What to wear during labour?

MiracleBaby2022 · 2022-01-21T17:15:03+00:00

I'm just packing my hospital bag and wondering if the two huge t-shirt/dresses type things I bought were the right choice. Should I have bought the button-down-front ones instead so they can lay the baby directly on my skin straight after birth?

BunnyRuddington · 21/01/2022 18:51

I had an oversized T-shirt and skin to skin was fine

RhinestoneCowgirl · 21/01/2022 18:53

I just wore a massive tshirt, seem to remember discarding at some point in early labour with first baby (was a heatwave)

DockOTheBay · 21/01/2022 18:56

With my first I was wearing a smart jumper dress. Didn't have time to change out of it, just took off my tights when my waters broke 😂 I didn't have long at the hospital but by the time she was born I was naked so skin to skin no problem.

With my second I was wearing an oversize t shirt which was my pyjamas at the time (it was night time). Just whipped it off once she was born.

But I'm not bothered about being naked, so obviously this wouldn't work for everyone!

Flittingaboutagain · 21/01/2022 19:00

I delivered in the dress I turned up in which they immediately asked if they could help remove for me for skin to skin and provided a blanket for dignity. Once I showered a while later I then got into the button down nightie, all clean and cosy with baby. I would do it this way again.

Flittingaboutagain · 21/01/2022 19:00

Sorry when I say immediately I mean after delivery.

GrapefruitPink · 21/01/2022 19:03

I got a massive nighty from primark. That didn't last long as the room was so bloody hot, so I was just in a bra.
Sheet over for dignity until pushing.

afinethingindeed · 21/01/2022 19:06

I was induced so I was already in maternity pyjamas but I went fully naked for the birth (I was hot and bothered and clothes were annoying me!)
Once I showered after, I wore a maternity nightie to give easy access to boob :)

Original poster

MiracleBaby2022 · 21/01/2022 19:30

Thanks everyone - I don't mind being naked either and if it's that hot then I'm sure the t-shirt will come off anyway. Haven't bought a button-down nightie though, maybe I need to get one of those - I just have some big oversized PJ's... 🤔

OP posts:

Original poster

MiracleBaby2022 · 21/01/2022 19:32

Oh I do have a nightie which opens up for breastfeeding but it's not a skin to skin type thing though

OP posts:

HotPenguin · 21/01/2022 19:40

I just wore normal clothes, I would have felt stupid in a nighty. They sometimes ask you to walk round the hospital early on.

GrapefruitPink · 21/01/2022 19:42

@HotPenguin

I just wore normal clothes, I would have felt stupid in a nighty. They sometimes ask you to walk round the hospital early on.

Yeah I wore normal leggings and stop for walking round, not sure if that's allowed now though

newnamenewyear · 21/01/2022 19:45

I got through 4 nighties while in labour. 2 of them I carefully chose, with pictures of me with the baby in mind.

Two were thrown in "just in case". One was a back of the drawer monstrosity that I never wear (a friend gave it to me, as a joke I think).

I'm not sure exactly how I got through 4 nighties. I think I took them off a few times as I ended up naked and I think at least one got blood on it. My memory is hazy as I was high as a kite on the gas & air,

But anyway, the one I ended up wearing in the baby photos was - utterly predictably - the hideous one from the back of the drawer. It even had totally inappropriate slogans on it (I won't repeat it here as it's outing!)

So, pack more nighties than you think you might need and none that you really wouldn't want to be photographed in.

A button down nightie sounds a really good idea, I'd get one of those as well if I was you.

Babdoc · 21/01/2022 19:47

Do they not provide a hospital gown these days? I can’t remember a single maternity patient who was in anything else when I went to insert their epidurals over a 36 year career in the NHS. And I wore one for each of my own labours- I certainly didn’t want blood, amniotic fluid (or worse!) on my own clothes.

GrapefruitPink · 21/01/2022 19:48

@Babdoc

Do they not provide a hospital gown these days? I can’t remember a single maternity patient who was in anything else when I went to insert their epidurals over a 36 year career in the NHS. And I wore one for each of my own labours- I certainly didn’t want blood, amniotic fluid (or worse!) on my own clothes.

They put on over me whilst getting an epidural but it was off straight after

newnamenewyear · 21/01/2022 19:50

Also, it's really easy to just focus on the birth and not what comes after (not only for nighties but about everything to do with having a baby, I found!)

You will likely be in the hospital for at least one night after you've had the baby, and probably won't want to wear any nighties you've been labouring in - it's a messy business! So you need clothes for the hospital too. If your oversized PJs have buttons, they sound perfect.

newnamenewyear · 21/01/2022 19:51

@Babdoc

Do they not provide a hospital gown these days? I can’t remember a single maternity patient who was in anything else when I went to insert their epidurals over a 36 year career in the NHS. And I wore one for each of my own labours- I certainly didn’t want blood, amniotic fluid (or worse!) on my own clothes.

Oh, maybe that's how I ended up naked. They tried (and failed

) to give me an epidural several times.

TolkiensFallow · 21/01/2022 19:52

I got a massive cheap shirt nightie so that I could breastfeed easily after. It was from primark.

Curiouserandcuriouser1 · 21/01/2022 19:53

I wore an oversized cotton nighty that buttoned up at the front. I don’t remember how it happened but quickly became naked during the birth and was then put in a gown for emergency epidural. Looking back I would have spent more energy choosing comfy wear for after the birth that provided easy access to breastfeeding.

Fridafever · 21/01/2022 19:54

Enormous tent nightie from primark for most of labour then naked.

MummyMe87 · 21/01/2022 19:57

Midwife here, don’t overthink it. Nighties/oversized t shirt are fine, I would take leggings aswell if your walking around the hospital etc. It will probably be ripped off once baby is out anyway.

And @Babdoc women going to theatre get a theatre gown. For epidurals most of our women we just roll the t shirt up, or take it off. Don’t think I wore a theatre gown when I ended up in theatre both times either actually tbf

CoverYourselfInChocolateGlory · 21/01/2022 20:02

I chucked all my clothes off after a bit and they gave me a hospital gown. Didn't really give a shit - I was like an animal!

Babdoc · 21/01/2022 20:02

Gosh, that’s a surprise, MummyMe87. More cost cutting, I wonder? My own hospital still provided me with hospital pyjamas and gown even when I was just convalescing from covid on a respiratory ward, after release from the covid unit in 2020. Mind you, I’m in Scotland, and our NHS receives higher funding per patient (courtesy of UK taxpayers!)

Mackmama · 21/01/2022 20:07

I had oversized T-shirt nightie things I wore during labour, then afterwards when I’d had a shower, I had pyjamas with a vest top I could feed in. I remember thinking did I need something with buttons but it didn’t turn out to be a problem x

Bakewelltart987 · 21/01/2022 20:10

I had a vest top on no time to change just whipped my jeans off and she was born.

ZoeTheThornyDevil · 21/01/2022 20:17

I recommend being naked, personally. But I was in the pool for my first.