What did you wear through labour?

I know it's a matter of personal preference, but I'm packing my labour bag this weekend and it got me wondering... T'shirt, hospital gown, nothing?!?

I've got a big-a$$ stretchy nightie, cotton with short sleeves (hate winter ones). Hopefully I will get to use it soon.

(I feel uncomfortable enough wearing nothing just walking around the house lately, so there's no way I'm doing it in the labour ward LOL!)

Pearl :D

I bought a nightie specifically for labour, but then I was too scared to get it soiled so once my waters broke I wore a hospital gown ROFL!

*hugs*
Cailin

hospital gown 8-[ I knew that it would/could be a gory process so I thought I'd not worry about my own stuff LOL

I just wore a t-shirt. It said 'Natural' on the front. Thought it would help me have a natural birth, i like to think it worked ;)

Yep.... hospital gown for me too. I have to say it was the least restrictive thing going which was exactly what i wanted.

Also... probably a bit confrontational but the absolute BEST thing I packed (quite by accident) was a dark brown face washer. I packed it to clean my face but ended up rolling it up (in a log shape) & just gently placing it between my legs after a shower. You will be quite sore, unable to wipe & probably loosing a bit of blood. It was perfect until I got my underwear on.

The hospital provides white washers but that was the last thing I wanted to use IYKWIM.

Un unexpected tip.... It just popped into my mind.

I bought a crimson nighty, anticipating it would get blood on it. However, didn't get anything on it! It was silky and I felt quite sweaty during labour - looking back it could have been better to wear a cotton hospital gown.

I used the hospital gowns too. Just a tip if you want to walk about you can put one on in each direction so there are no gaps IYKWIM.

Hospital gown here too, much easier and you don't have to worry about messiness :D

Yeah being in labour was the first time mum had seen me nakes as well for QUITE a long time LMAO. As for what I wore, just your standard pretty (NOT) hospital gown. I did wear my own nightie till things had to get messy the first time with Kameron but just went straight into the hospital gown with Lachlan

Love

I just wore an old nighty. This time I will buy some crappy cheap cotton nighty to wear then throw out. I felt more "myself" having my own clothes on.

(I most certainly WOULD NOT like to be naked, last time I wished that they turned the lights out lmao)

hehe!! I just read the subject line and it took me straight back to my labour. I was wearing comfortable pants and one of DH t-shirts on the way to the hospital but as soon as the m/w took us to the birthing suite all i could do was strip off my clothes! It was quite primal for me i needed to be naked to feel connected. Anyway that was quite funny for me as one of my greatest worries throughout my pregnancy was how i would feel being naked in front of everyone!

i started out with the intention to wear my own nightie, but ended up with a quick 1 1/2 hour labout and naked! i was in the shower having contractions after being induced and the next thing i was bearing down in the shower and the DR asked me to hop onto the table to be examined and i was 10cm and time to push!! not bad for a 1st child !

Both times I was in a hospital gown, I'm not sure I could go naked, but who knows when you're in labour anything is possible!

I think I was in my maternity top and a new pair of trakkies at the beginning, which quickly got discarded after the first couple of internals. And then I just didnt care!!!
The funny thing was that my trakkies were brand new and were malting TONS of black fluff everywhere, all over my legs and the floor, LOL, sorta embarrasing actually.... 8-[

I packed a 'big' nightie', I started off in the hospital gown, but between the 'big bath' and the bed, ended up in nothing (I didn't care by that stage LOL)

I wore my BB Tee for most of the time then changed into one of DH's T-shirts when I got too hot.

From the beginning I had decided I would just wear a hospital gown. I figured that if I was going to be in/out of the shower/bath etc I didn't want to be mucking around!

Tightish lycra singlet top and sarong. I was SOOOOOOO comfy!! I would thoroughly recommend this option to anyone.

The sarong was easy to lift up for internals, no problem for the epidural, and it was easy to tie up when the singlet came off. I maintained my modesty I think... 8-[ well actually I probably didn't, but it was so comfy for labouring.

When they wheeled me into theatre I had to lose the clothes and jewellery, and they chucked me in a hossy gown which I stayed in until I showered the next day. Never felt very comfy in it. Puke green aint my colour!

I actually turned up to hospital in my pyjama bottoms, but put the sarong on afterwards.

The singlet top was good too, cause it sort of held my bb's in and uppish, but didn't restrict my movement. Nothing worse than feeling liek you are hanging everywhere.

Fi

oh im with Heather, Little*princess, Kate & Pradaprincess on this one. Had good intentions, with my 1st and 2nd I had epidurals so in bed with hospital gown. With my daughter Mackenzie soon as I was in the labour ward off came all my clothes, just couldn't stand having anything on me, must be some primal thing...

Wow - thanks for all your replies! I think I'll pack a t-shirt but will probably use hospital gown once it all gets going... who knows how I'll end up!?!

I was in an old nightie, but into a hospital gown when the time for thearte come.

Love your idea Fi of singlet top and sarong!

I didn't even have the time or inclination to think about it.

I was wearing my tracky pants, a maternity top, bra and jumper when I went into labour. By the time I got to the hospital and was about to be examined I had taken off the jumper. My waters broke before I had my internal so I still had my tracky pants and knickers on, so I took them off. I was down to my top and bra for most of it (5 hours in total, about 2 hours in hospital). Close to the end I just had to be naked and struggled out of my top and bra inbetween contractions and just before they put the drip in my arm... (easier said than done!)

I had tracky pants and a t-shirt on at the start. Ditched the pants when they broke my waters & the shirt and my bra not long afterwards. Couldn't have cared less who saw me naked at that point LOL. At some point I had a hospital gown on for a little while but I kind of lost track of time LOL!

I was planning to wear a hospital gown but have just had a late stage change of heart and packed a sarong and T-shirt. I was thinking that I might feel less like a patient and therefore more likely to be a bit more assertive and active - thats the theory anyway.........

I also wore a big a$$ daggy as nightie as soft stretchy cotton is a lot more comfortable than a hospital gown. I felt more like myself and more in control (just an illusion of course but whatever!) PLus I couldn't have a given a rats' a$$ if they need to cut it for an epidural or whatever as it was super cheap etc.

This time, I'll wear a nightie again, but one that is like a long singlet/camisole. Easy to slip off at top for breastfeeding after birth, nice and cool w/out sleeves. I just like to have my bum and bits covered although you do lose ALL modesty in giving birth.
I remember this poor orderly (must have been about 19 or so) walking in with dinner while I'm trying to breastfeed with breasts the size of small pacific islands, and I just laughed and said "no worries mate, I have no sense of modesty left! You can be embarassed for me if you want!"

Mine came on so suddenly that I just kepton the skirt and top I had on. Took skirt off during the labour and had a towel over me, but kept top on and had to throw it out after!! I worried so much about what I'd wear and ended up not having to worry as I just wore what was on my back! xo

Yeah I just wore a hospital gown both times, as soon as i got in to the birth suite the midwife said to me 'I think it would be better to rewin a gown than your nice nightie savie it for after the birth once you have had a shower you will feel much more comfy' so thats what i did and i think thats what I will do again this time.

I just have to agree with you all about loosing all modesty during labour I remember with my first I was really worried about people seeing me 'down there' LOL but by the end I was like c'mon in I couldn't care less I think I could have birthed in a public place I really just didn't care who saw me at all hehehehe funny how things change isnt it LMAO

With DD # 1 I had a special nighty I bought for the occasion...that needed a damn good soak...lol

with DS & DD #2 I ended up with just my top on as they came too fast...I did have an old big shirt for the occasion this time but we didnt even have time to grab the bag out of the car

Hospital gown for both, no need to ruin something of your own is there.

I wore a nice big loose comfy nighty the first time. I do like the idea this time around though of wearing a singlet top to "keep things in" as I have very very big boobs and they were going all over the place last time!!

I've been naked for all of my births and plan on been naked this time round as well. I just get to hot and uncomfortable with clothes on, plus I always end up having a shower until I'm nearly ready to push.