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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to wonder why some women give birth naked?

339 replies

sparklyknittedmacaroons · 26/11/2011 19:39

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!

OP posts:
pointythings · 26/11/2011 22:00

With DD1 I had a nightie on - I was cold (weird, delivery rooms are boiling but it had been a very long difficult labour).

With DD2 I had my top on and my socks on - no time to get anything off, she was in a hurry. Ruined a perfectly good pair of socks, the top was miraculously untouched and is still one of my favourites.

Didn't give a stuff either time, I'm completely unselfconscious about it, would probably have gone starkers each time for choice but it just didn't happen.

I too think the OP's wording is just weird.

Popbiscuit · 26/11/2011 22:03

I'm with OP. It was enough of a loss of dignity without taking everything off. What I couldn't bear though, was the IV and catheter I had with my first. I refused those the 2nd and 3rd time around (or maybe had no need since they were so quick?...it's all so very, very foggy).

WhoWhoWhoWho · 26/11/2011 22:05

Is it weird that I cant remember if I was naked or not when I gave birth. Confused

I usually wear PJs in bed, cannot for the life of me remember if I bought a nightie and wore it, if I started in PJs and then stripped, cannot. remember. at. all. Shock

WhoWhoWhoWho · 26/11/2011 22:07

Ah, read thread - I'm relieved to see I'm not the only one who can't remember! Grin

Sidalee7 · 26/11/2011 22:12

I gave birth naked both times. The 1st time I had bought a special nightie, but ended up ripping it off as I was boiling and it felt totally restrictive. I did ask the midwife if she minded!

It was lovely when the dc were delivered and we were both naked, that skin on skin contact the best endorphin kick there is!

Popbiscuit · 26/11/2011 22:13

I've blanked it out, WWWW. My theory is that it's a version of PTSD.

A1980 · 26/11/2011 22:14

I think I'd want a bra / crop top on. My breasts are swollen and heavy enough when I'm about to get a period that I wear one 24/7. When I'm about to give birth, they must be huge. I hate to have them hanging around unsupported throughout a labour.

cookingfat · 26/11/2011 22:16

Too damn hot in the delivery room for clothes, felt much comfier and less restricted once I'd whipped them off. Was dressed until fully dilated (when arrived at hospital).

grubbalo · 26/11/2011 22:17

Feel the need to get naked, fecking brilliant!!

I also can't actually remember, all I do know is that being in labour wasn't the time I thought about how bloody marvellous it was that finally I would have the chance to indulge my ultimate fantasy of being naked in front of strangers (who spend all their time looking at women's bits so really wouldn't give two hoots).

God there are some odd threads on here sometimes..., although I am dead impressed the OP actually is lucid enough in labour to worry about this kind of thing.

NinthWave · 26/11/2011 22:18

DS1 I had a sports bra thing on

DS2 started off in a nightie but ditched it when I had an episural. They put me in a crappy hospital gown which drove me NUTS afterwards when I was trying to take it off over drips, cannulas etc for skin-to-skin. I also insisted on wearing a nice pair of stripey Primark slipper socks, which I happen to be wearing right now Grin

Actually I'm wearing the nightie too! Fond memories

NinthWave · 26/11/2011 22:20

I started off in a nightie, I mean. DS2 didn't emerge dressed in one, etc etc

grumpykat · 26/11/2011 22:20

I think I slowly got more nekkid as we went along (plenty of time to dawdle in a 56 hour labour Confused)
By the time dd turned up I was utterly starkers and could not have given a flying fuck if I was delivering in front of a stadium full of people.

Flisspaps · 26/11/2011 22:28

Listening to a lecture by midwife Caroline Flint this week, she said she couldn't understand why labouring women often stripped. Then she learned oxytocin production increases when you're naked.

It might be an instinctive thing in most cases in order to help labour along Smile

I am horrifically shy when it comes to being naked but I'd have done anything to have been able to communicate to DH that I wanted my t-shirt off (had a drip and monitors so was unable to take it off myself)

BadDayAtTheOrifice · 26/11/2011 22:31

When I was young, I also questioned why so many women seemed to give birth naked.

When my first DD was born, I didn't plan on giving birth naked but was so hot at the time I just stripped off without giving it a second thought.

When DD2 came along i planned on giving birth naked, in a pool but she arrived so quickly there was only an inch of water in the pool and so still had my nightie on. Didn't give that a second thought either.

Both of my births were equally dignified. Both at home with just DP and a midwife.

cupcakelover1983 · 26/11/2011 22:35

I ended up giving birth naked as I was px sick during transition that they had to cut my clothes off! not my finest hour but couldn't have cared less to be honest. I'll try to stay clothed next time!

skybluepearl · 26/11/2011 23:02

i went into hospital fully clothed with a thick tunic top and jeans but gave birth after an hour. All my luggage was in the car and I was hot. I only had my phone and hubby with me. I never ever intended to give birth naked but it sort of happened and it seemed so normal. I really wasn't aware of the nakedness, I was too busy concentrating on the job in hand!

skybluepearl · 26/11/2011 23:04

the reason we removed clothes was that they were restrictive, hot and uncomfortable.

CarrieInAnotherTWOBabiTWINS · 26/11/2011 23:12

i gave birth in hte buff, didnt bother me one bit, just didnt want any clothes on me

CailinDana · 26/11/2011 23:22

I didn't really think about it, I was just so bloody hot that I yanked all my clothes off and threw them across the room. It may have been partly due to the fact that I was orbiting mars on gas and air.

mawbroon · 26/11/2011 23:32

I was in the birthing pool naked, and was so off my face on G&A when I got out that it didn't occur to me to put anything on.

I think they maybe threw a sheet over me for the last bit, but I really don't remember.

And I didn't care at the time, and I really don't care now.

UterusUterusGhali · 26/11/2011 23:40

I couldn't bear the feel of clothes either. Even now the thought makes me feel all icky. It's like nails down a blackboard.

Honeydragon · 26/11/2011 23:43

I was in the birthing pool with dd so seemed stupid to wear clothes .... had no drugs, did kick the two consultants out (vbac) after informing them they were adding nothing to proceedings so may as well bugger off Blush although my MW thought this hilarious Grin

I don't think I bothered to get dressed until I had a shower. I remember giving dd her first feed whilst reading the Daily Mail and drinking a cup of coffee stark bollock naked in the delivery room. Like Morlorth I was so fucking hyped on my awesome tbh if the Queen had walked in I'd have made her curtsey to me.

saladsandwich · 26/11/2011 23:44

i had a nightie on but it was so wide at the neck for breast feeding and it was hitched right up i think i may have had everything hanging out anyway, afterwards this woman got me off the bed put me behind a screen stripped me and plonked me in a bath and i didnt give a chuff, i dont think you actually think when your in labour do you? although i don't think i'd want to write on my green notes i wanna be in the buff

Zacsbird · 26/11/2011 23:59

You sound like my mum! With dd2 I was still fully dressed by the time I was ready to push, the midwife and DH took off my trainers, trousers and knickers. I took off my t-shirt as I was boiling, kept bra on though.

Mum recently saw a photo of me with newborn dd2 and exclaimed 'oh you're naked on that pic!'. No mum I was covered in a blanket and was wearing a bra too.[big grin]

Mum had c sections with both me and my sis so on reflection showed a lot more to the surgeon. Wink

MurderOfProse · 27/11/2011 00:30

I'm sure I read somewhere that "loss of inhibition" is one of the signs for differentiating proper labour from false labour.

I'm very inhibited, you'll never catch me changing even behind a towel in a communal changing rooms, and revealing clothes are most certainly NOT something I do. However when I had a precipitous labour with DD1, the ambulance crew had to make sure I was wearing something when I walked out to the ambulance with all the neighbours gawking. It goes without saying I pulled it off once I was in the delivery room. I had c-sections for my other two DCs, and I've remained just as inhibited afterwards so I can safely say that's the only time strangers have seen me completely naked since I was a child.

I actually only felt awkward when people tried to cover me up, like I was doing something wrong.

Oddly, despite otherwise being a total prude, I don't feel weird or regretful about it. It's just what it was. An unavoidable part of the birthing experience and as necessary as all the rest as far as my body was concerned.

With the c-sections, I felt very exposed and unhappy at my bottom half being on display, and not comfortable at all. That's because I wasn't in labour.