Why don’t U.S. hospitals let women sleep quietly for the night in the hospital after giving birth?

[Anonymous]

We just had a menu and I had to call down. Btw, premade sandwiches should be available for those of us moms who deliver after dinner hours and are starving. You know, because they don't let you eat for days while in labor.

Were you in some nazi concentration amp? Just bring your own food, for gods sake, or have your mom or partner bring you something. You are a laboring woman , you are the boss. I gave birth 2x in a maternity center (no way was I delivering in a hospital after hearing horror stories like the ones on DCUM) and I ate avocados and m&m's until I was 8 cm and too focused to eat. Eat eat eat. You need your strength.

[Anonymous]

It depends on your hospital and nurses. At Inova Fairfax last year, the night nurses offered to take the baby at night in the nursery so my husband and I could sleep. They coordinated my vitals check with my medication and baby's feeding so they would only come once a night (at the 4 hr mark). All of the day nurses (except for one) were also very organized and also arranged vital checks with medication to avoid excessive trips in my room.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work as a nurse. We wake people up multiple times in the night to check their vital signs, give meds, and draw blood. Those post-surgery patients are not getting a restful night of sleep.

Depends on the nurse and patient's conditions. Thankfully, when I gave birth, my nurses were able to organize my vital checks with meds and bloodwork to avoid multiple trips in my room. Except for one day nurse, who refused to do so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

We just had a menu and I had to call down. Btw, premade sandwiches should be available for those of us moms who deliver after dinner hours and are starving. You know, because they don't let you eat for days while in labor.

Were you in some nazi concentration amp? Just bring your own food, for gods sake, or have your mom or partner bring you something. You are a laboring woman , you are the boss. I gave birth 2x in a maternity center (no way was I delivering in a hospital after hearing horror stories like the ones on DCUM) and I ate avocados and m&m's until I was 8 cm and too focused to eat. Eat eat eat. You need your strength.

I just gave birth last week at Sibley. Second kid. They specifically tell you that you can’t eat. Maybe some people are able to advocate for themselves while they’re in labor, but it can be hard to argue with medical professionals, especially when you’re, I don’t know, pushing a baby out of your body.

[Anonymous]

I threw up the breakfast I’d eaten 24 hours before delivery. It was completely recognizable. About two hours after that i got an epidural to sleep. Baby was born 8 hours later. I did try some outshine bars during labor- which were amazing - sensory memory 🍍, and the hospital ones which were not.


They had a tray brought once we are in our room a bit later and the smoothie cart came by (VHC). Have never wolfed down food abd drink so quickly. Birth is an endurance for sure.

No nursery, but they did take her on a walk about the second day i was there. That was nice. She had a bath and hung out with nurses a bit. I took a nap.

[Anonymous]

My partner fed me smoothies my entire labor. Last sip was about 30 minutes before I pushed my son out.

[Anonymous]

Two inductions. First was in 2016, and I wasn't allowed to eat anything at all in the hospital until after the baby was born. 2nd induction was 2020, and I was allowed to eat up until the point that I got an epidural.
Both times, my babies were born at nearly 11PM. We were unprepared the first time around and hadn't brought food with us. The 2nd time, we knew better and had packed tons of snacks, but the hospital also allowed me to place a dinner order early, and it was kept at the nurses' station until after I delivered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For me it wasn’t just the nurses, but the sheer volume of people and none of them coordinate.

-the nurses who do vitals
-the residents
-the actual docs
-the janitor/people emptying trash
-the person who would take my blood (not the same as the nurses)
-the pharmacy people
-the pediatrician
-the people in charge of the paperwork/birth certificate
-the lactation consultant
-I’m probably forgetting a few

It was so horrible. I still cannot fathom why things are set up this way.

-the chaplain
-the photographer
-the cafeteria menu lady

OMG the cafeteria menu lady is so spot on.

Haha that was the one interruption I appreciated, it only happened during daylight hours and I was so hungry!

We just had a menu and I had to call down. Btw, premade sandwiches should be available for those of us moms who deliver after dinner hours and are starving. You know, because they don't let you eat for days while in labor.

Sibley had this when I gave birth in 2021

[Anonymous]

I'm flinching at the word "allowed." Supposedly strong women fighting for the right to own your own body. Just take your food with you to the hospital and if you are hungry eat it! That is what my DH and I did. And yes -- I munched on a turkey sandwich while in labor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm flinching at the word "allowed." Supposedly strong women fighting for the right to own your own body. Just take your food with you to the hospital and if you are hungry eat it! That is what my DH and I did. And yes -- I munched on a turkey sandwich while in labor.

Such a bunch of hypocrites! I hope you understand why you’re not allowed to eat while you’re in a hospital during labor? There’s always that possibility of needing to go in for a C-section. Because, that’s why you choose to go to a hospital, right? I mean, otherwise you would be in a home, right?

I laughed out loud at the poster, who said “babies having babies“. Truth!

[Anonymous]

No one told me I was "not allowed" to eat during my labor. I did eat, and I would have looked in their eyes as i ate the munchies I brought along.

[Anonymous]

I told my sister and BIL to bring me a pizza instead of flowers. I ate at the birthing bed. I was starving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one told me I was "not allowed" to eat during my labor. I did eat, and I would have looked in their eyes as i ate the munchies I brought along.

Hope your snack is worth the risk of not receiving the epidural in time! The nurses have a lot of power and they almost seem to get off on messing with women in labor.

[Anonymous]

Epidural? I did good things for me and my body during labor. i ate for strength and stayed away from drugs.

[Anonymous]

I did have an epidural but frankly never heard of no-eating! My DH had brought in a pizza since we had been there for 6 hours and i ate 2 slices since i was no longer in pain and had developed quite the appetite.