Jodi on 
Erin on 
Eric on 
Bill Evans on 
I’ve never bought the argument that food is simply sustenance. I’ve always found enjoyment, and yes, even joy in what food — and its accompanying experiences — brings.
But this week found me at the Foothills Medical Centre where food was the last of my concerns compared to the matter at hand. The reason for my eating copious amounts of fruit (shudder) and abstaining from sashimi, raw oysters, deli meats, and wine for the last nine months had arrived.
Our sweet baby boy — who we shall call H. for the purposes of this blog — came into our world this week. He has so far proven to be a healthy nurser and hopefully an adventurous eater.
And what of the food at the Foothills? On the units for labour/delivery as well as post-partum care, there are patient-only kitchenettes with popsicles, toast, crackers, yogurt, apples, juice and sometimes sandwiches. Very basic but at 4 a.m. on day one, half a cold chicken sandwich on brown bread tasted like a gourmet meal.
(In one of the kitchenette fridges, I swear I saw a small pot of Chinese pork knuckle, ginger and sweet vinegar — a traditional concoction to “warm the heart and promote blood circulation” for a new mother. I almost tried to nick a piece. Almost.)
I was in the hospital for a cycle of three meals that were brought to my room. It was a relief to not have to think about what I was supposed to be eating, especially since I was famished each time.
Breakfast was a box of Bran Flakes, 2 slices of whole wheat toast, a banana, yogurt, and coffee (yay!).
Lunch was 180 mL of cream of mushroom soup with soda crackers, 90 g of egg salad sandwich on whole wheat, carrot and celery sticks with ranch dressing, 110 mL apricots in juice, and tea.
Dinner was probably when I started yearning to get home. Vegetable soup was fine but the 176 mL of turkey mushroom stew with 90 mL of diced potatoes left something to be desired, as did the melted mini cup of vanilla ice cream. What did they think was going to happen with it right next to the hot stew and tea?
For the most part, Jason relied on the coffee and scones from the Good Earth Cafe in the hospital lobby, when not trying to catch the last uninterrupted sleep he’ll ever have at home.
I just also wanted to mention that we were blown away by the care we got from all the nurses on both wards at the Foothills. They were smart, patient, kind, engaging, and professional. We are truly blessed to have this kind of health care.
Food at the Foothills isn’t going to win any awards, but it was more than enough to sustain this new mom with a new bundle of joy.
Congrats! The baby is adorable.
The food actually looks a lot better than it was at Richmond General when I had my son. I’m not a picky eater and that food was so bad I couldn’t eat it.
Congratulations on your Bundle of Joy!
Congrats on your new arrival!! Katherine and I wish you all the best.
Congratulations! He is a cutie!
Aww, congrats! I’m glad you were able to try the FMC food on such good terms!
From my not-as-happy near-living at the hospital, I picked up some favourites too. I actually found the Good Earth food to be sub par, often cold and the coffee not matching its actual cafe counterparts. So, I ate A LOT of cinnamon bread from the cafeteria. It is to die for. I also was okay with their soup provided I added salt and pepper. The quesadilla and burger on whole wheat bun were very nice in 2009. At least for an exhausted worried person who spent 3 separate weeks visiting their father in unit 100!
Congratulations again! He is such an adorable little boy!
I can’t believe you took photos of the food while there! An addicted blogger, no less!
Congratulations! Soak up the next few weeks. They are often a terrible blur, but worth stopping and savouring when you can. Or at least, just being.
PS Hope you never have to spend time at the Children’s hospital. One, for the obvious reason that it would simply be awful. And two, because the food they expect children to eat is akin to torture.
Congratulations, Andree! He is beautiful.
Congrats on your beautiful baby boy!
I remember waking up the morning after Eva was born…reality was kicking in. I hurt everywhere and was kind of in a daze, but they brought me oatmeal, fruit, and coffee. It was industrial coffee, something I’d normally stain the deck with. But I swear, it was the greatest coffee I will ever drink. I was a warrior…I felt like I’d been through the war and that coffee was MY REWARD, DAMMIT. I will never forget it.
Don’t forget to reward yourself. And congratulations. I couldn’t be happier for you both as you embark on this most fantastic of journeys.
kx
CONGRATS!
Warmest congrats to you and Jason, Andree!
Congratulations!
Congratulations! He’s quite the cutie.
Congratulations! I’ve been quietly reading your blog for a couple of years and couldn’t be happier for you. A little darling.
Congratulations on your beautiful baby boy!
I’ve been enjoying your blog for a while and was pleasantly surprised by the timing on this post. I am due to give birth at Peter Lougheed any day now and had been curious about what kind of food to expect!
Congratulations Andree & Jason! Glad to hear your sweet boy arrived safe & sound.
fwiw the food has been the same since Aug 29 2001 when we had our eldest. Boring, predictable but some of the best tasting sandwiches (at the time anyway)
Congratulations on the birth of your beautiful boy.Love your blog.
Belated Congrats! Rice already!?
Congrats! He’s lovely.
Foothills looks gourmet compared to U of A- gah it was horrible!
Ah! Congrats!!! Like the post – but, I was certainly EXTRA glad to be under the care of midwives…. I left the hospital after 3 hours, there was NO WAY I was going to suffer through another meal of gruel. It was totally gruel. I had the saltiest “meat”(I think that’s what it was supposed to be), powdered potatoes (they had to be), and frozen vegetable medley with about a tablespoon of apple juice. I was HUNGRY. Thank goodness I had food in the fridge at home!
So happy for you! Being a Mom is so fun!