What did you wear to labour/birth in?

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January 27th, 2009, 10:25 AM
TreeTops

What did you wear to labour/birth in?

I'm interested to hear what you wore whilst in labour.

I'm hoping to use a birth centre bath/spa for labour, and quite possibly the birth. I don't think I'm the sort of person who'll be happy to strip down to nothing...but maybe I'll lose my inhibitions?? I'm not expecting any men in the birth suite (other than DH), but I guess you have to expect the unexpected.

I'm keen for skin to skin and maybe a breast crawl after the birth, and yet I don't think I want my boobs exposed before....

What worked for you?
January 27th, 2009, 10:45 AM
tippytoes

Hey Treetops

This is a really great question. Although I haven't been there before - I was thinking a tshirt style nightie with buttons down the front for easy breastfeeding etc. But I think I am also keen for skin to skin contact - I guess you could leave it on till towards the end?? mmmm I'm not sure - I'll be keeping an eye on this thread! ;)

Rach xx
January 27th, 2009, 10:50 AM
razzle

I lost my inhibitions for sure during labour!

With DS1 I spent most of it in the shower so I gave birth naked. I remember my sister was in the room going "Do you want your nightie?" I kept saying no. The thought of putting it on made me feel really annoyed!! He was 8 weeks early, so there were quite a few people in room, mostly male. I didn't care at being naked but normally I would have been.

With DS2 I spent a little time in the shower but got cold after that so I had on a hospital gown, but that came off as soon as he was born for our first bfeed. I had a male midwife and wasn't bothered at all.
January 27th, 2009, 10:51 AM
Sammiejane

I got a beautiful flowing dress (cheesecloth type with the hankichief bottom from Tree of Life (i actually wore it throught my pg and it was bought for that purpose not labour)
To begin with i was in some stretch pants and a t/shirt and then i changed into the dress, which gave everyone 'easy access' but me my dignity.

I planned to get in the water, but didnt end up doing it, but took some bather bottoms and a crop top that would be able to come off easily when the time came.

things didnt go to plan and i ended up with a emerg c/s but i wore the dress whilst in active labour for hours and i am glad that i had it as it was so comfy.
January 27th, 2009, 10:51 AM
Macca79

I started out in shorts and shirt and then nothing. Wear something old and comfy that you won't miss if you need to throw it out.
January 27th, 2009, 10:54 AM
[M]umma[M]ia

um i was in.. a skirt and top i think but that wasnt my choice, i wasnt expecting to go into labour when i did! lol. first hour of labour i was naked, dont really remmeber how i got naked but i did. I think the midwife undressed me coz it made life alot easier. At the time i didnt care what they did as long as they didnt touch me too much! lol i was given a gown to put on but i was like...pffft to that! i put it on after she was born so the family didnt see me nakey.. lol.. theres that word again!
January 27th, 2009, 10:55 AM
[M]umma[M]ia

um i was in.. a skirt and top i think but that wasnt my choice, i wasnt expecting to go into labour when i did! lol. first hour of labour i was naked, dont really remmeber how i got naked but i did. I think the midwife undressed me coz it made life alot easier. At the time i didnt care what they did as long as they didnt touch me too much! lol i was given a gown to put on but i was like...pffft to that! i put it on after she was born so the family didnt see me nakey.. lol.. theres that word again!
January 27th, 2009, 11:06 AM
Toomanytoomany

:

I'm interested to hear what you wore whilst in labour.

I'm hoping to use a birth centre bath/spa for labour, and quite possibly the birth. I don't think I'm the sort of person who'll be happy to strip down to nothing...but maybe I'll lose my inhibitions?? I'm not expecting any men in the birth suite (other than DH), but I guess you have to expect the unexpected.

I'm keen for skin to skin and maybe a breast crawl after the birth, and yet I don't think I want my boobs exposed before....

What worked for you?

I don't like being naked when I'm labouring. I've got my Lucky Nightie that I have birthed all five girls in, and I'm glad I didn't get rid of it before finding out we were having this little one! It's just an old cotton nightie (a bit raggedy around the edges now!) which is very loose, with no sleeves, and opens down the front so that bubby can go straight to the breast.
January 27th, 2009, 11:34 AM
Lulu

OOh I wore a glittery soft pink strapless tube dress, matching legwarmers and a little pink hoodie top.
January 27th, 2009, 11:49 AM
sunshine_sieben

I wore a lose gipsy type skirt and singlet in early labour. When I got to the birth centre, I changed into a gown. Once the bath was filled, I was naked until after DD arrived. I had no inhibitions. It was only DH, my mum, my midwife and at the end another midwife present. I had no inhibitions. But then again, I usually don't ;-)

Saša
January 27th, 2009, 11:56 AM
smiles4u

Going to hospital i wore my DP's nice loose trackpants, big t.shirt & warm jacket as it was freezing Winter.

In the actual labour ward i was originally going to go naked but amongst everything happening ended up opting to wear a soft cotton T.Shirt nightie ... which had a picture of a cartoon character of a woman holding a pointed machine gun with the words above " Secret Agent 66" ... my sister had bought it for me as i was born in 1966 ;)

The midwives during birth had not noticed it but when they did take notice of it later on geez they had such a riot of a laugh about it ... because to know me it would be out of character but i guess the humour came out of me & it made me feel great & kind of empowered wearing it as i needed all the strength i could get :D
January 27th, 2009, 11:59 AM
[M]umma[M]ia

um i was in.. a skirt and top i think but that wasnt my choice, i wasnt expecting to go into labour when i did! lol. first hour of labour i was naked, dont really remmeber how i got naked but i did. I think the midwife undressed me coz it made life alot easier. At the time i didnt care what they did as long as they didnt touch me too much! lol i was given a gown to put on but i was like...pffft to that! i put it on after she was born so the family didnt see me nakey.. lol.. theres that word again!
January 27th, 2009, 12:03 PM
sunshine_sieben

Oh and by the way, I had packed an XXXL T-shirt to wear during labour, but I never wore it.
January 27th, 2009, 12:07 PM
*oli's*mrs*

i was trying to leave the house in gym pants & singlet had to change pants 8 times then decide not to wear any bottoms (TMI my waters had broken and for hours a had fluid running like a waterfall i could not keep dry) i waddled into labour suit wit a beach towel wrapped around me 5am in morn... and laboured naked & dnt kno how my clothes cam off either since i didnt have a bath??? dunno but didnt care either....
January 27th, 2009, 12:14 PM
alioops

I had both labours in the bath. I was naked because I found my clothes too restrictive, especially when they were wet. I did make sure I had Boardies packed for DH. He has no choice this time, I will need someone to lean on coz the BC baths up here are twice the size of the one I used with my other 2.
January 27th, 2009, 12:15 PM
leesha

I wore hubby's tshirt and trackies and thongs to the hospital!!! I had a nightie packed in my bag as I thought that is what I was planning on wearing...no way would I ever be completely naked while giving birth......:redface:

Haaaa stripped right off once I was in full labour and didn't want anything on me...So My Ds was born in his birthday suit and I was waiting for him in my birthday suit!! Haahaaaaaa
Brought him straight onto my chest so it was great for the skin to skin contact and breast feeding. There was only hubby and midwife in the birthing suite but honestly you don't care who is there and how they see you...you are so focused on listening to your body that what you are wearing is such a minor detail!!!:heartbeat:
January 27th, 2009, 12:16 PM
~clover~

DD1 - hospital robe on the right way around & another over backwards for modesty. Swimmers in the bath.

DD2 - Nothing in the shower, hospital robe undone backwards, just kinda as a dressing gown after.

DS - t shirt & hospital gown backards. Didn't have time to care!
January 27th, 2009, 12:18 PM
SweetPea

I started off wearing a hospital gown, I actually found it comfy! Once my waters broke the gown came off and I was straight into the shower, so spent the rest of the labour naked, definitely lost all inhibitions and didn't think twice about being naked.
January 27th, 2009, 12:24 PM
Nai

I started in a t-shirt and undies and then ended up naked as I spent a lot of time in the shower. I was unaware of anyone else being around so it didn't bother me at all. I figured that anyone who worked in the birthing suites had probably seen it all before.
January 27th, 2009, 12:40 PM
Cyathea

My birthday suit! :lol: The beauty of homebirth, totally free and easy!! :dance:
January 27th, 2009, 12:43 PM
danniellabella

I really didn't want to be naked so I wore a nighty up until I had my epidural when they made me wear a hospital gown. While I was pushing (which was about 2 hours I think). I got annoyed and pulled the gown off and was naked. I didn't care then!
January 27th, 2009, 12:54 PM
hj1981

I went into hospy in a comfy pair of gym pants and a long sleeved shirt, and laboured in that until my waters broke everywhere!!!
Than i laboured for a bit in the shower but hated it, the shower was annoying and i hated being naked, so than i went into a hospital gown, which was very comfy!!!
January 27th, 2009, 01:03 PM
TreeTops

Thanks everyone. It sounds like it's a pretty personal choice which can change on the day depending on the mood. I'll prepare accordingly :)
January 27th, 2009, 01:26 PM
Tegam

First two i wore a nighty and riped it off just before the baby came out, third i had just got out of the shower so was naked! trust me you wongt care at all at the time :)
January 27th, 2009, 01:40 PM
SugarDust

With DS1 I wore a long sleeve top which he was placed on straight after birth then when they took him to weigh and measure i took it off to breast feed

and

with DS2 I wore nothing!

plan on nothing again this time!
January 27th, 2009, 06:39 PM
Karina

I was naked for most of the time! The midwife kept trying to get me to wear a hospital gown but I didnt want to! I just coudlnt handle having any clothing on.
January 27th, 2009, 06:54 PM
Early Kids

I started off in a singlet and knickers and ended up in a hospital gown.
January 27th, 2009, 06:57 PM
NaNa

A red Egyptian djellaba/kaftan thing with gold embroidery, and pointy slippers with stars on them, but not for long. Got into the tub, and into a hospital gown afterwards for just as long as it took me to waddle awkwardly from the bath to the birthing suite, before ripping it off coz bubs was born as soon as I got there, and I wanted skin to skin contact.
January 27th, 2009, 07:02 PM
AliBaby

Such a good thread. I dont like being fully naked in front of other people. I am paranoid about all my stretch marks and my legs (I know I shouldnt be but I am) and my boobs are so big that I dont think I want them hanging loose. I wish I wasn't paranoid :( I think I am going to try and get a long glam nightie that I can just pull up and not wear anything underneath if they have to have access.
January 27th, 2009, 07:26 PM
Pandora

i had a bonds singlet and my undies, except for in the bath where I had nothing.
i knew before habd I was going to feel resrticted with anything baggy, esp. being it was summer and hot so was always going to be somthing tightish or nothing at all.
January 28th, 2009, 01:30 AM
nagromeyk

:

Haaaa stripped right off once I was in full labour and didn't want anything on me...
Brought him straight onto my chest so it was great for the skin to skin contact and breast feeding. There was only hubby and midwife in the birthing suite but honestly you don't care who is there and how they see you...you are so focused on listening to your body that what you are wearing is such a minor detail!!!

Have to agree with this - the last thing on my mind when I was in labour was what I was wearing. I went to hospital wearing trackies and an oversized t-shirt but within about an hour of getting there my cx's were stepping up and I needed to be in the bath. I changed into a singlet top and got into the bath but that didnt last long either LOL I guess as someone else said the weight of it wet I couldnt handle so off that came aswell :lol:

I was switching between the shower and the spa bath for the entire labour and ended up having my DS in the water, such an amazing experience!