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?

IME the midwives/doctors/other medical staff are just concerned with getting the baby out safely and keeping you safe. If you have a nice easy relaxed labour then I guess they would have time to read your notes and respect your wishes, but in that case you'll be in a position to tell them what you want as well. If you have a difficult labour, they won't have time to read your notes and will just suggest whatever's best for the health of you both, they will ask your consent for anything but you may not be in much of a mind to know what you're consenting too. All of my labours have been problematic and I have no idea what I was wearing, or not, by the end. By all means put in your notes that you want to keep your top half clothed, but be realistic about what 'putting something in your notes' actually means. Anything that you're really concerned about should be discussed in detail with your partner (or whoever will be your birth partner), they're in by far the best place to remind staff of your wishes, compared to either you or medical staff.

I started pushing with DS with trousers still on. MW came in whipped them and down and DS was born a few screams pushes laster. Even though I was induced it all went much quicker from a few contractions to pushing than anybody had expected!

You get given a hospital gown most of the time but modesty and dignity are left at the door when they wheel you into the labour ward. Why I endured it three times still makes my brain ache. I was sterilised at 28 to ensure I wasn't going to go through that again. Makes me shudder to think about it.... brrrr !.

I wore my husbands big t shirts for both mine.

Please don't worry, and good luck

No, I wore an oversized t shirt.
Some people do prefer less clothes though.

I wasn't naked with any of mine. First I had to wear a hospital gown, second I had a nighty on and 3rd, in the pool, I kept a vest top on

I gave birth naked the second time round (I was in a birthing pool) and was an outlier amongst my friends. They all gave birth wearing some form of clothing (nightie/t shirt/hospital gown) and I felt like the odd one out for choosing to be naked!

@ApolloandDaphne

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

You don't have to be naked as far as I know.

That's what I did, I was clothed when I went into hospital but got into nightie with me. I remember it well, it was one my mum had bought me and it was easy to roll up the bottom part for examination and the 'event'. It remained intact and unstained, I used it for years, so don't assume it will get in a mess and have to be thrown away. I wish I had it now just for memories :-). Later I changed into another one which was easy to open at the front for feeding but I remember the 'giving birth' one with great affection.

If you have to go in as an emergency, ie if your baby comes early and you're taken to hospital without your bag, you'll have a hospital gown which is easy to roll up.

I don't know why you have the impression you might have to be completely naked.

Anyway, congratulations and good luck!

The only thing to be aware of is you ideally need in nighty that buttons right down the back in case you need an epidural. I got a big kaftan style thing to give birth in (there are some lovely ones on Etsy) that could button down the back. I was like you with my first birth - had loads of interventions but felt a shred of control because I’d been able to keep some dignity. Second birth was fast and I ended up naked in the birthing pool without thinking about it.

I've worn tops for both of mine. Neither time what I planned to wear. First time the pj top I went into labour in. Second time a strappy top with a normal bra on. I wanted the bra off but I had a drip in and couldn't get it off.

Got awkward for me when I said yes to skin to skin but wanted to just pull my top down/open. Midwife wrote ‘declined’ on my notes. Not true. None of my clothes got thrown away btw.

Five children, wore a short nightdress/long t shirt every time and just hoiked it up to put the baby on the boob as soon as he or she appeared.

I've washed the tops both times and put them in DCs memory boxes (no blood or anything on after wash). Maybe that's weird 😂

I cared! No way was I going naked! I wore a knee length black nightie. As long as they have access to your downstairs you're fine. Buttons are advised if you intend to breastfeed and don't be surprised if they manhandle you to get your milk started- I was 😂

It's absolutely fine to wear a nightie or T-shirt or whatever! I did, and it didn't even get very dirty tbh.

It was easier for me to be naked as i was in and out of the pool and in a variety of (ahem - not very dignified) positions. They will respect your wishes OP, the midwives were very good at respecting mine

I was very sure I wouldn't want to be too exposed/naked during my labour and wore an old baggy t-shirt dress for most of my labour until the transition stage when I felt so hot that it was a fight to get them to help me take the bloody thing off (I was induced and had PPROM and a premature labour so loads of wires and drips etc.). Far from making me take my clothes off, they initially refused as it would apparently have been too difficult to avoid knocking the drips and monitors etc. It was only when I asked DH to just cut the dress off me that they finally helped me get it off and I had DS in just a crop top and a gown to help cover my lower half a bit, which I asked for. There's absolutely no reason you'd need to be completely naked, but don't underestimate how much labour can affect your state of mind at the time, I wouldn't go into it with too many prescribed ideas for how it's going to be.

Just make sure you can keep your hair tied up and off your face
It will annoy you more than you could imagine

I was naked first time round and really didnt care or even notice, I just kept pulling my clothes off as time went on as I was hot. It was a quick labour 4 hours total- about 2 in hospital.

2nd time round I had a floaty thigh length summer dress and leggings on most of the time which i came in. Again I think I ripped it off at the end before the baby appeared.

@gamerchick

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.

Yes this, nobody makes you take your top off if you don't want to.

I don’t know anybody who was completely naked whilst giving birth!
I wore the clothes I came in and the midwife quickly pulled my pants off as the head was crowning, I think I left it to late to go to the hospital really but… definitely don’t worry about being stripped off.

To go with above naked message - i am a very reserved person normally, not body confident and wouldn't be seen dead in a bikini! In labour I felt primal and just went with my instincts

@Ashchall95
No, you surely won’t be naked.
No need for it🙂

I did the pushing bit in the large t shirt I came in with and pretty sure I was actually fully clothed in the other stages not least as I was walking around the hospital to work through contractions. I didn't have any internal examinations (amazing midwife led unit) so I probably had my knickers on til the very end!!

I've had 3 - always wore a t shirt. Never even thought about being naked