quite important.”

Further she presumed, “It is reasonable to suggest it is safe for low-risk women to eat small amounts of preferably liquid food during labor.”

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On the Net:

• British Medical Journal
• King’s College London