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!

having read more of this I have to say that I agree - I don't think OP is for real. But that still doesn't explain the somewhat overblown responses on here. Birth is a very individual thing - what works for one person won't for another - what's the big deal?

I was just wearing a sports bra, I think.

I was really insecure at first, but by the end of it every single person in the world could have tromped through and had a good look up the birth canal for all I cared. In fact that might have been sort of interesting... "Ah, George Clooney, nice to meet you...OW OW FUCK OW! Desmond Tutu, hello! Meet my third grade teacher! SHIT GET THIS BABY OUT!" :o Lovely.

Anyone who is "stunned" or "gobsmacked" that anyone might want to give birth clothed just needs a little more imagination and realise that not everyone is the same.

Just because you were happy naked doesn't mean everyone will be.
Just because you couldn't have cared less about people wandering though doesn't mean no one will.

And I include the OP in this. My initial response to the thread title when i read it was a simple "because they want to."

How difficult is that to grasp?

My first birth, I started off with a nightie on. I was really hot and bothered and one of the nurses asked if I'd rather take it off, so I did and felt SO much better! The second time I was stripping off the second I lurched into triage at about 9 cm dilated, much to the midwife's consternation.

I get really hot in labour, clothes just feel like they're strangling me.

ah, hadn't read the thread and seen it all kicking off - that's a shame, I thought the OP was worded pretty neutrally. SoupDragon is right, people do things differently, that's all. Is no big deal. No babies were harmed in the retaining of this nightie, etc.

OP, it's none of yours what anyone else chooses to do at one of the most intense and vulnerable times of their lives, much like it's none of ours what you choose to do.
FWIW, I had 16 people I'd never met in the room with me at DD's birth - 3 midwives, the paediatric consultant team, the anaesthetist's team, 2 doctors and a SCBU nurse. Given that DD's heartbeat was down to 6 bpm and they were stripping me for an EMCS while I lost 6 pints of blood because my placenta was abrupting, it was the last fucking thing I gave a shit about.

The op was sort of worded ok but have you read the subsquent posts?

Women who do not remain clothed are undignified and likened to animals.

Still wondering why it kicked off?

I am not a naked birther btw. Fully clothed till the very last minute and pants back on as soon as its all been tidied up.

But I dont care what other people do. Not as much as the OP does thats fer sure.

DS1 - silly hospital gown

DS2 - at home, summer morning, remember taking nightshirt off and flinging t to one side, wandering around the room and me saying "perhaps we should draw the curtains!!"

DD - at home, early evening and in a nice summer dress, remember DH saying to me "do you want to take your clothes off" (still had pants on at this point!) about 20 mins before dd arrived. Ddn't occurto metoput anything else on.

Guess people differ in hw comfortable they are with nakedness. DH and I both sleep naked, unless it is very chilly, and often go to the bathroom etc. without clothes on. Never has bothered me, but un derstand others feel diffrerently

How strange to give birth naked. Like an animal. Oh wait, I am an animal. And never so much so than when giving birth. Dignity is totally irrelevant, I think. Like other posters have said, how can one even think straight while in labour? I felt like I was on another planet; definitely not much in the way of rational thought going on. I guess that's probably different if you have an epidural though?

With DC1, I took my clothes off on my way into the delivery suite. The mw only wanted to examine me so she was surprised when I started stripping. She then found me to be fully dialated and I guess I must have know that instinctively; that I was ready to push.

I am quite proud of my bod though so maybe I was just showing off.

I did have a room full of strangers- distressed baby plus a trainee paramedic watching in, 2 midwives, surgeon, consultant, doctor, nurse, anethatist (can't spell!), up to 15 people in the room.

They all saw my fanjo. They all saw my tits, they all saw me shit myself. Didn't bother me at the time. I was more concerned about them saving my daughter, I was just another biological object.

Just as an additional thought - is there a general concensus on most dignified birthing position? Maybe all fours is least dignified as it means people see your arse. Though when combined with birthing undercrackers (patent it- fast) it wouldn't be too bad?

Waterlego I had an epidural after I'd dilated to about 7...believe me, I was still on another planet! :)

I was having a think about this over the weekend. It has occurred to me that for all three of my births I was given a hospital gown immediately. We'd barely parked the car before they were telling me to go and put the gown on. Now, I had fairly straightforward nurse / on-call obstetrician deliveries (no midwife) and no desire whatsoever to disrobe completely (shy) but if I had wanted to strip-off I don't think it would have been actively encouraged. All the (tiny, crowded) birthing rooms were open to the corridor, moms-to-be (and dads) walking around during their labours. It just got me thinking that if I had thought I might like to be undressed during labour, my hospital would so not have been the place. It's a really old building and not really conducive to letting moms labour in the way they are most comfortable

Rambling, but just wanted to say that perhaps this might be something to think about when planning where to give birth?

OP, you lost me at "just no need for it." I was kneeling on all fours, skinny arse hanging out, DH slightly concerned I might try to scrabble over the back of the bed with each contraction, announcing I was "too posh to push" and I wanted "to go home now thankyou" and you think the nudity was the undignified bit?!

I had a breastfeeding-friendly nightie on both times. I only know because I filmed both births (how weird and undignified, huh?!)

I'm feeling a bit jealous of all these women reporting a primal urge to strip off...how cool!

garlic that woman in the second picture you linked to is wearing manda's dignity bloomers!

I wore a gown for dd1. I think the midwives did seem to expect some sort of clothes - one appeared horrified when she realised I wasn't wearing pants - I was too busy contracting to say 'WHY would I need pants? Am I Daphne from Neighbours?'
For dd2 and dd3 I wore the same faded spotty nightshirt. I got it in a bag of clothes from a mum at toddler group and I suspect she gave birth in it too. It washed perfectly both times. I could wear it again but as I am never giving birth again it's not needed I can't wear it for any other purpose nor can I give it away or throw it out. Weird. It was jolly good - warm enough, cool enough, v soft, buttons and wide neck so would pull down for skin to skin/breastfeeding access. It was also a bt too short for me - so perfect for birthing as allowed good access for midwives.

Because I was in and and out of the bath.
Because I wanted skin-toskin with DD after birth.
But mostly because I was off my fucking head due to the entonox.

Ahh, that's not how I imagined them, MyChild I admit to being more interested in why the man in the pink jacket was flapping his wrist around! Perhaps he was overcome with a sudden stroke of genius ... the idea for purple-fringed birthing knickers with integral butt plug.

I was naked both times, I was not off my face on pain relief either time, just wanted to be unrestricted. I felt perfectly dignified without my clothes, in fact from memory I felt undignified in my nightshirt because I was too hot and uncomfortable and it was making me feel out of control... as many people have said- each to his own!

MandaHugNKiss I was presuming that Becaroooo's wish for fringing on her Birthing Undercrackers (TM) is to camouflage her tattered fanjo, until the MW regains conciousness and can do something about it?

Am convinced the OP has not had four children, and am doubtful she has even had one.

It is a bit of a daft thread!

V. entertaining though!

finite you are indeed correct!!! My poor nethers resemble the Ypres salient sadly

Birthing undercrackers (TM) are genius...shame we are not living in the reign on Queen Victoria....I think its an item of apparel she would have approved of!!!

[grni]

I'm imagining the undercrackers will have some sort of fanjo flap built in? A bit like the bum flap on old fashioned long johns. There must be some way of decanting the baby.

Poppers or velcro?