To labour in my nightdress

I'm the same, I was anxious about exposing myself, really self conscious. In full labour I was as naked as the day I was born. It'll be the last thing on your mind.

Ha! they'll have to take your knickers off when your bowels fall out x

Also a sports bra helps! After my first I felt very exposed! Wore a sports bra with the second when the sweat got too much and the night dress came off my chest was still covered

A sports bra is a ridiculous idea. Your breasts will be huge so you'll have to buy one specially and it will be hard to get off for breastfeeding. You'd be better off in a long t shirt or nightie to give you some privacy when you are bottomless towards the end. Keep your knickers on as long as you want. Labour can go on for days. You only need to have no pants on for the last bit. If in doubt ask your midwife. She knows more about it than your husband!

Absolutely fine and normal to labour in some form of clothing! I did, but then got fluid on it and took it off – I didn't care as much as I thought I would.

So, I would just say, if it's important to you to remain covered up in some form, then take a spare (or 2) nightie/long shirt/whatever, as if it's a long labour you might be glad of the change.

You are going to a have baby, there is no privacy!

I started off in a night shirt and ended up wearing a hospital gown because I needed the gap at the back 1. Because I needed to be comfortable with all the off the bed (as it was comfortable), on the bed to be examined, off the bed again, on my side, on my knees…..etc. 2. So the midwife could see what she was doing.

You’ll end up with your night dress round your waist. The midwife will make you take your knickers off very early on. In fact, you will want them off 😂

I bought a cheap nightie from Primark to have each of mine. It went straight in the bin after as it was covered in all sorts of goo. As other posters have said, once you are in labour, you'd welcome the four horsemen of the apocalypse turning up and seeing you nether regions, if only it would help things along and make the pain stop.

I wore a nightie for all of my children's births. Knickers off once in active labour.

I would choose another birthing partner, him mithering is not what you need.

In the throws of labour and contractions the last thing you will want to be doing or being comfortable doing is taking off your knickers!!

I laboured mostly in a nightie, it was fine, ended up completely naked as the labour wards are hotter than the fires of hell, couldn’t stand anything touching my skin, I’m a very insecure person and there were students in the room, doctors for my episiotomy and then a whole load of people getting me ready for theatre, I couldn’t have given a shit I was naked 😂 wear whatever you are comfortable with ☺️

Honesty when you’re in agony and the thick of it you won’t care what you’re wearing and what you look like and you really shouldn’t.

Actually this isn’t a necessity although it tends to be presented as a fair accompli. With DC 2 and 3 I didn’t have any internal exams to assess dilation. Most people aren’t aware of this - true of many other procedures too.

Sounds completely standard. Unless you want to go in a lovely birthing pool in which case I recommend a £2 primark bikini at most.

I wore a nightshirt. YOU wear what you want! It's your body going through the experience.

With my first I laboured in my clothes for a while, then put a nightie on to actually have him in (I think it was recommended by the hospital to take an old nightdress for labour). It was a long labour and I kept my knicks on for most of it. With my subsequent children I didn’t have time to worry so laboured in whatever I was in (pjs I think) and just took bottoms off as the baby was coming out! You do what makes you feel comfortable, when your DH pushes a baby out he can wear a sports bra and nothing else and be as exposed as he likes 👍

I wore a nightgown too but no knickers! How will the midwife check the progress of your dilation and labour and get the baby out with them on? 🙈

It doesn't matter what you wear - you just need to be comfy. I really can't remember what I wore for DC1 and DC3.

DC2 was much more vivid because I gave birth at the hospital entrance and can clearly remember mulling over whether it was acceptable to pull down my trousers and pants in a public place but at the same time being very aware that, if I didn't, the baby wouldn't be able to get out. Fortunately a midwife arrived in the nick of time, whipped down my trousers and caught DC2 so I didn't need to decide for myself.

Maybe keep your DH away from the birth nightmare stories - lots of births are very straightforward.

He is bossy and over stepping. It is not his concern. Totally 100 percent up to you. Everybody I know wears a hospital gown.

I actually bought myself a brand new nightie just for the occasion (first time… by the last time my hospital bag was probably just 8,000 maternity pads and some headphones)

I had one of these! It's brilliant. They did a pack with this, dressing gown and a PJ set.

I really wouldn't bother with the kickers but a long nightgown with buttons down the front so you can breastfeed easily/do skin to skin would work well, and you could just flip it over your knees if lying down so no one could see up it until an exam was needed. I'd just have a couple of options with you e.g. put sports bra in in case you fancy that option but also nightie. I wore a nightie for the first one and just a tankini top for the second one (water birth). IME the staff are very good about supporting you to keep your dignity despite birth being extremely undignified!

It will be difficult to have a baby with your knickers on but a nightdress is normal. It may be good to get one with easy access to the front for the skin to skin contact.

just Rememver you’ll likely want to change if your waters go in them

You'll probably need the knickers off at least towards the later stages but yes of course you can wear a nightie, most women wear something, not heard of anyone labouring completely nude?!! I would say wear an old nightie or a very cheap one you don't mind chucking out if it gets too stained though, and if planning skin to skin contact and breastfeeding get one with buttons down