Many problems with vaginal delivery occur when the mother is exhausted and not allowed to eat or drink anything to fuel her labor. Low blood sugar levels can reduce efficiency of uterine contractions and prolong labor. Low glucose levels may also affect the unborn child. There is a growing argument in favour of allowing women to have light snacks during delivery.

If the mother receives dietary energy, her contractions become more efficient so labor is shorter. This in turn means she needs less pain relief and her baby is likely to be in a better condition after delivery. One study found that women who were allowed to eat light meals while labor was induced had a labor that was shorter by as much as 90 minutes compared with mothers who were not allowed to eat anything. This in rum meant that interventions such as pain relief, forceps and Caesarean delivery were less likely. When the babies were born they were also pinker and more active, with better breathing and heart rates than those born to mothers in the unfed group.

One hospital in New York City allowed women to eat a light diet and drink as they wished during normal deliveries. During this time, 88 per cent of mothers had spontaneous vaginal deliver­ies, just over 2 per cent needed instrumental help (as with forceps) and 9 per cent had Caesarean sections. A change in policy then meant that for 6 months, all women were routinely fasted during labor. As a result, the use of drugs to induce labor rose by 500 per cent, the use of forceps increased by 35 per cent and the rate of Caesarean sections increased by 38 per cent. The chance of a newborn baby needing to spend time in the special care baby unit also rose by 69 per cent. Not surprisingly, when these effects became clear the previous policy was quickly reinstated, women were once more allowed to eat or drink as they wished, and the delivery statistics reverted to their previous levels.

The Downside of Eating During Labor

The reason that starvation is traditionally advised during labor is in case you need a general anaesthetic. If your stomach is full you are more likely to vomit while unconscious and inhale acidic juices into your lungs. This is a serious condition known as Mendelson’s syndrome. Secretion of stomach acids continues even if you are starved, however, and Mendelson’s syndrome has been known to occur in women who have had nothing to eat for at least 36 hours – so this argument is no longer valid.

It is still the policy of many hospitals to ban eating or drinking during labor, and to put up a drip to provide fluids and glucose once the mother starts to flag or her contractions start to decrease. Having a drip in your arm limits your movements, however, and makes it less easy for you to change your position as and when you wish. It can also lead to swings in blood glu­cose levels, salt imbalances and fluid overload, all of which are potentially harmful for your baby.