What to wear for a water birth?

[Crazymummyto3]

I'm due our fourth baby in just over 5 weeks and hoping that I finally manage to get the water birth that I've always wanted this time! What did you/are you planning on wearing in the birthing pool?

First time: planned - bikini top, also had an old vest top in the bag just in case I preferred that.

Reality both times: naked as soon as I got in the room, never mind the pool.

Same... Planned: maternity bra that looked more like a sports bra

Reality: naked

I wore a tankini top, but it had quite large decorative plastic hoops attaching the straps. I didn't realize at the time, but they must have been pushing against the side of the pool and my skin and I had the biggest red marks and bruises for days where they'd been. In short, don't wear anything that's not really soft!

Had two water births, naked both times. Because of the water and the height of the pool though, it feels much more discreet and comfortable than you'd think.

Intended- tankini

Reality - naked

I wore a vest with a built in bra. I didn't want to be naked.

Naked.

The only people there were DH and midwives who have seen it all before!!

Took a bikini top, but ended up naked. I got in right at the end, and didn't really care at that point - I just wanted the relief and the baby out!

Two water births and nude both times, clothes would have annoyed me.

A comfy bra top

Both times : Beach dress thing in taxi then naked asap after that. It does seem to be coming down on the naked side op....

Another naked birther here. DP always jokes about how many people saw me naked that day.

I didn't care.

I am a midwife and honestly I would say about 80% of women end up naked in there. Some have a tankini top on. Had a couple with a floaty dress thing on but that can get bit awkward at the pushing stage as we can't see what is going on. I would go with naked myself as it is easier to dry off after without awkwardly trying to get a wet top off to do skin to skin ect!

I'm guessing naked it is then! Thankyou everyone

A gold bikini

Two water births. Wore seam free nursing bras (Emma Jane).

A vest top. I had a HB and asked DH to find me something appropriate to wear in pool at about 6am in throws of labour. DH came back with a one piece non maternity swimming costume

Another naked one here 😂
I don't think I even took anything with me in my bag for going in the pool, in my head beforehand I maybe thought I'd wear a bra? The second I got in the birth room I stripped off completely, there must be something about the later stages of labour that makes the majority of us just want to be nude 😂

I think I may have worn a t-shirt, but to be honest, despite being the opposite of an exhibitionist, every time I have given birth I wouldn't have had a problem with being naked. Good luck on getting a pool birth! I managed it with my second and third and it was great.

Started in a tankini I think..
Naked in the end

Naked and I couldn't have cared less

I packed a bikini (assumed I'd use just the top!) just in case. The reality was that I arrived at the MLU 9 cm dilated and really didn't care! Naked was the best way forward!

Naked, didn't care.

I took a tankini and when I got down to the room they started filling the birthing pool and I got it out and the midwife looked at the pants and was like your won’t be needing those!’
I thought I’d just be bopping around in there and when the time came I would take my undercrackers off and hey presto!
Reality - when it came to pushing I can’t actually remember if I was naked or not! I think I still had my top part on but I was off my face on gas and air!

Planned - tankini

Reality - bra purely because I stripped that far before everything got going and never got round to taking it off.

I spent a lot of time thinking about what to wear in the pool but when you get down to it you won't care