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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

What to wear in labour/giving birth?!

64 replies

NoTeaForMe · 24/08/2010 23:22

Hi,

I bought a pack of 2 nighties (long t-shirt type ones) from primark at the weekend and I also bought a pair of PJ's. I saw they had long shirt like nighties too and it has now occurred to me that perhaps they would be better as I'm intending on breast feeding and having skin to skin contact after birth. Do you think the nighties I have bought are ok or should I get some buttoned ones?

What do people normally wear in labour and afterwards?

Thanks in advance!

OP posts:

Doodleydoo · 25/08/2010 14:11

Hospital gown both times, and both times had bought nice pj's first time stayed in wore the pj's, second time had baby at 4am left at lunchtime - no time to wear them! Couldn't take them back either as darling dh had taken them out of the packet to discover they still had the tag on so he cut it out !

TheHeathenOfSuburbia · 25/08/2010 14:17

I went into hospital in an pair of trackie bottoms (drawstring) and an old T-shirt of DH's.

I assume someone (possibly me) removed the trackie bottoms at some point, though my memory is hazy...

There is a baby-shaped stain on the T-shirt where they splatted DD onto it, though, worth bearing in mind - but it's kind of nice in a way.

MoonUnitAlpha · 25/08/2010 14:34

I started off labour at home (planned homebirth) in an old t-shirt of DP's, but later got into the birth pool and remained naked until I had to transfer to hospital. I had an epidural so I was in a hospital gown after that and for the actual birth.

I had a couple of button-fronted Primark nighties in my hospital bag though, and found them great for the following days (was in hospital for 4 days) for easy breast access.

littleweed10 · 25/08/2010 20:55

I would only add to this, I wanted to wear something I felt I would wear normally, I just didn't feel comfortable in the old nightie (advice from hospital) or a baggy t shirt - I never wear them.

So I had a nice jersey dress on with leggings.

I think there are two stages to labour clothes, the 'ok this is quite weird but I am walking talking and not too bad between contractions' to the ' out of body, I am really focussed on this baby and nothing else'

And at that second stage despite all my planning (ooh a tankini top for the birth pool etc) I was just... naked. And do you know what, it was just the right thing for me to wear at that point, though if I'd have planned it before, I'd have never believed I would have done it.

Don't be worried about taking a few options along, then see how you feel.

My friend summed it up by saying 'do you know what, I took a bloody suitcase of stuff in my labour bag - and only used a facecloth!'

Emster30 · 26/08/2010 15:06

I wore a tankini in the pool, but then i had to transfer from the MLU to the labour ward and had a hospital gown after that (epidural etc). I remember the gown I was wearing after the birth (a different one? i don't know! yes, i think so) had chewing gum mashed into it. yuck. bospital gowns are a bit rubbish for breastfeeding in, i discovered! i bought cheapy black button nighties from Primark for afterwards.

Wholelottalove · 26/08/2010 21:51

I took a cheapo nightie and was sick all over it within about two mins of putting it on. So was given a hospital gown to wear which I then took off at some point and delivered naked. I had no idea I'd done this until fairly recently when DH told me - I'd been trying to work out how I'd managed skin to skin with DD and assumed the gown opened at the front or something.

I had nice PJs and new slippers for afterwards. The PJs had a strappy feeding top.

valbona · 27/08/2010 10:31

a pair of bright red and yellow socks, nothing else - they are at the back of my drawer to be a good luck charm if there's a next time ...

milanomum · 27/08/2010 13:43

So true Octaviapink!
I wore a crappy old nightie for the birth because it was easy to hike up and down when necessary - afterward i had button-down nightie or PJ shirt with calf-length leggings under - comfy!

passionberry · 27/08/2010 14:46

I took button fronted nightie which was useful for bf-ing afterwards.

Also took nice pjs which I think I changed into the next day (stayed in 2 nights)

Someone on here told me to take dark coloured trackie bottoms for immediately after the birth and that was very good advice (not to scare anyone but there was a lot of blood!!)

For during the birth I took an old shirt and a bikini top for the pool. I ended up forgetting the bikini top and got in the pool in the shirt, which I then stripped off and was naked for the duration!

KnitterNotTwitter · 27/08/2010 14:54

I intended to give birth in an old shirt of DH's so I could unbutton and do the skin-to-skin and BFing thing. In the end as I started pushing in the bath at home I transferred to hospital in my dressing gown and knickers. Acutaly knickers were removed in ambulance by nice ambulance lady who thought we'd be giving birth in transit. Was as much as they could do to keep a sheet over my nethers as I was wheeled through the hospital really enjoying myself screaming and grunting like a cave-beast.....

Strongly suggest that you don't make your outfit this an essential part of your birth expectations....!

CluckyKate · 27/08/2010 15:03

In truth you won't car what you're wearing & may even prefer to be nekkid

Good advice from passionberry tho - save the nice jims-jams until the lochia has settled down a bit [nods]

nattiecake · 29/08/2010 11:11

i just bought two el cheapo nighties from primark for labour, so they can get ruined and be binned if need be.
after labour im planning on getting rid of them and have another mothercare button down one for then :)

DuelingFanjo · 29/08/2010 11:13

I will care, I don't want to be naked so am getting in some extra large T-shirts.

Octaviapink · 29/08/2010 14:14

Seriously DuelingFanjo - you won't care. You will be absolutely absorbed in what you're doing, in coping with it and in what's going on with your body. It'll be incredibly hard to pull yourself away from it to even hear or understand what a midwife is saying to you. I know - I didn't believe it either. I'd seen film and photos of people giving birth naked and assumed it was something earth-mother/ let-it-all-hang-out types and hippies did. Not so! By the time you've vomited, wee-ed, poohed, broken your waters and generally been crawling around the floor for six hours, what you're wearing or not wearing will be the last thing on your mind.

Unless you have an ELCS, of course!

tassisssss · 29/08/2010 14:19

I had maternity nighties from mothercare which were just the softest cotton and very comfy. Front opened for skin to skin afterwards. For some reason with my 3rd labour I had my back to the door (I stood for all 3) and was paranoid about my bum not being covered so if I were to do it again (highly unlikely) I'd make sure they were a tiny bit longer...

lostinwales · 29/08/2010 14:25

May I recommend the humble sarong? I've had two which I've used the three times I've been in. As I was induced each time I've used them as bedspreads to make my little area less hospitally and then worn them as skirts or dresses depending on what stage of labour I've been in. Coupled with a huge button up soft mens shirt they've given me an adaptable wardrobe with plenty of access points!

DuelingFanjo · 29/08/2010 15:43

I will care, seriously!

I care about it now so I will make plans to be covered at least at teh top during labour. Having my tits out is not a requirement of labour so I won't be doing it. I do understand that my lower half will need to be naked and that several people will be down that end but there is no reason for me to want or need to have the rest of me exposed.

TheHeathenOfSuburbia · 29/08/2010 20:43

Am liking the sarong idea, lostinwales. I am wearing one as round-the-house maternity wear at the minute, though it does keep falling down unexpectedly... Hmmm...

justanuthermanicmumsday · 29/08/2010 21:33

i got a nice nightdress, but then i couldn't get myself to make it dirty, i do have ocd on serious note lol. i saw the hospital issue nightdress and put that on. im glad i did. didn't have to worry about husband not washing it. i intended to use hospital nighty for birth with the 2nd one also, but that baby was waiting for no one, i had her within 5 minutes of entering labour room. one nurse pulled my trousers down, the other grabbed the babies head in time, i was standing up lol

i dont think you should worry much, take what you have if you;ve got no money to spend on more nightclothes. Just worry about comfort rather than the birth clothes or breastfeeding. i just undid buttons for breastfeeding or took top right off and covered body with a shawl. then when i got home i got some more practical clothing for the feeding.

justanuthermanicmumsday · 29/08/2010 21:38

duelling mm i dont understand why some women go completely naked. maybe its insanity, maybe its for comfort. most the staff are women, unless theres an emergency in any case. i think having the lower half of the body naked is more instrusive than the breasts, but as my midwife told me the first time, leave your dignity at the door, when the baby is pushing you will not care which medic looks down there. She was right about that. But then again ive not had to use a male doc, thus far, don't know how id feel.

FlorenceMattell · 29/08/2010 21:45

Hi
Buy the cheapest big (and I mean 4 sizes bigger than you are) knickers. You can throw away. Get very hot swollen in labour. means you can keep on, even if have epidural catheter etc. You will loose fluid even little blood in labour. And keep everything else clean. Even if have pool labour are useful afterwards. There is nothing more embarrassing than knicker that dont fit when you have delivered. btw the midwife couldnt give a care less what you wear. She will have seen it all. Best for you to be comfortable and everyone's comfort is different. All the best for your labour

marriednotdead · 29/08/2010 21:50

I wore the same ancient t-shirt both times, with socks added for #2.
Had emergency CS with him but was such a rush that they didn't have time to put a hospital gown on me- such a shame
During hard labour making purple faces I am boiling so strip off followed by shock/freezing/shaking straight after the birth for at least an hour; a fur coat wouldn't be warm enough.

Take whatever you're comfy in, that you wouldn't mind throwing away afterwards.

littlemisslozza · 29/08/2010 22:02

Well, as someone who is not an extrovert and was (before children) quite worried about the indignity of giving birth, I could not bear to wear any clothes from about 8cm dilated onwards! I was too hot (it was beginning of September) and I couldn't get comfortable (no pain relief at this point because I went from 2cm to 8cm within an hour....!).
I gave birth totally naked and to be honest I could not have cared less, it felt right to me at that moment in time but never in a million years would I have planned it!
I had packed one of DH's old t-shirts to wear, and I had about 2 button front nighties and two pairs of nice new pyjamas for afterwards. All got used, and as I was in hospital for 5 days afterwards they got taken home, washed and brought back for use again.

DuelingFanjo · 30/08/2010 00:32

I don't care if it's women or men in the labour room, I will feel so much more comfortable if I am wearing something. It's not even about loss of dignity, it's just what I am comfortable with.

I'll let you know in December if I changed my mind

it does make me laugh that people think everyone should just be happy to be naked and yet there are so many women on MN who start threads about getting a wax before the birth.

seaturtle · 30/08/2010 01:00

Was induced and in a hospital gown for DS. But I remember packing some baggy old t-shirts that I didn't mind never seeing again. My friend bought a cheap nightie from Primark and chucked it in the bin afterwards.

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