The Best Meal I Ever Had

Posted on: August 24, 2016 | Postpartum

If you were running in a marathon, you need to think just as much about the preparation as you do the recovery after.  You will be training, eating well, and even mentally preparing yourself for the grueling journey ahead.

Birth for a laboring woman is very similar to a marathon for a runner.

She will need to be training…which can include childbirth classes and exercise.  She will need to make sure she is eating well, not only for herself, but also for the miracle growing within her.  She also needs to be mentally prepared by working on relaxations.

More importantly, just like a runner, the woman in labor needs to think about her recovery.  That includes her victory meal after.  Ask yourself, “What am I going to eat after having my baby?”.

If no planning goes into that meal, she will likely be receiving a wrapped up half of a turkey sandwich, some graham crackers, and apple juice.  Especially if she delivers after the hospital cafeteria closes.

Some choose to bring food with them, so it is usually something non-perishable because we never really know how long labor will be.  You could always contact your hospital of choice to see if the nurses will allow you to stick something in their fridge, but then you will likely have something cold (unless you want to also ask them to heat it up for you).

The best option, in my humble opinion, is to have someone bring you food.  Your family wants to come visit and meet the new baby?  Great!  Can you stop and get me {insert favorite deliverable food here}.  Your best friend texts she is on the way?  Terrific!  Mind grabbing me {insert current caffeine crave here} from Starbucks?

You will likely remember that first real food you have after labor with just as much detail as you remember the labor and birth itself.

I remember with my first my mom brought me Papa John’s cheese pizza.

It was the best meal I ever had!

With my second, I had a long induction, but that Subway Veggie sub on wheat bread tasted amazing.  It didn’t matter that it had been sitting in the fridge for over 12 hours and was soggy.  However, with my third I knew that pizza from Papa John’s was the answer.  My last was at home, I actually planned on making food.  Labor picked up quicker than I expected so my mom made my chicken salad recipe.

I remember sitting on my couch, nursing my newborn, while my midwife sat next to me.  She was feeding me chicken salad on a butter croissant with fresh strawberries on the side.  I thought life couldn’t get much better than that moment!

When you are packing your hospital bag, making out your list of people to call after the birth, make sure you are including your after birth victory meal!