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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

Not being naked during labour

155 replies

Ashchall95 · 24/01/2022 12:57

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?

OP posts:
minniep · 24/01/2022 13:42

Honestly OP I really wouldn't worry. I've had three sections but spontaneous labour on two of them and tried for a vbac on my second so basically I've experienced a few different scenarios and I was never naked or made to feel uncomfortable in that sense. In fact they go out of their way to make sure that you are comfortable with everything that they are doing to you.

Cotswoldmama · 24/01/2022 13:43

I can't remember what I was wearing with my first I think a nighty, he was premmie and I was in hospital in labour for about 4 days before he was born. Withy second I went into labour in the middle of the night, I was wearing pyjamas, I just took the bottoms off and I think I may get have unbuttoned the top at some point. You can wear what you like, a d take it off if you decide to.

FudgeSundae · 24/01/2022 13:44

@Oldnews

I was told to wear a hospital gown once in active labour, and at the point my baby started to get into trouble on syntocinin, they removed it so they could work. The room was full of people, including med students. There were three things in red capitals in my birth preferences sheet - no students, no nakedness, no syntocinin. No one read the notes, no one asked about the notes either, so I think you need to make your preferences really clear with every member of staff involved.
This. I started off in a nightie (induced on drip) but when I asked for the epidural a strange midwife came into the room and started making me take my clothes off and put a gown on… I asked her to stop so we could talk about it but she just kept going. It was horrible and the worst bit of the experience (and the epidural failed and I had ventouse and episiotomy so that’s saying something!).
Yaty · 24/01/2022 13:45

Don't worry you won't have to be naked! I was in a crop top and paper pants for most of mine but baby was on monitoring so wires all over the place. Only had to take my top off to put gown on to go into the op theatre but tbh I was so exhausted by then I hardly noticed. Maybe get a crop top/bra or something loose with buttons incase they need to get you hooked up to anything.

Supertree · 24/01/2022 13:45

They won't make you strip off - don't worry. I think most people probably don't just sit there and strip naked - it might be a gradual thing as you get really hot and end up less clothed than you'd originally intended. I think I wore a big nightie during my first labour and was wearing a hospital gown for the second one but had planned to wear a nightie again until I changed into that. The nighties were big loose ones with buttons at the front so I could get the baby down there for skin to skin/breast feeding.

The midwives were actually quite concerned about preserving my dignity - I remember somebody (a doctor?) opened the door to the room I was giving birth in during my first labour and the midwife did a big gasp and flung herself to the end of the bed, arms outstretched, to cover me up. She was really unimpressed. I fainted in the shower after the second one and a lot of people had to carry me back onto a bed. I was obviously naked from the shower and one of the nurses covered me up as soon as possible to 'preserve my dignity'. I didn't really care or understand what was happening but I'm touched that she was aware and attempted to do that for me.

HoppingPavlova · 24/01/2022 13:46

I wore a hospital gown, they were ‘maternity issue’, Velcro fastening bits at back so ties didn’t dig into you and an opening flap at the front closed with press studs. This was opened when baby was born for skin/feeding.

You didn’t have to wear the gown, you could have gone naked or wore something of your own but they were on offer and I thought sensible as it saved ditching my own clothes (they would have gone in bin), and it just goes in with hospital laundry. They were also really convenient with getting on/off around drips as well as the top opening feature meant your arm could come out without the faffle of threading a drip bag through the armhole of a normal top.

TheOrigRights · 24/01/2022 13:46

I had to tell my midwife and sister (birth partner) who were having a merry old chat, that perhaps I should take my trousers and knickers off!

There was certainly no rush for me to be naked or even undressed. After I took my bottom half off I was on all fours on the bed with my bare arse facing the window (which was a few floors up).

I delivered DS2 with the top 1/2 of the clothes I arrived in still on. I took them off to get in the birth pool after he he was born.

Indecisive29 · 24/01/2022 13:47

@Ashchall95 you’ll be absolutely fine doing that OP 😊 I bought a couple of big oversized tshirt nighties that buttoned half way down. When I arrived for induction they asked me to put on a hospital gown, which I did, but after a a couple of hours it was really annoying me and making me too hot so I asked the midwife to get me one of my nighties to change into and she was absolutely fine with that 😊 The only thing she said was that in the event of any emergency surgery etc then they’d cut it which I wasn’t bothered about 😊
Tshirt or sleeveless would be best incase you need an IV or anything in 😊

ThanksIGotItInMorrisons · 24/01/2022 13:48

Nightie stayed on both times. Neither was wrecked or ruined. Have kept them, they mean so much to me !

shouldistop · 24/01/2022 13:48

In my experience (2 children) the midwives try to keep you covered up - even when you don't care and are trying to remove clothing due to being too hot - my first was born in July Grin

ShowOfHands · 24/01/2022 13:48

I hate the idea of being naked in front of my own husband and children even. I wear a wetsuit or shorts and t-shirt to the swimming pool. I was adamant that I would remain clothed throughout labour (in a nightie or in a rash vest/tankini top if in the pool) and wrote it in huge letters in my notes. I had a hideous labour and my skin hurt. I mean HURT just like every other bit of me and I couldn't wear clothes or be touched by anybody. I also had huge problems with my hair. Bits escaping the hair tie and touching my neck and face made me cry and squirm with discomfort.

I don't really know why I'm sharing this. Probably to point out that in the moment, don't be surprised by how inside out your very belief system might become. With my second, I was very much myself and remained clothed throughout.

But as others have said, nobody is going to be forcing you out of your clothes against your will.

LuckyAmy1986 · 24/01/2022 13:51

No need to be naked unless you’re in a birthing pool

You don't need to be completely naked even in birthing pool, I wasn't!

Hellolittlestar · 24/01/2022 13:51

I had packed a couple of big tshirts for giving birth. The labour started much quicker than expected and I just went in wearing a little tank top that I had on. No time or wish to search in the bag for anything and I have to agree that it did not matter.

Jobama · 24/01/2022 13:52

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Branleuse · 24/01/2022 13:53

They dont make you get naked at any point.

Jobama · 24/01/2022 13:53

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Bluepolkadots42 · 24/01/2022 13:54

I Had a pool birth with DC1- born in the water and kept my tankini top on throughout. DC2 I was in pool with tankini top and when I got out the pool for a change of scene I put a button front nightie on. Worked well for me!

ditalini · 24/01/2022 13:54

Both times I gave birth in the same cheapo Primark nightie. I meant to chuck it but my mum washed it and tbh it was fine!

(Still have it actually, weirdo that I am - my youngest is 8 😳)

Jobama · 24/01/2022 13:55

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TokyoSushi · 24/01/2022 13:56

It's totally fine. I have 2 cheap nighties but sadly had a reaction to the diamorphine and was massively sick all over both of them! I ended up giving birth in a hospital gown which was absolutely perfect and covered and gave access to all the right bits!

BookFiend4Life · 24/01/2022 13:56

Even with a birthing pool you can just wear your hospital gown right in there. I worried about this too and it was all fine

Marmite27 · 24/01/2022 13:57

Both of my births I wore a surgical gown. One normal, one section. There wasn’t even the slightest suggestion I took them off at any point.

Phos · 24/01/2022 13:58

I gave birth in a hospital gown that didn’t undo at the front even though I’d specifically taken a button down nightshirt. Consequently I never got to do skin to skin with my newborn.

You take what you are comfortable with and you make sure you wear it! Good luck.

Silverswirl · 24/01/2022 14:02

Just wear a big nightshirt / dress with straps or an oversized short summer dress (what I wore). Then I just took the straps down and the top part down when baby was born for skin to skin

popapoppadum · 24/01/2022 14:03

I was the complete opposite of most here and was desperate to get my kit off...hated having my clothes on for both of my births! But, the midwives/doctors should all respect your dignity without question and there is no need to be naked unless you want to!