We have all heard the stories of how pregnant women can only eat ice chips when in labour, but we're here to tell you that this may not be the case.
A new study has revealed that women who were allowed to eat before their delivery had a shorter labour than those who nibbled on ice.
Dr. Vincenzo Berghella, of Thomas Jefferson University in the United States, said that: “We really don’t know how much, if anything, people can eat or drink in labour.”
The doctor said that the topic of allowing women to eat during labour is a common discussion among medical professionals, with varied opinions.
This new study compared the labour of women who only ate ice chips and those who were allowed to eat or drink a bit more.
The study analysed 10 trials that included 3,982 women in labour, and the results were pretty interesting.
The women who were allowed to eat and drink had shorter labours (by an average of 16 minutes), compared to the ice-chip eaters.
“If we’re well hydrated and have adequate carbohydrate in our body, our muscles work better,” said Dr. Vincenzo Berghella, with regards to the findings of this study.
The doctor said that it is still common practice for women giving birth to be restricted to water or ice chips during labour.
“The evidence from well-done studies is they can have more than that,” he said.
