to wonder why some women give birth naked?

[sparklyknittedmacaroons]

Just seen a video of a woman doing this, and I know a couple of friends who have chosen to. Am about to give birth to my 4th and personally couldn't bear the thought of being naked in a room of strangers, also don't understand why there is the need...not criticising anyone who does it, just genuinely asking the question so no rudeness or flaming please!

Well, since there is 'no need, absolutely no need at all' (how ludicrously prim you sound), exactly why do you think women give birth naked, then?

You didn't start the thread to actually find out the answer, did you? You just wanted to have a chance to be all prim and disapproving, since you clearly don't think there cn be any circumstances whatsoever for a woman to be naked whilst giving birth. Absolutely none.

Wat is weird is that nearer the start if the thread you actually said, 'oh I see, yes maybe you do get hot and uncomfortable with clothes on', but then as the thread has professed further you've decided, 'nah, I'm going to dig my heels in and go back to my original position, just for the craic, like'.

You're weird.

I am guessing - only guessing, mind - that my MWs had seen much, much worse than me on all fours, naked to deliver my son which was a quiet, calm and good experience for all involved

Just dont see the issue, tbh.

When "in the throes" I really couldnt have cared less who was in the room and looking at me...of course the idea what they were looking at me and not at my son who was in the process of being born is a bit of an odd idea

I haven't read whole thread. I plan to but just wanted to add my MO. I wasn't naked with ds1 and because of the various monitors and particularly drips I "collected" during labour I couldn't do my skin to skin as planned (too new to it all at than point to ask the lady holding the scissors that had just chopped me up to do the same to my tshirt) second time i somehow ended up naked and had to have a sheet thrown over me as I transferred from delivery room to theatre for poss emcs. this time i took my bottom half off for an exam and 1.5 hours later(having pooed into the midwife's hand three times ) i found myself cuddling my beautiful daughter across my bare chest (as i was wearing some huge men's trad pjs) and a bra, while surveying room and asking dh to retrieve knickers from far flung corner of room.
The level of clothes makes no diff to me unless they're in the way.(ie ds1) and I had more important things to worry about (ds2) and more impolite things happen in labour than a bit of boob and belly on display(dd1)

By all account's, Dh say's i has a shirt/nightie thing on. I can't even think of the one he's described. It was that insignificant in the whole scheme of things.

HTH OP.

Oh, beca, you've only gone and ruined it now with your, frankly, undignified request for fringing. Can't you see there's no need for that?!

honey 3%.

I was starkers giving birth to both my boys - two failed water births unfortunately so when they hoiked me out onto the bed putting clothes back on was pretty much the last thing on my mind.

Nothing undignified about giving birth naked - we are animals after all, we weren't born with clothes on our back, and giving birth strips us right back to being the animals we really are I think. I was certainly mooing like a cow when I gave birth anyway...

OP you have 4 children and haven't realised yet how messy childbirth is?! Are you real?

By the end of my birth you could have had a whole orchestra there and I wouldn't have cared. Although I did keep my bra on - having never gone braless since about the age of 11 I think a Bra almost feels like a body part anyway!

There is always need for fringing young lady!!!!

But I am not unreasonable...if I cant have fringing what about applique flowers/beads and shit a la Per Una????

Bicnod touches on an important point regarding human dignity. Babies should be born wearing clothes. Perhaps MandaHug could invent a line of antenatally introjected rompers, thus ensuring that 'dignified' women need never bare their genitals, poo in public or expose their babies naked.

PS: I agree about the fringing, particularly on the purple version. It will shimmy attractively as the wearer genteelly pushes out her pre-dressed baby :)

I wore a t shirt.
(took my pants off though)

i may have been naked BUT i did have freshly shaved legs, a trimmed lady garden and newly painted toe nails {insert smug face here}

Manda 4.5% and I'll help you design the Bubswithdignity rompersuit range.

oh and there wasnt a room full of strangers either.

ds1 me, dp and 2 midwives.
ds2 me, dp and 2 midwives.
ds3, me, dp, my best friend and 2 midwives.
ds4 me, dp and 1 midwife and a student dr who sat in the corner of the room and observed and cried at his birth (she was lovely)
dd me, dp, the 2 midwives and my 11 yr old ds1 who wanted to be at the birth and so was, he loved it and cut the cord, very special memories :)

I was in a birth pool both times. Me, dh and mw in the room, no strangers there.

Would have hated having strangers there, regardless of what I was wearing!

Haven't had time to read all the responses, just the last page - thanks Slinking for calling me weird, and prim, from someone like you I'll take that as a compliment, I'm not the one who goes ripping my clothes off in front of strangers - not weird or prim, just dignified :)

Going to stop reading this thread now as there are some quite disturbing mental images I'm being left with!

Sparkly, I really hope you didn't open your legs for the midwife.

How very undignified of you

I didn't give birth naked...! I had a pointless top on for both mine!

I just do not understand why you think people who do give birth naked are so strange. That's why I think you're weird. :)

Good lord, what a lot of fuss over nothing.

Some women give birth naked because they want to and they feel comfortable doing so.
Some women give birth wearing some form of clothing because they want to and feel comfortable doing so.

Really, it's not that difficult to understand is it?

And yes, fanjo splayed for all to see, but shoulders covered.

Very dignified.

Shout me down for trollhunting if you like, but I don't think sparkly has ever given birth.

I think she's pregnant with her first, and been watching vidoes of people giving birth.

If you've already given birth before more than once, why would you say:

sparklyknittedmacaroons Sat 26-Nov-11 19:52:13
I guess I feel I'd want to hang on to a shred of dignity by keeping my nightie on!

Not, I felt I wanted to but I feel I would want to.

Very suspect, I don't believe you've ever given birth OP. Not going by what you've said, and not going by the naivety of your attitude.

Am chuckling at the thought of what an eye opener she's going to have if that's true.

i think most of us have pointed out that we didnt have strangers in the room, midwives who some of us knew through ante-natal appointments etc or the ones on duty who introduce themselves to you and build up a relationship with you, i suppose technically they may be classed as strangers but htey certainly didnt feel it. mine were great actually and took the time to listen to me about what i wanted, to find out a bit about me etc. infact when i had dd, the midwife had a dd in my ds1's year at school, so we had a chat about the school etc and she was lovely with my ds1 and supportive of him being at the birth.

if you want to wear clothes fine, but dont dismiss others who dont or tell us we arent 'dignified' for not wearing clothes.

latrucha you didn't get there before me!