Stupid question alert!!

[BarryBarryTaylor]

Hello,
Baby no.2 is due in a few weeks, all being well we will have a water birth, it’s what I’m hoping for but you know how unpredictable childbirth can be...

it’s just occurred to me, what do you wear in the birthing pool? I was just going to take a sports bra type bra that I got from uniqlo, comfy and cheap. It’s this acceptable? Any advice welcomed! X

I didn't end up having a waterbirth but I bought a cheapish maternity tankini that I could wear for a possible waterbirth,

My MW said anything goes, she recommended a vest top so that’s what’s in my hospital bag. It did occur to me I could wear a bikini though (just can’t be bothered to find one!). Naked is apparently more than acceptable too. She said baggy T-shirt’s and likely to be tied up at the back.

I would say a maternity tankini with tieside Bottoms

You'll probably end up naked anyway for the skin to skin contact and first feed when baby is born.

I've had two previous water births and about to go for a third, I've got a primark sports bra crop top thing. No point paying for tankinis or the likes, they tell u to take the bottoms off before you get in the pool anyway

Tankini but actually if I hadn't already owned one I'd probably have just used a vest top.

Ok thank you all. I will just use my uniqlo sports bra as planned and not bother buying anything else now.
Another stupid question- should I pack a bath towel in my hospital bag?

I had an unplanned water bath so I was naked.

They will give you plenty towels

Thank you Edthebear

I did not have a water birth but I remember the midwife in my antenatal class said that quite frequently women would don a one-piece swimming costume to get into the pool and she'd have to explain why that wasn't going to work...

She also said that naked is fine for the woman but not for dad to be - and that that comes up a lot

I had a water birth and was naked, I didn’t even think anything of it in the moment. It was like being in the bath. Only thing is I can’t show many people the photos from immediately after the birth DD was born and straight up onto my chest/between my breasts through the water.

I was planning on wearing a bikini top but I didn't want anything on at all when it came around.

To be honest after my long arduous first childbirth where I didn’t want any pictures of me, being naked in a pool makes a nice change

I saw a midwife on one born every minute (yes I know I shouldn’t watch this!) say that she had a dad get naked and get in the pool with the mom 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ My DH won’t be doing that haha

I was naked, hairy and the most popular girl from school was my midwife- she was a dream midwife but definitely a very strange moment in my life!

I was naked, didn’t see the point of wearing anything.

Nothing on for me too - in hindsight I suppose I could have left my bra on but I was so in the zone I just whipped everything off between contractions so I could get in the water quickly.

I just wore a bra. Nothing else

Took a bikini but ended up wearing the vest top I arrived in

I just had my bikini bra top on and it worked great for me.

I just wore a vest top x

My most comfortable t shirt!

I wore a sports bra. I would take a towel just in case, they don't always give you many towels in hospital and might be handy to have.
Good luck! I loved the birthing pool, was great for me

Vest top, Bra or bikini top. Or totally nude if you prefer!

I didn't even think of buying anything. It seemed like too much effort to plan/buy something and I knew the midwife was going to be looking very closely at another part of my anatomy. In fact as soon as she'd started the water and left the room to get some things I had already stripped naked. I didn't think anything of it. Although I do giggle about it now thinking of her walking out with a fully clothed woman and walking back in to be confronted by me naked, standing in front of the doorway, not giving a hoot who saw me.
I'm quite reserved and don't even show my bare legs in summer so it does show that you change during labour.