What to wear in labour/giving birth?!

[NoTeaForMe]

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!

i had a stretchy nightie with straps and the MW shoved the baby underneath it. worked well.

With DD1 I wore an ancient teenage nightie with a sledging elephant on the front; I still have it. For DD2 I wore an old black top of DH's with flames up the sleeves. Very emo. Still did skin to skin with both though; just pulled it up each time.

I'm with DuellingFanjo! I cared during birth. Maybe not quite as much as I thought that I would because I bought a nightie to give birth in (from Primark) and my sister said that they might make me put one of their gowns on, like they had done to her.

I said, "eww, there is no way that I'm wearing a gown that someone else has given birth in! I'm wearing my own!"

When I got to the hospital I didn't actually mind putting one of their gowns on but I was a bit at having to take my bra off as I hate being bra-less! So there is no chance that I would have wanted to be naked.

whyd you have to take bra off for birth..did nurses give any reason...or am i having a blonde moment for lack of a better phrase?

You don't have to take your bra off. However, with all the squeezing your body's doing, a bra is the last thing you want around your ribcage IME.
I couldn't bear anything on me at that point

Well I'm with Duelling on this one, I will definitely care about being naked when I give birth!! I'm not bothered about what I am wearing though, I was posting and asking the question more about the practicalities of wearing a t-shirt style nightie or a nightie with butttons. I was thinking of skin-to-skin and breastfeeding afterwards and whether buttons would be better.

I wore knickers (up to a point obviously)and a black maternity vest. I had a HB and when the MW arrived I had just got out of the bath so was naked but was clutching my pants while having very strong contactions. The mw obviosly realised I did not want to be bare so dressed me

Like others said the MWs worked out how to do skin 2 skin at the time no problems. Though it all got chucked due to the mess!

When I had DD I just turned up at the hospital and got on with it, not once did I even think about what I was wearing.

Some where between arrival at hospital, and delivering dd I got naked... :) (apart from one sock....)

I wish everyone would stop going on about Primark. Don't you realise/care that the clothes they sell there are made in sweat shops. (obviously!! - how else could a nightie cost£2!!)

On each occasion I dug out my oldest, most crappy nightie, wore it through delivery then chucked it, stains and all, into the bin.

A good excuse to buy new nightwear!

I took in various options and ended up in the half nightie hospital gown ( I am quite prudish normally and sleep in PJs at ALL TIMES) - I didn't give a toss. In fact I remember the anesthatist (sp) covering me up whilst trying to talk to me...I don't know if he was trying to protect him or me!

I was very glad to have a dressing gown and lots of M and S cotton giant pants for the afterwards bit

Naked to actually deliver. Some ghastly nighties afterwards (thrown away at home as I sleep naked all the time)

I ended up starkers in the birth pool, got into a dressing gown and big knickers afterwards - this was at home though so we could snuggle on the sofa in privacy. Am pondering a big vest top this time so my boobs aren't boinging everywhere OnEdge - like the idea of popping the baby underneath afterwards!

I saw this nightie/dress in the window of intimissi recently, and thought it was PERFECT for post partum recovery. Stylish for photos with your newborn, easy access for breastfeeding, black for no embarrassing nightie stains, microfibre for breathable in hot wards. I bought 2 for pregant friends. Only wished I was planning a DC3!

www.intimissimi.it/#/Collection/wf2010/59?lang=en