What were you wearing (if anything) when giving birth?

[Pannacotta]

I didn't want to be stark naked last time, made me feel quite exposed/vulnerable and I ended up giving birth in an old dressing gown which I had to hold up around me.
Am hoping for a water birth but in case not does anyone have any suggestions of what to wear which gives a bit of privacy but won't get in the way?
Are eg old, big T shirts any good?

I a great large button down the fount shirt but some horrid long socks in case my feet got cold .i had been warned about the cold feet well i got left with just the the horrid socks all a bit odd

DD1 - large button all the way down nightie from Matalan
DD2 - plan was for same as above though didnt have time to change and ended up with just PJ top on - bottoms whipped off in the nick of time!

Big t shirt 1st time (wrecked it), nightshirt the next time - still wear it now (washed and de-blooded obv.) Think I ended up naked, like you say, inhibitions go out of the window. A friend of mine got her eyelashes tinted before giving birth so she wouldn't have to worry about her mascara running. WTF?? Who thinks about mascara at a time like that?

Started with a t shirt and dressing gown...gradually removing layers as I got hotter -ended up naked - until immediately after birht when I was freezing and put on everythign I could find for the ambulance trip to hosp....

Summer birth this time (jan5th last time) so can't see much being worn... unless i go into labour in the day!!!!!

i had a rather nice sundressy type thing. It did look pretty nice, actually.

Just socks with DS2 - I didn't even realise until later.

Naked - aparently not many women birth totally naked, my midwife was most impressed

I did not give a sh*t, the queen could have walked in and I wouldn't have cared...

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A long, red, sleeveless crushed velvet dress. Had been one of my smarter dresses once upon a time but was 10yo and had had lots of wear by the time ds was born. It was loose enough to be comfortable and I could slip the strap down to bf etc.

I turned up for my induction in a skirt and white t-shirt, and baby was born before they could get me into one of their vile gowns. T-shirt came up like new in the wash

Like the idea of a crushed velvet dress. Very classy.

Naked first time but got stuck with an inappropriate sequinned top on second time following transfer to hospital and a drip being stuck in my arm! It was all bunched up under my chin for skin to skin.

Shotgun wedding then?

i wore a baggy 'shirt for the birth and after-birth:

dd1 M&S top and short PJ's - never again, so uncomfortable!
ds1 long purple cotton dress
dd2 long purple cotton dress

the dress is the one i wore during the evening of my wedding do. it's now sooo worn out it makes a great comfy nightdress.

whatever you wear after the birth, just make sure it doesn't gather between the legs or accross your tummy - ouch!

A carefully chosen old yellow T-shirt. I then chucked up on it at my first sniff of gas and air, and ended up in the nice polka-dot maternity top I came in. Until the emergency CS, that is - hospital gown from then on.

Oh, and I'd had smoked mackerel for tea.

my maternity bra an breast pads! i had water birth wish someone had told me to take breast pads out! didnt wear t shirt mite do next time, although i wasnt really bothered about what people could see!

Hospital gown with DS1
Bloke's shirt and a pair of socks with DS2

I hoped for a water birth and actually had my tankini top close to hand. But didn't happen unfortunately and I had a comfy huge nightie from Primark

I wore my favourite white "prairie" style cotton nightie that I've had for years and a pair of my husband's grey hiking socks. Not the best of looks but my feet were cold!

Don't worry about staining white clothes.....that's what bleach is for.

you know i honestly can't remember. i think i started off in a t-shirt and changed into a nightie at some point (it was full of blood when i got home) , but then i must have been naked because that's how i am in the pictures!

how bizarre...

Feel immense pressure to add something amusing but will settle for factual if its all the same to you guys!! Hosp birth for DD, think I had top on and socks. DS home waterbirth in Made-in-water inflatable (FAB BIRTHING POOL!)was starkers from the moment I got in until 2hrs before delivery until DD came home about 10hrs after DS was born!!! Quite suprised as consider myself to be slim when a size 16 (and am def an 18 by the time d-day comes around) and as such usually quite keen to be head to toe in cloth! I also heard my midwives comment very positively on the bohemian-ness of my state of dress and was quite suprised as assumed it was the norm for a home or waterbirth. Nothing wrong with wanting to be covered though, think a buttoned top sounds like best option as it will allow for skin2skin and/or breastfeeding as soon as you want to. Best of luck!Xx

Old t shirt of DH's the first time. Second time was high summer heat wave so pj, string sleeve top thingey.