What Food to Prep for a Fuelled Home Birth
A huge thanks to Tiara Rodgers, a midwife serving the great Austin, Texas area, who provided suggestions and feedback on this post.
A homebirth offers a unique and intimate setting to welcome your baby into the world and when it comes to preparing for what food and drinks to have on hand to fuel your labour and healing post-birth, being at home has some amazing advantages.
Being at home allows you to use your kitchen to prepare fresh, nutritious meals and snacks and access foods you prepped in advance without needing to rely on hospital food, which can support your energy and comfort during labour and after birth.
If you’re prepping for what food to have on hand for your homebirth, you might also be wondering what you should have on hand for others who will be in your home - from your family to your birth team.
It makes sense to make sure everyone has food and drinks when they need it, so no one needs to scramble or make a middle of the night grocery run!
In this blog, we'll explore specific ideas for what you can make, buy, and have on hand to prepare for your early labour, active labour, and post-birth needs at your homebirth.
Key differences between homebirth and hospital birth
Comfort and familiarity:
· Homebirth: In your own space, surrounded by familiar sights, sounds, and smells.
· Hospital birth: In a less familiar, more clinical environment.
Access to kitchen:
· Homebirth: Full access to your kitchen for fresh food preparation.
· Hospital birth: Limited to the snacks and meals you bring or what the hospital provides. Tap here for Food and Snack Ideas to Prep for a Hospital Birth!
Birth team:
· Homebirth: Your midwife (and her assistant), possibly a doula, and any other support people, with the option to include family members like your children
· Hospital birth: Limited to your medical provider(s), with typically 1-2 support people, depending on hospital policy and your birth.
Food preparation and storage:
· Homebirth: Easy storage and preparation of a variety of foods in your fridge, freezer and kitchen.
· Hospital birth: Requires non-perishable snacks or a cooler for fresh foods, or reliance on hospital food or take-out.
Food and nutrition recommendations for homebirth
Preparing for a homebirth involves more than just setting up your birthing space. Having labour-supporting food on hand can significantly impact your energy levels, comfort, and overall labour experience.
When considering what foods to prepare for a homebirth, keep the following factors in mind:
· Nutrient density: Hospital food has a reputation for being less-than ideal when it comes to nutrition, but in a homebirth setting, you have the luxury of your full kitchen that can be stocked with nutrient-dense foods.
The key nutrients needed to fuel the marathon of birth are a combination of carbohydrates, fibre, protein, and and a variety of other micronutrients your body needs for sustained energy and healing.
· Meal variety: Since you're at home, you can have a diverse range of meals on hand such as breakfast options, snacks, and dinner.
Having access to a variety of meal options also means that you can be flexible with your fuel, depending on how you feel, especially if you experience any nausea or vomiting. Your partner, doula, or loved one can prompt you to eat and bring you the type of meal, snack, or drink you feel like in the moment.
· Ease of preparation: If you want to get organized as much as possible, consider freezing some labour and after-birth meals and snacks in advance! Choose meals that can be easily reheated or require minimal preparation once defrosted. Since you're not constrained by hospital rules, you can use your oven, stovetop, or microwave to quickly warm up meals, minimizing effort to keep yourself energized during labour and postpartum recovery.
· Portion size: Take advantage of your freezer space at home by preparing meals in single-serving portions for convenience. This makes it easy to defrost and eat as needed, ensuring you have quick access to nutritious food without the need for extensive preparation during labour and after birth.
· Warm meals: Warm, soupy, broth-based meals high in protein and iron are ideal for postpartum as they are easy to digest, help with hydration, and promote nutrient absorption. You can prepare large batches of bone broth or hearty soups and keep them in your refrigerator or freezer, ready to be heated up as needed.
Homebirth food prep for early labour
Early labour is the initial stage where contractions begin, and the cervix starts to dilate. This can be the longest part of the process, so prioritizing long-lasting, nutrient-dense foods is key.
In early labour, a balance of carbs, protein, and fibre is ideal for sustaining energy levels into active labour and your birth, when you may not feel like eating as much, or at all.
Some food considerations for early labour include:
· Easily digestible meals: Consider preparing or having ingredients on hand to make your usual meals for the time of day you are in early labour - following your routine can be helpful! For instance, prepare what you normally enjoy and find easy to digest, like a yogurt parfait, eggs and avocado toast, chicken noodle soup, or oatmeal.
· Comforting and familiar foods: Choose meals and snacks that you love and find comforting. I love suggesting meals that remind you of home, or that were traditionally made for you during times of illness to provide comfort during the mix of emotions you may be feeling during your early labour.
· Nausea-friendly options if necessary: Stock some tolerable simple foods like pre-cut hydrating fruit, toast and butter, simple broths or bananas that are easy on the stomach if feeling nauseous.
By leveraging your home kitchen, you can prepare and enjoy fresh, comforting foods to support your energy and comfort throughout early labour.
Early labour homebirth snack ideas:
1. Greek yogurt parfait with fruit and granola:
· Why: Provides a balance of protein, carbs, fibre and fats that provide sustained energy for both early labour and active labour, when you may. not feel like eating.
· Prep tip: Keep single-serving yogurts and a batch of homemade granola (like these Bedside Granola Clusters) in your kitchen for a quick snack.
2. Muffins:
· Why: Easy to grab and eat, perfect for a quick energy boost.
· Prep tip: Make a batch of the Carrot & Date Muffins from The Essential Labour + Birth Nutrition Guide ahead of time and store them in the freezer or an airtight container.
3. Labour Charcuterie Platter:
· Why: Simple, satisfying, easy to pick at as time goes on, and provides lasting energy.
· Prep tip: Pre-cut your favorite cheese, nuts, crackers, fruits and snacking veggies and store them in the fridge. Assign a support person to retrieve them and make a snacking platter available when needed. This is perfect for your family and birth team to snack on too!
4. Soup:
· Why: Filling and nutritious, providing protein and hydrating liquid and minerals.
· Prep Tip: Prepare a big batch of a hearty soup like the Rosemary Chicken Noodle Soup from The Food Doula Cookbook. This can be frozen up to 3 months in advance or can be stored in the fridge for several days. Simply reheat on the stove. This is a great, easy meal or snack option as anyone in your home can have a bowl when they need a boost and no cooking equipment or clean up is needed!
Homebirth food prep for active labour
Active labour is when contractions become more regular and intense, leading to further cervical dilation. During this stage, you may not feel hungry, and you could feel nauseous. If this happens to you, know it is perfectly natural and is your body’s way of shutting down one major system (digestion!) in favour of directing energy to the process of labour and birth.
In this stage, quick hits of readily available glucose are ideal, in addition to hydrating drinks. You’ll want foods that will provide:
· An immediate energy boost: Choose simple carbohydrates (fresh fruit, dried fruit, crackers, apple sauce, run gels, dates) that give your body a quick energy boost thanks to the readily-available glucose.
· Hydration: Focus on snacks and drinks that help replenish electrolytes and keep you hydrated like coconut water. To learn more about electrolytes check out this post: Everything You Need to Know about Electrolytes for Pregnancy, Postpartum, and Breastfeeding.
· Easy to eat: Opt for one-bite snacks and smoothies that are easy to consume and give you an energy boost with little effort.
Active labour homebirth snack ideas:
1. Energy balls:
· Why: Provide a quick energy boost in a one-bite, easy-to-eat form.
· Prep tip: Make a batch of PB & J Energy Balls from The Essential Labour + Birth Nutrition Guide and store them in the fridge for easy access.
2. Stuffed dates:
· Why: Sweet, simple carbohydrates that offer quick energy.
· Prep tip: Make up a batch of the Peanut Butter Stuffed Dates with Sea Salt from The Essential Labour + Birth Nutrition Guide and store them in the fridge.
3. Smoothies:
· Why: Easy to drink and packed with nutrients and hydration, which is essential for sustained energy.
· Prep tip: Prepare smoothies with a mix of fruits, yogurt, and a bit of honey. Store a smoothie in an insulated bottle to keep it cool and take a sip anytime you need a quick boost.
4. Coconut Water and electrolyte drinks with sugar:
· Why: Switch out your usual zero sugar electrolyte drink for a true sports hydration option which will not only provide electrolyte minerals for hydration, but a readily-available energy source that you need to top up the tanks. If you’re making a homemade option, add extra honey. Take a sip of your electrolyte beverage in between pushes if you can.
· Prep Tip: Keep a variety of electrolyte drinks like the Salted Watermelon Mineral Juice Recipe on hand.
5. Your fave candy:
Why: Our midwife consultant for this post, Tiara Rodgers of Modern Miracle Birth recommends having some of your favourite candy on hand like gummy bears, Swedish berries or jelly beans and having a handful before pushing. The sugar will become immediately available energy for you to use for your pushing stage!
Homebirth food prep ideas for your birth team
Your partner, family, midwife and birth team also need nourishment to keep their energy up as they support you through your birth!
Although your birth team won’t expect you to feed them throughout their time with you, it can help you feel prepared to have food on hand for everyone, preventing any last minute grocery store runs!
I love the idea shared above to have a big batch of warming and energizing soup simmering away for everyone in the house to enjoy (and bonus, this is the ideal post-birth nourishment for you!), and here are a few more ideas to consider:
1. Sandwich platter:
· Why: Easy to prepare and customize and easy to stock in advance.
· Prep tip: Stock your fridge with simple sandwich ingredients or prepare or buy a variety of sandwiches with different fillings and store them in the fridge. Options can include turkey and cheese, veggie and hummus, or meatball subs (having meatballs on hand is also a wonderful post-birth one-handed protein snack during nursing sessions!)
2. Vegetable and hummus platter:
· Why: Provides a healthy, crunchy snack option.
· Prep tip: Pre-cut vegetables such as carrots, celery, bell peppers, and cucumbers. Prepare a variety of hummus dips like classic, roasted red pepper, and garlic hummus. This can make a great addition to the Labour Charcuterie Platter idea above, fueling everyone whenever they need a boost with a grazing snack!
3. Fruit salad:
· Why: Refreshing and hydrating, and a great source of immediate energy.
· Prep tip: Prepare a large bowl of mixed fruit salad using fruits like berries, melons, grapes, and citrus. Keep it chilled and ready to serve.
4. Nuts and dried fruit mix:
· Why: Offers a quick energy boost.
· Prep tip: Mix a variety of nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts) and dried fruits (raisins, apricots, cranberries) and store them in an airtight container. Option to freeze some of your prepped fruit, which can make a great, cooling active labour bite!
5. Drink Station:
Why: Supporting everyone to be well-hydrated, energized, and (when needed!) caffeinated!
Prep tip: Consider having water, juice, electrolyte sachets, and a collection of teas and coffees on hand in your kitchen. Bonus: If the thought of water isn’t tolerable to you during your labour, you’ll have other options at your finger-tips!
Food prep ideas for post-birth recovery
After labour, your body will enter a phase of replenishment and healing. Nutrient-dense hydrating foods like soups, broths, easily digestible meals, and proteins aid in tissue repair, restore energy levels, and help take the pressure off a sluggish digestive system, which may remain slow after your birth.
Here are some ideal meals to have prepped in advance in your freezer, fridge, or pantry that will support your body’s postpartum healing after birth.
1. Bone broth:
· Why: High in the amino acids and minerals your body needs to heal tissues, provides needed hydration for recovery, hormone changes, breastfeeding, and energy, and easy to digest. Read more on Why Bone Broth is Essential for Pregnancy and Postpartum here.
· Prep Tip: Make bone broth (like the Pressure Cooker Bone Broth from The Essential Labour + Birth Nutrition Guide) in advance and freeze in individual servings.
2. Hearty soups or stews:
· Why: Warm, comforting, nourishing, high in the nutrients needed for healing and recovery and easy to digest, soups and stews will support your body to return to regular bowel movements by preventing painful post-birth constipation.
· Prep Tip: Prepare soups or stews in advance and store them in the freezer.
3. One-handed snacks full of energy, fat, carbohydrates and protein
· Why: Helps replenish energy levels and supports healing and repletion for your physical and mental health.
· Prep Tip: Prepare protein pancakes, egg muffins, or Freezer Breakfast Burritos from The Essential Labour + Birth Nutrition Guide and store them in the fridge or freezer so that you have delicious and fuelling snacks on hand for after birth.
Additional tips for homebirth food prep
· Go for variety: Having different options on hands, from prepped meals to easy snacks, to one-bite boosts and drinks ensures you’ll have something appealing to keep you going, no matter what you feel like in the moment.
· Stay hydrated: Alongside your snacks, drink plenty of water and consider electrolyte drinks like coconut water.
· Enlist help: Labour and birth fuel doesn’t fall to you! Ask a friend or family member to assist with food prep and assign someone on your birth team (like your partner, parent, friend or doula) to be responsible for food - offering meals, snacks, and drinks to you often while you labour, and having them available for others including your children (if present) and birth team.
Get prepared for a fuelled homebirth
Having the right foods on hand can make a significant difference during a homebirth. By choosing nutritious, easy-to-digest options, you can help sustain your energy and comfort throughout the process.
Prepare for a fuelled labour with The Essential Labour + Birth Nutrition Guide, featuring 45 easy-to-prep recipes, drinks, and snacks. This guide covers everything from what to eat during labour to kick-starting the healing process after birth.