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Childbirth

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

Original poster

Do you give birth nudey?

120 replies

walkingwomb · 06/03/2008 15:42

I know you can do what you want, but i am interested in what happens in reality. I am assuming that I will be starkers when giving birth but a lot of the videos I have seen have had people wearing clothes. Is this just coz they are being filmed?

Do I have to plan my giving birth outfit?

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glassofwhite · 07/03/2008 21:57

For dd I wore my mat uniform! Well one of the v.comfy navy t-shirt/blouses thingys my company supplied me with,I puked all over it near the end so it had to come off. By then you dont give a toss! For ds a theatre gown x

foodfiend · 07/03/2008 22:02

I was wearing a very large and elderly Oxfam campaigning t-shirt through most of the labour (some slogan to do with the arms trade), and I had forgotten/didn't care that due to my huge size it no longer covered my arse/lady bits the way it once had. All night I was crossing the corridor to the loo about every third contraction. Only at about 7am was there anyone to startle and I realised I was wandering the corridors half naked. Oops.

I was definitely naked when she came out, but I have no recollection of taking it off!

Hoping for a water birth this time, but can't bear the idea of huge sore boobs waggling around in the water - some kind of bra will be needed.

YvonneS · 08/03/2008 10:18

jogging bottoms and t-shirt, then naked in pool, then big nightdress, then naked for actual birth for good skin to skin contact - v. long labour!

bozza · 08/03/2008 10:25

TBH if you are planning on giving birth at one end and breastfeeding at the other, it is difficult to see what can remain private. When I had DS I wore a hospital gown. Was really not bothered about getting my own stuff messed up.

I had DD at home. Can remember at transition taking off my huge, roomy dressing gown and literally hurling it across the room so it was out of the way. But I think I still had a nightie on and I'm not sure what point that came off at. But it did. only remember about the nightie because it was stained and my MIL insisted on taking it to wash.

readytoswiggin · 08/03/2008 10:32

For ds an old tshirt, for both dds a tight vest top. All 3 were water births, and it was nothing to do with modesty, just my boobs were ginormous and quite painful if allowed to flop (32g and expanding!) tops came off afterward to allow skin to skin and feeding, plus a dry top was preferred by then!

I can recommend the socks though....

Dalrymps · 08/03/2008 12:44

I had a nightie that I planned to wear bu labour happened quicker than expected so ended up in vest and bra, think would have been uncomfortable in the nightie anyway.

Disenchanted · 08/03/2008 12:50

I had just a nursing bra on both times. One in hospital one at home.

Pinkchampagne · 08/03/2008 12:53

With DS1 I wore a big T shirt & with DS2 I wore a hospital gown.

ninja · 08/03/2008 12:56

when I looked at pictures (and dh had very flatteringly managed to take a photo of me still in stirrups holding baby with EVERYTHING showing , but that's naother story) I realised that as well as a night shirt I had a pair of socks that I'd never got round to taking off!!

It wasn't a good look

ninja · 08/03/2008 12:57

Just read a couiple of other posts - glad I'm not the only one

Renaissancewoman · 08/03/2008 12:59

For my first birth in hospital I wore favourite soft long sleeved t-shirt, although if it had been a longer labour I think I would have got too hot - hospitals are generally unbearably hot. I then switched to cotton vest and elasticated russell athletic shorts and lived in this outfit for weeks to come.
For second I was nudey in pool at home, this felt fine. When we set this up my husband was very concerned that he would be expected to be nudey in the pool with me, but that had not crossed my mind. He said he would be more comfortable in his speedos but I made sure he kept his clothes on until the baby was born and he took off his shirt to do skin to skin bonding. The staff at the hospital for first birth also encouraged this.

I know people who have bikini waxes and all forms of similar treatments prior to giving birth as they are worried about people seeing them unclothed. I don't think you really worry about it at all at the time though.

smallone · 08/03/2008 14:36

I wore a massive t shirt that I didn't mind throwing out post birth. I had a long labour in and out of hosp so it was in the wash when I went in again so ended up wearing my pjs. This worked quite well coz it was a bfing vest top so I didnt get too hot and just lost the bottom half when necessary. Next time I will definitely have 2 tops at the ready.

smallone · 08/03/2008 14:39

Oh yes and totes toasties! V sexy! Fortunately had two pairs of those as my waters broke on one pair. ew!

Tyl · 08/03/2008 14:43

Well this is my 1st baby and ive been wondering the same thing.
Speaking to a few of my friends ive decided to pack 2 nighties.
One to give birth in and the other to change into once ive had the baby.
Im 30 weeks pregnant at the moment and have started packing my hospital bag but was wondering what exactly i should be packing?

Riponite · 08/03/2008 20:15

You aren't going to need anything to have the baby in but afterwards you may well bleed through more than one nightie if you're planning to stay in hospital. Take three or get out of there fast! I had my two in the nuddy but bled like a stuck pig for a few days.

blackrock · 08/03/2008 20:17

I had Pj's on as already in hospital for induction! Ended up in just PJ vest top. Had a plan to put an old t shirt on, but as nothing seemed to be happening just relaxed! Then it all happened very quickly with no time to change my top!

Mumcentreplus · 08/03/2008 20:22

I wore a big shirt...what annoyed me during my first was my mum kept throwing a bluddy sheet over my legs to cover my modesty (that i kicked off every 5 mins!..lol)...I just kept thinking 'it's too late for that love!'..lol

scottishmum007 · 08/03/2008 20:40

I was completely nude, was pacing around in the room at one point stark naked, didn't care who walked in, or what was going on, i felt very comfortable to be walking around in nothing but my birthday suit.
at one point i was in the bath (so yes, naked again) and then the birthing pool to help wiht the contractions (naked) and in between all that was walking around naked.
in the midst of it all, the last thing that concerns you is what you are wearing. well, thats how i must have felt at the time anyway.

Rachmumoftwo · 08/03/2008 20:40

The first time I had a Mothercare nightie, the second time was so quick I just managed to get my skirt and knickers off before she popped out!

threestars · 09/03/2008 08:31

The first time, I think I completely stripped off as soon as I got into the delivery room, much to the bewilderment of DH, the midwife and auxiliary nurses, especially since I was nowhere near the pushing stage. I didn't think anything of it at the time even though I'm not a natural naturist.

The second time, after having a bath to dull the pains, I redressed into a mini-dress to walk up the corridor in the hospital, and didn't have time to take it off before baby came.

Tigerschick · 09/03/2008 11:24

I just wore a vest top.
I did have a light-weight dressing gown on but that disappeared at some point ...
TBH I really didn't care. Under normal circumstances I'm not prudish but not an exhibitionist either; but no-one can call being in labour 'normal circumstances'.
I'd say, pack a loose fitting shirt or nightshirt but just go with the flow.

Frizbe · 09/03/2008 11:36

t-shirt in the delivery room the 1st time, but as I got the pool the 2nd time, completely starkers, not a care in the world!

foodfiend · 09/03/2008 14:16

Agree with bozza! I gave birth around the shift change, so about six people barged into the room while I was (stark naked) pushing:

'Would you like some toast?
'Oh?!'
and my favourite,
'Does anyone know where the keys are?'

I barely noticed.

katpotat · 09/03/2008 15:24

I bought two cheap Asda nighties (3 quid each), I gave birth in one and then binned it!! Got changed into the other one after.

systemsaddict · 09/03/2008 16:18

Just a big oversized red t-shirt - was induced with lots of internal exams, no idea what happened to knickers but they didn't hang around long! It ended up rucked up around my shoulders though. I still have it so will take it in for this time too. I have no prudishness at all though and was unfazed by showing my all to the huge SWAT team of midwives / paeds / registrar who suddenly appeared from nowhere at the end ...