Eating paleo during a hospital stay? - PaleoHacks.com

Eating paleo during a hospital stay?

2012-10-14T23:17:23Z

So I'm currently 8 months pregnant, so I'll be giving birth at some point in the near future :) I will be having a hospital birth (I'd love a homebirth, but I had a c-section with at T-shaped incision and I'll be trying a VBAC and due to my incision, it is higher risk then a normal VBAC) Anyway, depending on how everything goes (VBAC vs another c-section) I will be in the hospital anywhere from 1-4 days. I'm terrified of the food at the hospital! My plan is to tell them that I have an allergy to gluten, corn, dairy and soy, but I have no idea if they'll be able to accommodate that.

Has anyone gone through a hospital stay (especially after giving birth) where they tried to stay as-close-to-paleo-as-possible? If I didn't react to eating those foods, then I would just say F-it for the few days, but I'm afraid of trying to recover from birth and having to deal with gut issues (if you know what I mean) at the same time.

Answer by Dragonfly for Eating paleo during a hospital stay?

2012-10-14T23:23:18Z

Since you are planning this in advance, why don't you arrange with them that you will bring food from home? I'm sure they could at least supply you with ice for a cooler and perhaps even reheat food in a microwave for you.

Answer by Janknitz for Eating paleo during a hospital stay?

2012-10-14T23:35:40Z

The good thing about having a baby is you're not "sick" so they won't be tempted to put you on some dumb "therapuetic diet". But if you ask for a special diet like soy and grain free, they may limit the foods you can bring from home, because they will then have medical orders to enforce this special diet.

Ask your doctor in advance to include in your medical orders "regular diet ad lib, may bring in food from home" so that it will be an ORDER and therefore must be followed. Then you can tell them at the hospital that you don't want to eat grains or legumes. Pack your hospital bag with non-perishable snacks like jerky, nut butter, etc. Prepare perishable food ahead of time and set it where your husband will find it EASILY (in the stress of childbirth men turn kind of blind, in my experience ;o) and he can bring things in a small cooler for you to heat up for meals--every floor will probably have a microwave. You can supplement with whatever's edible from the hospital meals. Make sure to include some soft, light foods because you may not be ready for solids right away if you have another C-section.

Hospital meals are a nightmare! Lipophobia is still rampant, so any limited fat used in cooking will most certainly be PUFA oils, meat will most likely be CAFO and grains will be in everything. You are wise to plan ahead.

Answer by miked for Eating paleo during a hospital stay?

2012-10-15T01:00:07Z

My wife just had me run out and get stuff. The first morning after baby, they brought in the menu from the hospital and we just told them we wouldn't be having any hospital food, and they were ok with it. In the mornings I ran out to a local place that we trust that cooks eggs in bacon fat. And then for lunch and dinner I ran out to Whole Foods and picked stuff up. It really wasn't that hard and we ate much better than they could have provided at the hospital.

Answer by Roni for Eating paleo during a hospital stay?

2012-10-15T02:42:53Z

We had no problems with the hospital food or bringing stuff from home. I had my baby at 5am, just in time for breakfast, so I ordered scrambled eggs, potatoes, and bacon. Unfortunately it was turkey bacon, and that is so gross. But the fruit cup was good. My husband also spent the time I labored at home chopping pineapple, and packing up good fresh foods. My sis in law brought us a big tray of sushi (no rice) for lunch/dinner. If you're in the hospital and not sick, you shouldn't have any issue bringing stuff from home. The hospital staff (whether or not they are paleo) probably realize the food isn't that great anyway.

Answer by paleomomandwife for Eating paleo during a hospital stay?

2012-10-15T03:49:40Z

I was at the hospital for about a day and a half and my husband brought me homemade food. I had specified a grain-free, dairy-free diet at the hospital but ended up with the "gluten-free" menu which included dairy and a generous helping of fruit and zero fat. Blech. I kept the fresh fruit and returned everything else.

Oh, also be sure to pack snacks and nuts in your hospital bag as others have suggested. I had a long gap between having our baby and being moved to the post partum room because I had excessive bleeding and depended on the nuts I had packed. Otherwise, I would have stayed hungry all night! Especially since all I'd had through laboring at home was bone broth and a few veggies.

Answer by Kitzu for Eating paleo during a hospital stay?

2012-10-15T11:25:21Z

It depends on the hospital, but after my section, family and friends brought me food. This was a tiny hospital, and one thing they did for new mothers was serves a steak dinner for two like room service in the room. With baked potato and brocoli. We ate the ** out of that steak. It was good steak too. Go easy on yourself as far as being strict, and don't try to go too low carb. Not only is your body recovering from making a whole other human and trying to make milk, but it's recovering from major surgery, I was ravenous once the drugs wore off. For me completely avoiding the gluten and going easy on sugar was the key. But man, hospital food is weird, I've never seen such unhealthy/unappetizing food. Weak American coffee is an option at every meal.

Answer by joanna for Eating paleo during a hospital stay?

2012-10-15T14:50:43Z

i was in the hospital last year and i had my mom bring most of my food. the hospital food is just so gross and they really don't respect your dietary wishes. they let her keep it in the fridge with my name on it.