Would labor be a bit more bearable by savoring your favorite snacks? A recent study is now saying it’s OK to munch away, according to the AFP.
The British Medical Journal published a study which found that eating during childbirth did not affect labor length, Caesarean section rates or the need for assisted delivery. Doctors have discouraged women during labor from snacking out of fear it could result in breathing food into the lungs while under general anesthetic in case an emergency C-section needed to be performed.
These types of incidents have significantly decreased in recent years, primarily because of the use of local anesthetics. In addition, some doctors have even claimed that not eating during childbirth can negatively affect both the mother and baby.
The study, which was conducted by a research team at King’s College London, divided 2,426 first-time mothers in good health into two groups. The first group could only drink water, while the second group could regularly consume items such as bread, low-fat yogurt and fruit juice.
The result? Virtually no difference between the two groups could be found.