To wonder why women in labour have their tops bare stomachs showing

[Keepinggoing70]

I’m in my early 20’s and few of my contacts on social media have children. I also have a six month old. I’ve recently seen a live video of a woman I went to school with in early labour with her top rolled up so her stomach was showing and also another woman taking pictures of her stomach while in labour with her top rolled up. Is there a reason behind this?

Comfort. I already know I'll be naked. I hate clothes at the best of times so I will feel constricted and irritated if I'm not free.

I wonder is this one of those weird fetish trolls asking weird questions to get us all talking about our pregnant bellies...

First birth, I gradually chucked all my clothes off until I was just in a bralette type thing. I did have a blanket though, and I had an epidural so the blanket didn't bother me. Second birth the midwife helped me get undressed and into a hospital gown which I practically ripped off 20 minutes later because I absolutely couldn't stand how it felt on my skin. Giving birth that way felt right. And I have seen some stunning pictures of women in labour, there's a whole group of birth photographers on Instagram, and I think every one of them is amazing. I wouldn't chose to share pictures of me giving birth but I applaud any woman who has the confidence to share pictures of something which is such a fundamental powerful amazing thing that women do.

I hated if anything touched me during labour.included fabric, DH, the mid wife, letc.

The biggest question here is surely why women would film themselves in labour and put it on social media???

When in labour (actually even during pregnancy) I couldn't stand things touching my stomach, but also became very hot very quickly. I stripped off to underwear pretty quickly.

The biggest question here is surely why women would film themselves in labour and put it on social media

I mean why not I guess?

I definitely benefited from watching some positive birth stories on YouTube. I really wouldn’t have been comfortable being filmed/ sharing but I was glad people did when I was pregnant.

As it turned out mine was a total shit show that nobody would have wanted to see, but im still glad I saw the positive stories too.

They want too?

@AliasGrape Fair enough. That's not what I was imagining but hadn't considered that scenario.

We are literally now being judged by other women on what we look like and wear in labour.

Fucking hell...

@theblackparade

I wonder is this one of those weird fetish trolls asking weird questions to get us all talking about our pregnant bellies...

Exactly this.

Is it now normal to post live streams of yourself giving birth ?

@Keepinggoing70

No I’m just curious as to what the motivation is for it. I guess we all differ I personally didn’t want to be anymore exposed than I had to especially not on social media but then I’m quite a private person.

There’s your answer.

Best selfies??

I think it's interesting/poignant(?) that a whole thread lecturing the OP on not judging women is basically judging her for asking a question - providing of course, that the question is asked in good faith (curiosity and not judgement).

Have many of us become so cynical that there is no such thing as an innocent question any more?

In any case OP, I got partially exposed myself because a) I felt hot and uncomforable and b) I didn't care who saw - it was as if no one else in the universe existed but the child I was trying to push out, whilst experiencing waves of soul-blinding suffering.

Is there a motive that is wrong or right?

I couldn’t muster the effort to consider it noteworthy, and I’m passionately childfree. Never mind actually creating a thread about women having flesh exposed. Why did she have her gut out? Dunno. Couldn’t care less. Probably warm, feeling scared, in agony, birthing another person into existence on a dying planet. Have you tried sudoku/baking/litter collection?

I’ve recently seen a live video of a woman I went to school with in early labour

😂😂😂😂

Sorry for laughing - just so random!

Sometimes to listen the baby heartbeat and they probably left it that way

A lot of women feel the urge to strip naked during labour, clothes are restrictive and irritating! I remember being furious with the midwife who made me put my dress back on to walk from the assessment ward to labour ward, I wanted to walk there wrapped in the bedsheet 😂 I was in transition by then though!

I wore only a sports bra and a sheet for most of my labour. Didn’t even occur to me to cover up.

What has it got to do with you?
During labour i was comfiest with as few clothes on as possible.

@CloudPop

Is it now normal to post live streams of yourself giving birth ?

I wouldn't have thought so.

Educational films are shown to people at ante natal classes and obviously they involve someone being filmed giving birth but I've not heard of it begin done routinely and circulated.

Showing your belly is normal during labour. I cant say I felt the need to be completely naked and nobody suggested that I should, I just pulled my very comfortable cotton nightie up. I was only in hospital for two hours before popping my baby out though so not enough time to get over heated.

I was boiling hot in labour even before going to hospital. And two of three were midwinter babies.