When giving birth, should you pack your own lunch? There are countless minor logistical details of labor and delivery that the allergic mom-to-be must consider, and uncertainty around how to plan and proceed can feel overwhelming and burdensome. How long will we be at the hospital? Which medications will be used, if any?
The key to feeling confident and dignified as a new mom and as a patient is to feel you are the one steering the ship. I felt that the more prepared I was, and the more knowledge I had, the less intimidated I was of labor and delivery.
In the second part of this Allergic Living series called “Food Allergic and Having a Baby,” I look at allergy considerations at the hospital. And frankly, how even my well-laid allergy-safe food plan was thrown off by a very long labor.
About a month before my due date, I used my last few shreds of energy to prepare frozen meals to take to the hospital. Simple food: brown rice with olive oil, chicken stewed in tomato sauce. Filling, comforting food to look forward to after our little guy arrived. I packed disposable cutlery, and allergy-safe cookies, crackers, tea and instant coffee. These nestled in our hospital bags next to tiny newborn diapers and his going-home outfit.
Hospitals are notorious for not being able to provide allergy-safe meals to their patients, and I didn’t need any unnecessary stress in my first days as a mom. I inquired ahead about whether I could bring my own meal or have one dropped off to me, and whether there was a mini fridge in the recovery room. You can ask these questions during the prenatal classes offered by your hospital, or at your regular OB appointments.
Ask About Allergens in Meds
Hospitals often offer prenatal classes where parents-to-be learn how the labor and delivery process works, what to bring, and generally what to expect. This is a great place to ask questions. You can also access prenatal classes, hypnobirthing classes, and other educational classes for new parents, via certified doulas or midwives.
It’s never too early to advocate for your needs. So tell your ob-gyn or midwife about your food allergies and history of anaphylaxis during your regularly scheduled appointments.
However, two weeks ahead of schedule, I found myself excitedly in labor. While I preferred a natural hypnobirth, I’d already had a call with the anesthetist to understand which medications may be used in different birthing scenarios. I asked whether any of them contained soy, dairy, or any of my other allergens.
Also, I asked hypothetically, what would happen if I did have an adverse reaction or go into anaphylaxis from the medications during delivery?
I made notes from our call so that I could reference them easily, and shared the information with our doula. The more knowledge I accumulated, the more prepared and confident I felt. So despite going into labor ahead of schedule, I felt very calm.
I had a final snack of fresh fruit and vegetables at home, as hospitals do not allow you to eat while in active labor. When the contractions were just a few minutes apart, we grabbed our frozen meals and our bags and headed to the hospital.
50 Hours of Labor, 1 Slimy Meal
What I was unprepared for was a “sunny-side up baby” who drew labor out to over 50 hours. I will spare you the details, but 45 hours in, I was volun-told to have an epidural. My baby arrived safely. I was in awe of my body – what women go through to create and birth new life is almost unfathomable.
Back in the recovery room, I had not slept in over 60 hours and had no idea what day it was. I was hungry, though, and tepidly tucked into my now somewhat slimy thawed meal. I’d had five rounds of penicillin by that point as I was positive for Group B Strep. So I figured any bacteria wouldn’t stand a chance.
My husband opted for cafeteria food. He went to shower and change into something not splattered with my internal fluids. That’s when he found I had forgotten to pack any adult clothing. His mother delivered some items clothing lingering at their house. These included an old pub crawl tee from 2007, and a striped dress shirt he wore in high school.
Two nights later, we were finally released and eager to get home. I recommend bringing enough food to hold you over for two nights, as the duration of your stay can be unpredictable.
I had somehow lost my sneakers during delivery and wore my nightgown and a pair of men’s disposable slippers. Five sizes too big, they became saturated as I trudged through the snow to the car. We were a mess, but we were almost home.
A hot meal and my smiling mother-in-law awaited us at our condo. However, instead of relaxing, we headed to Toronto’s Sick Kids Hospital with our baby, who appeared to have peed blood.
Sudden Need for Safe Formula
When giving birth, my biggest advice is to be as prepared as possible – but expect the unexpected.
The goal was to get our baby to pee again. That would have been simple had my breast milk not halted immediately due to the stress of the situation. The hospital staff offered a dairy-based infant formula, but my gut told me to refuse it. Would I have a reaction if he latched on to feed later that night?
Would one dairy exposure followed by a long period of non-exposure sensitize him towards dairy? Dietitian Dr. Carina Venter of the University of Colorado suggests it actually can. Dairy exposure by infant formula is fine so long as it is repeated regular exposure. But she says a single dose followed by a long period without dairy could result in increased likelihood of developing an allergy.
I found myself running through Sick Kids, my hospital grade pad soaking through my sweaty nightgown, searching for Neocate, the allergy-safe formula. People were staring. I had no luck. My mother-in-law, still on standby, managed to deliver an emergency tin of Neocate. A family member happened to have one at home – the benefits of coming from an allergy family.
Exhausted But Empowered
I recommend having at least one tin of infant formula on hand that is safe for you as the mother, in the event that you cannot or suddenly choose not to breastfeed. Specialty formulas often have to be special-ordered and are not readily available at pharmacies or hospitals.
A drop-off of Amanda-safe dinner and four hours of waiting later, our baby finally peed. “Just some crystals,” the doctor declared. The three of us fled home feeling relieved, exhausted, and admittedly, wreaking of BO.
Things can change swiftly when giving birth. In my case it was the amount of food needed with a very long labor, the lack of safe formula, and the post-birth hospital run.
Giving birth can feel like being in a maelstrom. However, with an open mind, preparedness, and plenty of safe snacks, one can navigate through nearly any situation. It’s true that the peaceful birth I had imagined had turned into something of an ordeal. Yet, I felt proud of myself for having followed my gut and advocated for my needs as a pregnant woman with allergies.
In this series, “Food Allergic and Having a Baby,” I am weaving information from medical professionals together with my own storytelling. I hope that taking you through my journey of pregnancy and new motherhood will help you feel more prepared in yours.
The ‘Food Allergic & Having a Baby’ Series
Women with Food Allergies: Why Many are Afraid to Get Pregnant
This article: Allergic and Giving Birth – Hospital Food Plan Goes Awry
Allergic Women: Here’s Why to Embrace the Messy Bits of Birthing
Debunking Myths About Food Allergies, Pregnancy and Newborns
How I Introduced My Baby to My Food Allergens
Invasion of the Cheesy Crackers: an Allergic Mom on Playdates
Amanda Orlando is a cookbook author, food allergy advocate at EverydayAllergenFree, and founder of the non-profit organization Free To Be Me Society.
