Not being naked during labour

[Ashchall95]

Hi everyone FTM here!
I know everyone says once your in labour you won't care or notice i but I know and my only birth wish or plan is that I won't be naked at any point, I have bought some button up nighties and oversized T-shirts, I know they are going to get ruined and thrown away I am more than happy with that, I just want to ask was you forced or put in any situation that you had to take everything off? Or are the midwives happy for you to remain with a nightie on? Obviously my bottom half will be bare which I'm fine with I just don't want everything out at once! If I let the midwives know I would like to remain covered were possible are they happy to make sure this happens? Then once baby is born I will just undo my buttons for skin to skin and then shower later and put fresh pyjamas or clothes on?

Don't worry, no one is going to make you take anything off! You can wear whatever you are comfortable with.

That’s absolutely fine.

I gave birth in a black stretchy maternity skirt I’d been wearing to work and a maternity bra (took my top off half way through) - no one at any point asked me to take it off and it was fine. I didn’t notice I even had it on until the end when they cut it off.

I doubt very much there would be any pressure to remove your t-shirt - its seems so obvious that you wouldn't want to be naked in labour but if you are anxious then make sure it's in block caps on your birth plan.

They quite often end up putting you in those massive hospital robes anyway.
Unless you choose a pool birth you won't be naked at any point, and even then most women keep a t-shirt or something on

My button up nightie stayed on the whole time and when my daughter popped out, the midwife opened my top few buttons to put her down :)

You should be able to keep something on, but perhaps just be prepared that that may be a hospital gown..if you need to go on CTG monitoring that is 2 big straps around your tummy and often has to be moved about a bit.
Without being too gross there are often quite frequent gushes of amniotic fluid or other bodily fluids and so you might find yourself getting changes a few times.

I had a nightdress on (and then an oversize t shirt when I needed to change) and no one ever told me to remove the top half!

Those who labour/give birth naked have made that choice in the throes OP. This really isn't anything to think about, don't worry.

No need to be naked unless you’re in a birthing pool!
Done it 3 times and never naked. Infact each time I had day time clothes on just bottoms off, as just never got round to changing into a nightie and things suddenly started moving quickly.

God no I’ve had 4 kids and would never labour naked, I’ve only read people doing it on here not something I’ve known anyone to do irl!

No one made me take any clothing off at any point during either of my two births. I was near naked (in just a stretchy bralette thing) by the end for both of them, but that was entirely my own volition. I guess if you were trying to keep your knickers on they'd need to say something, or if you were trying to wear something that got hugely in the way (a maxi dress or something), but otherwise what you wear will be your own business.

I bought two outsized men’s shirts from charity shops for my labours - perfect as you can undo the buttons for skin to skin and lob them away afterwards as they do get a bit minging. The midwife said she was going to recommend them from then on!

Gave birth yesterday with 3rd baby. I had a thin oversized nightie on and a crop top underneath. Ended up in just the crop top which was fine. Hair out of eyes and off the back of your neck is more pressing in my experience!

I still had my bra and vest top on for my first. No idea about the next two, but I can see them in the photos.

I went in with leggings and an oversize t shirt on and only took my bottoms off near the end when they examined me before getting an epidural. Never been naked during 4 labours.

I’ve had three children and was never naked during labour, j never had any reason to be. I was covered) leggings and big button down nightie) until it was time to push, then I just removed my bottom half.
I know people say ‘you won’t care when you’re in labour’ but I’ve had 3 babies with just gas and air and absolutely did care. I would not have been comfortable naked.

I gave birth in the pool so wore the top half of my bikini. It does get quite warm in hospital so I would suggest bring a few options that you would be happy to wear so you can choose at the time (e.g. vest top/t-shirt/nightie).

No need to be naked unless you want to be. They try to preserve your dignity as much as possible. I wore a bikini top in the pool and then when I had to get out (they needed to send me to the delivery suite) I wore a nightdress with buttons. My boobs ended up out after the birth but my bottom half was covered up by then! Like you I never wanted to be fully naked.

I am absolutely fine with nudity and assumed that I'd be naked while giving birth, but I wore a big T-Shirt for the whole of DC1's birth because I was to busy having a baby to take it off. Also, it was a home birth in winter, so it probably wasn't as warm as a hospital would have been. The midwives were fine with it.

I once gave birth fully clothed complete with plimpsols! Mw had to cut my pants off!! Just made it to hospital!
Mostly just had a T shirt and pants. They do let you keep pants on in between examinations and until the end!!

I wore a nightdress for all 3 of my births. I never removed it at any point.

I went into hospital wearing a vest, shirt and leggings and gave birth in my vest and had a sheet over my bottom half for the majority of the time (I had an epidural so wasn't moving around or anything)
The midwives just asked if I was happy/comfortable in what I was wearing or if I wanted to change.

No one should force you to wear something you don't want to or be naked.

Even my cousin who gave birth in the birthday pool had a tankini top on. It's your choice

I wore a hospital gown in the end (nighties went unused!). But you can do what you want no one will force you to undress!

No one makes you get all naked all at once. I had an emergency csection (think very emergency) and even then, they got DH to get my vest off and throw a gown on me.