Mumsnet Talk

For those of you planning a waterbirth what are you wearing? I am reluctant to buy a new tankini purely for a sole purpose. I only have a costume which isn't going to help baby get out! I want to be comfortable and I don't like being completely naked. I had a 'landbirth' with my DS and wore a nightie. I have sleep nursing bra's (they are like crop tops) but quite thick and I don't want to feel uncomfortable like a clingy wet t-shirt. Do you think I'd care anyway when I am in the throws of labour or will it just be so annoying and something else to be stressed about? Have I exhausted all my options here?

I wore DH's old t-shirt for my waterbirth. I didn't find it restrictive or uncomfortable at all.

I worried quite a lot about this then once I was in labour I didn't care at all! I felt quite secure in the water and didn't wear a thing.

The lots are turned down very low, & you are from boobs down in water. I wore nothing.

I wore an old and already rather badly stretched bikini top - one of the stringy ones with triangles so still fitted over my boobs. I had the illusion no one could see anything underwater anyway (unlikely - but it felt like my own private cocoon)

Lights not lots!

I had a maternity tankini so no help to you. Do you have a bikini top you could wear? Or get a cheap boob tube that's stretchy/lycra type material.
Even in the throws of labour my biggest concern was my dignity.

Naked both times

I didn't wear anything but I was at home. Trust me you won't care. Worth getting some comfy and nice new (and dark coloured) for afterwards I had 2 new pairs that were smart enough to wear all day and not feel undressed, I wore them loads for the first month. Get ones with easy boob access if planning to bf. good luck with the water birth

My phone missed the word pygamas so that made no sense. Get nice new pygamas for after rather than anything to wear for the birth. And if in hosp I believe it's very hot so a cool nightie

I plan on being starkers. But I'm also planning a homebirth and I'm always walking around the flat with my kit off anyway. But, if I felt self-conscious I'd probably pop on a relatively close-fitting vest top (or tankini if you have it). I wouldn't want a t-shirt or something with lots of excess fabric flapping around in the water/ getting really heavy.

I hope to have a waterbirth and have packed a huge xxxl t sirth I wore for an 80's fancy dress hen do, Its the FRANKIE SAYS RELAX slogan which I find quite apt for the situation, but have also just bought from the Next sale a maternity Tankini top for £10. so we shall see.

I worried about this and took an assortment of things to hospital with dc1 but when it came to it the midwife just said 'take your clothes off then and I'll help you in' and I didn't think anything of it. Naked again for dc2, I think it'd be annoying to have material flapping in the water and it is good to bring the baby straight up to your chest- so you're also able to feed if want to with no restriction. Like everyone says and you probably know if this is no. 2, I never gave a thought to what I looked like when I was in labour and I'm usually very modest!

I wore nothing for first birth, then was a bit gutted I couldn't show many people photos of me post-birth as I was starkers and there's only so much your friends & family want to know... So for 2nd and 3rd births I put a bikini top on as soon as labour got painful, dressing gown over top until I got into pool. These post-birth photos are in frames! (Btw would have found a tankini annoying I think - wouldn't have liked anything over my bump)

I started off in a bikini top but after 30 mins was naked. For me, I didn't care who saw me and was too distracted to bother. It was just more comfy!
(Usually I'm very shy about showing my body.)

I'm planning on being naked. Only as I thought if I wear a bikini top or tshirt and have to come out the pool for a wee or monitoring, it will be soaking wet and I would get cold. Much easier to be naked and put a towel round me

Tankini - not for this sole purpose but because I've been swimming loads to help keep fitness levels up, and I also doubt ill fit back into my old costume soon after birth and plan on taking my LO swimming as soon as possible, so really will be getting at least a year's use out of it. Not to mention if you are planning on having more xxx

I took a tankini but it didn't make it out of the bag along with the hair straighteners and make up

The minute the pool was ready I just stripped off and got in without a second thought!

I was starkers both times. That's really not me (don't sunbathe topless, wriggle under towel in changing room etc) but I didn't give two hoots who saw me once I was in labour.

I wore one of DH's shirts. It got wet and trapped cold air and I was cold throughout (although I generally feel the cold a lot anyway so maybe others would be ok). I'd go for something close fitting like a tankini top or nothing next time.

I'm going naked

I said that there was no way on earth I would be naked in the birthing pool.

Ended up starkers! Wasn;t bothered at the time, couldn't have cared less!

It is quite deep, you can disappear a bit in there!

Think I'm going nekkid, but I have a load of wonderful stretchy vest tops from Fat Face that I've been wearing throughout pregnancy and plan to continue wearing forever more (unless it turns out I've stretched a bump permanently into them). Taking a load with me for every eventuality, though hoping to keep them away for the worst of the Bodily Fluids..

* from

I wore my maternity crop top, it was fairly thick but didn't bother me in the slightest, I forgot to take it off as I was in such a rush to get in the water. Good luck!