You Can Now Drink Clear Liquids During Labor!

Okay, so my title is supposed to sound sarcastic. But I do have to say that I'm glad that things are headed this way. See this article HERE.

I remember being at the hospital and being ravenously hungry! I just wanted to nibble on a granola bar, or crackers, or SOMEthing. But no one would let me. It made me so mad, I can't even tell you. It took all I could muster to keep from losing control, I was so angry. I could not understand why they were denying me the energy I needed to have a baby! They finally told me that I could have popsicles, so you better believe that I ate the whole bag.

You can imagine how I felt when I learned that other people, such as the President of the Midwives College of Utah, felt the same way that I did. That it's ridiculous to withhold food from a laboring woman. Some of you may know the reasoning as to why they withold food. It's because, in the event that you need an emergency c-section, and if you need to be put under general anesthesia, there is a risk of aspiration if you have food in your stomache. Aspiration is when you vomit and then breath it into your lungs.

So tell me, what about all the other people being admitted to the hospital that day who are going through emergency surgery under general anesthesia? I can tell you that some probably get their stomaches pumped.

Thus, I have decided that during my next labor, I will eat if I want to. (The other thing is laboring womean are usually not too hungry, and won't eat a lot during labor. But they are encouraged to drink a lot!) Okay, so if I get in trouble for eating, I will write up a paper that says, "IF by chance you have to do an emergency c-section, and IF by chance a spinal block does not work, and you have to put me under general anesthesia, you are allowed to pump out my stomach. Thank you very much! Signed, Natalie"