Date:    Tue, 18 Mar 1997 22:54:49 -0600
From:    Kathy Wentz <[log in to unmask]>
>Don't count on it, bring some of your own food just in case.  Maternity
>wards assume you are healthy and will allow you to administer your >own
meds and 'sneak' in foods, so go ahead and plan for the worst >case senario.
        Your words are enough to convince me!  I'm calling my the
nutritionist on staff at the hospital I will be visiting (some time in
June!) and seeing for myself if they have any idea what the word Vegan does
or doesn't mean! :-)  I'm definitely going to make sure they hear my
concerns and give them the chance--but I will probably take a little
something with as well.

>Plan on being VERY hungry!  I think I ate three meals worth of food after
>each birth.
        Thanks for the advice! :-)

>The hospital will normally allow you to pick between several items in
>each of severasl catagories, but none of them come with ingredient >labels,
and all are cooked on contaminated (from other foods) surfaces.
        This cross-contamination issue is important, I'm going to bring that
up with the dietician as well.  I think I will also contact that ADA
(American Dietetics Assoc) to see if they are aware of the need to teach
their dieticians/food service managers the need for cleaning standards
beyond microbiology concerns.  I know the ADA educates their professionals
on an on-going basis.  Perhaps if they hear the concerns from the
allergic/food intolerant community they will address our issues in their
future education efforts.

>By the way, write up a birth plan and have your doctors sign it.
        Excellent advice as well, thanks!  I'm rather lucky, I now believe
that the birthing center I am going to is very open minded about so many
things..including the birth plan.  I've already discussed that I plan to
raise my child dairy-free as well and I've been encouraged to find a
supporting peds doc. and my midwife even referred me already to a lactation
nutritional expert.  They don't really understand allergies at all, but they
are at the very least going through the motions of being "supportive."