What to wear in labour?

[Dozeyland]

What did you wear in childbirth?

Also if you are planning on using water pool, vest top, bra?

During first I had a very cheap night shirt which could be binned afterwards if it got too messed up. During the second I wore maternity t shirt and pyjama bottoms as it progressed rather quickly - sent home during first stage, got changed for comfort at home and returned to hospital in rather a hurry!

I had 2 emcs, but for labouring I wore:

DD1 - a hospital gown
DD2 - my PJs (had been asleep when it got interesting) and in the pool I wore nothing.

My DSis took off her clothes when in active labour and, when asked to move out of the room that had a pool, she wandered down the corridor starkers. She says she was hot too.

DD1 - was naked in the water, remained naked for the rest of her birth (including c-section) as I was too out of it to care.

DD2 - old baggy nightshirt that covered my arse, so I could walk around without making people think it was a full moon

DD3 - hospital gown (given to me my mw so 'we don't spoil your clothes')

Both baggy nightshirt and hospital gown great for getting baby skin-to-skin straight after birth.

Hospital gown. All the stuff i had prepared never made it out of the bag.

big baggy t shirt. but ended up naked each time. don't remember how!

I've just bought a couple of nighties from Primark - black, just above knee length, short sleeves, buttons up front for skin to skin and breastfeeding afterwards. £3.50 each so not bothered if they get ruined!

I took an old shirt and a bikini top for the pool.

Managed to get into the shirt but forgot about the bikini top so ended up naked in the pool.

My top tips:

Water proof mascara

Dark trackie bottoms for afterwards - not to freak anyone out but there is A LOT of blood. No point ruining nice pjs.

I so far have 2 nighties (also from primark!) one is front opening. but im thinking if i do go in the pool/stay in the pool I might just wear one of my nursing vests, dont really want my nightie floating up to say hello when i'm trying to push! :)

hmmm i know everyone says it about not caring in labour. at the moment i'm thinking "ah what if i get naked and everyone can see all.... ah what if i poo... ahh!

I love how my body has been able to carry a baby, but i feel i bit about my lower regions being shown ergh and even my boobs. im so self concious about my boobs as it is hate them lol

Oh yes, if you haven't seen it on a thread here before, forget them horrible paper maternity knickers - get thyself some cheap black cotton granny knickers from the supermarket. Much more comfortable!

Try not to fall into the trap so many of us have though, of continuing to wear said mahoosive granny knickers well into your baby's childhood

lol at the grannypants. So true. But so comfy at first. And get massive maternity pads.
Honestly you won't worry about how you look during labour. You will be giving birth and in touch with something much more primal than clothes.

Just have comfy, soft, treaty things for after.

Early part of labour I wore jogging trouser type bottoms and a vest

Then got in the pool and wore nowt

When I was in labour, a marching band could have gone through my room and seen my bum waving in the air and I couldn't have cared less. Fact!

I wore an old nightgown which I binned after dd was born. I never wanted to see it again! I had dd, I didn't want any garment that reminded me of the way in which I had her iyswim

I start off in whatever I happen to be wearing and then gradually shed bits as the mood takes me; generally wind up in a vest top IIRC. There's never been an actual plan involved...

Packed a cheap new nighty from Matalan for both of my labours - ended up naked. I was just so hot!

3 waterbirths. Stayed in my own clothes until getting into the pool. Then first two was naked, last didn't have time to get naked so bra left on.

One planned section - hossy gown

On dry land - a nightshirt.

In water - nothing, by the time I got into the pool (you need to wait until labour is established) I didn't care about being naked (I did in the weeks leading up to the labour).

Yes, there is this weird compulsion to be naked and really you won't care who sees you. Bring nice (but agree dark) things to wear afterwards, but I would ask for a hospital gown to wear in labour, which you can then strip off

Hospital gown and big white fluffy bedsocks.
I remember being completely out of it, forceps delivery and the consultant told me to focu on something so I looked at my socks!
Now in DDs memory box!

I didn't have a compulsion to be naked, it just happened because I threw up over absolutely every item I'd brought one after another, including the clothes I'd worn to the hospital, the three t-shirts I'd brought and my husband's favourite sweatshirt. I ended up going home in my pyjamas because I had nothing clean left!

This time am hoping the anti-sickness jab does its work better!

I have a vest top at a bikini top packed for water pool- although I was naked 1st time round.

I have just got back from trying to purchase a nightie type thing in case I have to end up on dry land. I couldn't do it, they were all to awful. I will wear a hospital gown or an old t shirt of DP's!

LOL at Poledra, have you being going through my knicker drawer again?!

Lovely old soft button up massive mans shirt, with a sarong which is easy access but can be used as a skirt, wrap dress or tied around your neck sort of dress. Was brilliant with DS3 as I had catheter, full on monitoring and two drips (don't ask!) and I could tie the sarong around me and still have an active labour (well with DH following me around the room driving my drip stands and me pushing the monitor on a trolley, we must have looked a proper sight!)

I was in my nudie suit for both labours. It felt most comfortable that way!

Enormous red t-shirt, same one both times. Still sleep in it now. And yes, black trackie bottoms (also enormous) for afterwards.

Even if you don't wear the cheapie nighties for labour they are good afterwards. There is (ahem) quite a lot of blood and clothes you don't mind binning are a good thing. And I got night sweats in the first month or so after the birth so preferred to sleep in clothes I knew I would throw away/turn into dusters.