What did you wear to give birth?

[LaTristesse]

I had a teeny vest on last time and after 8 hours in the birth pool and then a switch to delivery suite for another 8 hours I was bloody freezing and caught a horrendous chill which DS caught too, only minutes old poor chap!
So this time I'm looking for inspiration... I'd like to get in the pool again but want to stay warm! Do i go for a blokes shirt type thing? (btw this isnt a style question, purely practical!)
Thanks...

With ds1 I got out of the bath to deliver ds so just dried my top half and put my pj top back on.

With ds2 we only made it to the hospital with 5 minutes to spare so I took off my trousers and pants and that was it - I delivered only wearing my socks on my bottom half - classy

You'll probably get colder in clothes if you have to get out, because of the wet clothing clinging to you. It was probably the 8 hours in delivery suite that did it.

I would pack a big fluffy dressing gown if I were you. Who cares if you have tones of stuff to take to hospital!

With DD1 I was in bath at hospital and only had time to pull on a hospital gown before going into the delivery room and full on pushing stage (had new Tshirt etc packed, but didn't get to open bag). With DD2 I was in observation room when I felt the need to puch, so just had time to get my jeans and knickers off before being rushed to delivery room (didn't evenhave time to get well packed bag out of car that time!)

I'd go for a strappy vest with a blokes shirt on top if I was having a pool birth

for two i wore the hospital gown,and for the other two my own nightie,which was like a long t-shirt type.

DHs tshirt which I was desperate to get off but had a drip in and was in too much pain to ask to cut it off

Have the same tshirt to wear this time round if I'm not in the pool, if I am in the pool I'll either wear a vest top or sod all, and have a dressing gown nearby

I've just come onto this board to ask exactly the same question

Just like others, although I'd taken a cheap nightie, I didn't get chance to get changed last time and gave birth in the t-shirt I arrived in and at some point a hospital gown (although that may only have appeared when I went to theatre -I have no idea).

There was quite a lot of blood and mess last time, so I'm reluctant to take my white fluffy dressing gown or to buy another one just for the event! Oh, and it was also really really hot the entire time I was in hospital.

I know exactly what I want: something I can put on while still at home and travel in (with joggers or whatever), which is long enough to preserve some dignity at least occasionally and which can be opened to allow plenty of access for skin-to-skin and bf. And which is cheap enough to be 'disposable'. I have absolutely no idea where to find this item, though!!

I got a cheap nighty with buttons to open at the front to feed, but whipped it off to feed DD1 as soon as she was born.
luckysocks why not wear joggers with a nightie instead of a t shirt? Make it long enough to preserve your dignity (ha!) and if not buttons to open at the top, maybe cut a longer V at the top. Primark or Matalan.

A hospital gown

Make it long enough to preserve your dignity (ha!)

ha! - that's exactly what I thought as i wrote it!

You see, the problem I had last time (although I didn't realise it until much later), was that because my pg/bf boobs are enormous and - ahem - not especially...perky, trying to feed by going 'over' the top is pretty much hopeless. I'd need to cut the v neck to my waist

It needs buttons, but not too fiddly and which go all the way down. Maybe a huge bloke's shirt is what I need. Actually, that might be a plan - a nice soft one.

It was a good old Primark buttoned nightie I had last time, funnily enough :)

I found quite a few interesting garments in the BHS sale this week, of all places! And not all of them were ugly as sin either! I went for a mid-thigh length button down nightshirt, they had some with short sleeves too. Upsized by a couple of sizes to accommodate the bulkier bf norks, and all for £8!

Thanks for the feedback everyone, tbh as long as avoid the hospital gown I'll be happy! And will definitely take a dressing gown to keep me warm post-pool (assuming I get that far!).

A quick look on ebay reminded me that even a XXL blokes shirt will only be normal shirt length when you're carrying a huge baby bump...

Could I ask people who took a dressing gown last time.... I'm really hoping for a pool birth this time and it makes really good sense to have a dressing gown, but last time the floor and everything I was wearing was covered in blood. I was still wearing the white IO t-shirt I'd put on that morning pre-labour and was gutted, the midwife just threw it in the bin for me :( And I kept on bleeding. I thought this was pretty normal.... did your dressing gown not get covered in blood? Sorry if this is a stupid question!

Even afterwards, I was just wearing a hospital gown with my huge pants/pads, and as I had a catheter/spinal block, mostly just bled through onto the huge pads they put on the bed. Lovely

Mm, I gave birth in my silly little vest, and after a bit of skin to skin I got up to get cleaned up and gushed blood onto the bed/floor. But after a bath, I got dressed, loaded up on maternity pads and nothing else got bloody, no... Not even the white lightweight dressing gown I had on.

My mum's old Winnie the Pooh nightie and a pair of Pink Panther socks.

I haven't washed the socks since - they're in my special baby souvenir box with cord, 1st little hats etc :)

The tunic dress I arrived in minus leggings! My nightie and everything else stayed in the bag. She came way too quickly and was distressed so was straight onto a drip with clip on her head. The 'I'll just get changed' moment never came.

Having said that the Peacocks, cheapo dressing gown was amazing to put on after my post birth bath. I'd recommend taking a light dressing gown - its so comfy and easy to get on and off.

Thanks, LaTristesse

I've been convinced about the dressing gown - it's on my list :)

It was only after DS2 arrived (in quite a hurry) that I realised I was still in my denim skirt (as well as t-shirt/bra etc etc)...
I never had a pool birth (though always wanted one), but I can't believe they don't keep the rooms warm enough if you are going to be wet - I'm quite shocked (especially considering hospitals are normally really hot)!

I did most of first labour in a rather fetching stretchy little black number from Blooming Marvellous, but bloody midwife felt it was inappropriate to wear to have my waters broken and made me change into a gown - it all went downhill from there.
I'd go glamour all the way if I had my time again, but be sure to wear something that's either low enough at the back or will ride up over your back so that you can get an epidural in.

Hospital gown. I was amazed on the last thread on this topic that so many people had other sartorial options for birthing. Our hospital is ridiculously fuddy-duddy. Straight out of the 1960's.

Venice, to be fair it was very warm in the room with the pool, but I think (as NewYears... suggested previously) it was the being transferred along the corridor to the delivery suite to have my waters broken that gave me the chill!