To labour in my nightdress

Hi @Coolsummer25
You can wear anything you are comfortable in.
As your labour progresses you will most definitely get hot, you are going to be using a lot of energy. If you wear anything make sure it's cool, light and loose fitting.
Re underwear, of course you can wear if your waters break in labour but you will be asked to wear a sanitary pad.
The proper thick maternity pads are ideal as the waters continue to leak until baby arrives plus we like to check the colour of the liquor on your pad to ensure no meconium or fresh red blood loss.
If we need to carry out a vaginal examination it should always be done in a dignified manner. You will have a sheet over your bottom half during the examjnation so no need to be exposed at all.
When in active second stage ie pushing we do like to see what is happening down there as there are lots of signs we look for to let us know labour is progressing well.
As others have said on this thread though you may get in there and completely change your mind.
If you labour in water some ladies wear nothing some wear t-shirt only some wear t-shirt and bottoms. See how you feel your midwife should accommodate whatever makes you feel comfortable.
Congratulations and goodluck

I wore a knee length night dress but no knickers as was regularly checked.

He only had the conversation because we had just talked about my hospital bag and labour outfit. He thinks I should wear a sports bra at the top nothing on the bottom for ease of the midwife.

Bless him. Does he think the midwife will actually care?

You need to be as comfortable as you can. As it happens, a sports bra isn't a terrible idea, but it's your choice. A stretchy pull on bra and a long t-shirt that I could pull it down between examinations & retain a tiny bit of modesty was my preference.

What is a good idea, especially with a first baby, is to be as mobile as you can for as long as you can. It isn't possible for everyone, especially if monitoring is required, but it can really help to open up your pelvis and ease baby around the awkward bends.

You are more likely to be mobile if you are wearing something that lets you walk around with some dignity.

I hope it all goes well for you.

A sports bra is the last thing you'd want to be wearing - far too tight and restrictive for breasts that will be readying to produce milk.

I laboured in a voluminous floral cotton sun dress both times. Both born in July.

Just do what you feel comfortable with.

TBH, I think the knickers are a bad idea. Get a nightdress that's longer than usual to keep yourself covered if that makes you more comfortable. I think faffing about with pants will be problematic.

no way would I want to have been naked either. I was in a long T shirt or nightshirt for my first two and in a pool wearing a vest for the third.

It's really not a good sign that your DH thinks his opinion on what you should wear during labour should hold any weight at all.

Why the hell is he imagining what clothing will or won't hamper the midwife? Does he think the MW can't handle the situation just fine?

Is he usually so insufferable? Tell him that you and your HCPs can handle this just fine, without his input.

I wore pants most of the way through - I was only examined once with my second baby and was in the pool in my bikini. I took them off 7 mins before she was born when my waters broke and could feel urge to push. I can't remember making a conscious decision either time, just at one point it felt right they should come off!

Nightdress absolutely fine (unless in a pool but then t shirt is fine). Absolutely no point having knickers on, labour rarely goes according to plan and access regularly needed!

Wear what you want.

Knickers till the baby is crowning is possibly a bit unrealistic but I'm sure it'll all work out.

Erm I'm not sure why he has an opinion on this! I wore a medium length night shirt (like a very long t shirt) but you will need to have your knickers off. Honestly after the first examination you probably won't even think about being able to put them back on.

Great minds! It took me so long to write my comment whilst wrangling the baby, i hadn't even seen your post! 🤣🙈

Edited to add - that was meant to quote @Tospyornottospy !

The midwife is there to help you not vice versa. She won’t mind at all what you are wearing.

I was hot and intermittently shivering cold with my second two so had a dressing gown on but tbf they were at home, in winter, and unbelievably the boiler broke BOTH times! You might not be too hot. But probably won't be so cold in hospital.

Agree that knickers won't stop your baby coming out anyway, just don't wear jeans! Loose knickers is fine

I laboured in one of DH’s t shirts so basically the same. I think at some point it switched to a hospital gown either when I had an epidural or when I got prepped for an emergency c section (can’t really remember the timeline). Quite normal to wear something, unless perhaps you have a water birth. I’m not sure you’ll be too fussed on the underwear once you’re in labour, but no reason to not wear them I think, until you start pushing or need to be examined.

I'd buy a few button up ones

I would say wear what you like/go with how you feel at the time. It's not up to anyone else but you, and the midwives to some extent.

I planned to wear a nightie but in the end, in the moment, I ended up naked. But loads of people will labour in a night shirt / big t shirt. It’s your labour, your body, and it’s you who needs to be comfortable.

You may wear whatever you like and change into something else if you want to. Your husband should support your choices. When you're at the height of your contractions, feel free to tell him what you think of his opinions. :)

I did this with my labours, obviously had to take my knickers off for exams and at the end but was fine to keep them on for walking around etc. Once my waters went with dc2 I had to wear the net knickers with a pad as i was still up and about.

With my youngest, I wore a maternity dress without underwear. I had a light blanket over me so I wasn't exposed at all. But he's my third child so by that one I didn't care anyway 😂

Nightie is fine. I think DC1 was hospital gown, DC2 naked as I was so, so HOT 😰 and DC3 was definitely nightie which wasn’t a great idea when I was wired up to be fair. I’d probably say no knickers as you might be bleeding or leaking but it really sounds fine.

I also didn’t want to be too exposed and I absolutely did care even in the throes of labour. At one point a doctor and big group of people had to come in to check on something, I was examined but nobody bothered to re-cover me and had to ask about 3 times ‘Please can I have a blanket over me I’m feeling really exposed!’ even though I was about 9cm dilated and trying to breathe through painful contractions.

As my much as I am "whatever works for you", I think popping them on and off is unrealistic as you have no idea what your labour is going to be like, what position is going to work best for you etc

I wore an oversized t-shirt. Most women do. The only time I was exposed was when being examined or pushing. Rest of the time I was covered.