During early labor, it is wise to eat some light foods and drink regularly. As labor progresses, your appetite will naturally diminish, however drinking fluids is still important. The reason that care providers tell women not to eat during labor is this: If complications arise and a woman needs to have an emergency cesarean birth, it is best if she has an empty stomach, which would decrease the risk of aspirating (inhaling contents of the stomach) vomit.

Doctors and midwives, and hospital or home birth settings have such different rules about eating during labor because of medication and interventions. At home, women aren't planning to use medication. The midwife's approach is to support the woman's body in doing the job that she needs to do. Therefore, at home, women may eat as they please. In the hospital, midwives are more lenient than doctors, but once medication such as an epidural is administered, they also need to follow the protocol: ice chips only. This minimizes the amount of fluid in the stomach. Since using medication increases chances for surgery, they begin limiting food intake in advance "just in case."

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