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?

nekkid

Am sure I started off in a big t-shirt both times but due to having 2 Emergency C-sections can't remember what I had on at the end - probably a hospital gown or nothing? Wasn't really top of my priority list at the time!

Gorgeous nightshirt with buttons down front for easy breastfeeding. My sister-in-law wore it to give birth to both her DDs (c-section) then passed it on to me (both normal delivery). DD and DS both born in hospital in Paris where on your back, legs in stirrups is the only available option so made sure toe nails looked fab as they were very much on display (one of the midwives actually commented on them!)

Long t-shirt first time round.

Starkers second time but only got to hospital with 5 minutes to spare so no time to change and couldn't have driven to hospital naked!!!!

Forever friends nightie with DD1
Snoopy nightie with ds2

Both nighties ive had since my teens !

nothing - luckily wasn't in hospital too long before she came, 2 hours in pool and then 2 hours pushing - threw off the gown the midwife covered me with as i was way too hot. didn't feel exposed, didn't really consider it to be honest.

The Mothercare maternity nightie I was wearing when I woke up in labour. It spent most of the time hitched up round my waist as my waters didn't so much break as gently drip .

The jumper i arrived at hospital in!!!! Was already pushing when got there with my first born!!!!! Very Quick labour!!!lol, would do it all again tomorow!!!!lol

Long black pulp fiction t-shirt

As I arrived at hospital trying not to push, as I staggered into the delivery room I was, apparently, throwing off clothes saying something to the effect of 'can't be doing with these'. Midwife said it was hilarious. As you can tell it's all a bit hazy, and couldn't have cared less I was naked. Had a very active birth too. Only problem was when the tens machine started shorting out as my sweaty back rubbed up against the plastic chair DP was supporting me from just as DD was about to appear

I wore a tank top (with a shelf bra) and knickers until the very end with all four of mine...Only shed the knickers at the last minute. (Had hospital gowns on for 3/4 but shed them once the midwives/ob nurse had left the room.)
The important thing is that you feel comfortable. Old T-shirt should be fine but I really liked the tank top because it was not flapping about and it provided some nork support.

Hmmmm, why is it that most of the other naked laydeez had quick births?? I was naked for 26 hours

I had a friend who was quite shy - and spent ages looking for a nightie she could wear in labour to protect her modesty. In fact she didn't even want her dh to be there when she gave birth. Of course when it came to actual labour, not only did she discover that she longer cared, when the midwife asked if some student doctors could come and watch she apparently shouted "Bring in whoever the fuck you like"

panacotta, I started out with an old shirt of DH... loose, cool and easy to unbutton when you need to (actually it was the only thing that almost went around me!) I had a water birth and I think it came off at some point though can't for the life of me remember when!

I wore one of dh's dive tshirts for the ds ... only just had time to get out of my kecks with dd - still wearing the tshirt I arrived in ...

hijack

"I have several friends in US who have used a binsi birthing skirt and raved. www.birthinbinsi.com"

Couldn't you make something similar and cheaper

Just a long-ish t-shirt for each one.

First time was in a hospital gown as I had an epidural, second time I was wearing top/trackies when I went in, managed to get the trackies off when pushing but MW had to cut my knickers off

for ds and dd1 I had one hospital gown, for dd2 I also had on a gown but might as well have had nothing on as I practically stripped myself while having contractions..pmsl

With DD1 I wore a mothercare nightie, but ended up with it tied in a knot around my middle as I was sitting on a birthing stool but wanted my shoulders covered for some bizarre reason. As soon as she was born I stripped off so we could do skin to skin. I think a men's shirt is a great idea, actually my doula had suggested that but for some reason I forgot. For DD2 I was at home and wore a sarong and a vest top, that was VERY comfy and would have worked just as well in a hospital. When I got into the birth pool I stripped off though so everyone saw me in all my glory and I was past caring, despite it being broad daylight. I was looking at some photos the other day with DH and he said "blimey your norks were the size of zeppelins then weren't they!"

Isn't it Ina May Gaskin who says you can tell what stage a labouring woman is at by how high she pulls up the sheet on the bed? Chin high, early labour. Covering the lower hald, active labour. Completely naked, transition! Mind you that assumes she's in a bed, of course.

old corporate t shirt
dont get why folk are naked

An Isabella Oliver short black maternity nightdress. It was so comfortable and actually quite glam, could even have passed for an evening dress if you were brave (and possible to b/f whilst wearing it)