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Original poster

What (if anything) did/will you wear in birthing pool

46 replies

PumpkinPie2013 · 27/10/2013 13:56

I'm almost 36 weeks and can use my local birthing centre for delivery which has a pool in each room.

I'd like to use the pool but I'm wondering what to wear in it?

I don't have swimwear I can use and don't feel comfortable wearing nothing (no objection to other people wearing nothing just not for me).

So I was thinking of using a nightdress (having another spare one for when I get out).

Does this seem ok? Sorry for the stupid question! TIA

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Cupcake11 · 27/10/2013 14:00

I don't have any experience but would imagine wearing something like that would be really heavy uncomfortable when wet.
What about a sports bra as they seem to be a similar material to swimming costumes and would come to the top of bump. You can pick them up for next to nothing from primark.
Or even just a thin vest top that you could roll up? I'm sure someone whose done it before will have better advice!

hashtagwhatever · 27/10/2013 14:02

I wore a long vest top and swaped for a nighty when I got out.
wasn't to heavy but covered enough modesty.

princesscupcakemummyb · 27/10/2013 14:02

ive not had a water birth before but what about a crop top or vest top i think a night dress might be heavy in the water

BummyMummy77 · 27/10/2013 14:04

I've got a couple of really light beach type dresses I bought a few sizes up. Cheapy ones.

K8eee · 27/10/2013 14:04

Is assume a bikini top. I'm only 19 weeks but love the idea of a water birth and thought that a bikini top would be best. I have a stretchy Lycra sarong skirt I could wear as I'm so conscious of my bum, but I think having nothing on your bottom half is best.

I agree with the previous poster. A nightie will get in the way when wet, and will be heavy.

Queenofknickers · 27/10/2013 14:07

I wore a nursing bra - I was quite honestly not bothered about modesty at that point!! I couldn't have stood a nighty clingy and wet personally.

keepitgoing · 27/10/2013 14:08

Hi - I'm about the same stage as you, and also hoping to use the birthing pool. I think I'm either going to wear just a bikini top, or nothing. I'd have thought having a nightie on would be horrid - I hate clothes in the pool. You can get cheap bikinis at lots of places, or poss a sort of crop top bra? I just think it'd be annoying to have something floating around you?

wavesandsmiles · 27/10/2013 14:16

I had a water birth 13 weeks ago. Honestly a night dress or t shirt even would have been totally impractical as you still get checked, need to move around a bit and obviously there needs to be an unhindered escape route for the baby. Wafts of heavy wet fabric wont make it easy....

I think I intended to wear a nursing bra but in the end I didn't wear anything at all - just how it happened.

BrightSunshineyDay · 27/10/2013 14:20

I wore a vest - one with inbuilt support (not that it supported me) - was easy to lift up to put baby straight to boob, wouldn;t have wanted anything longer- but honestly by the time I was delivering in the pool it made no difference and I could have been naked for all I cared tho I am still glad I had something on to get into the pool. I was handed a dressing gown when I got out.

Lion5711 · 27/10/2013 14:38

I wore a thin best top but it really wasn't necessary, I think you feel quite secure and safe within the water so for my next home water birth I'm not planning on anything.

SuffolkNWhat · 27/10/2013 14:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Shellywelly1973 · 27/10/2013 14:48

I wore vest tops with both of my water births.

I can't imagine wearing a nightie... it would get in the way.

ShowMeTheCoffee · 27/10/2013 14:56

Congratulations xx

I've had two water births and wore nothing for both (when I was in the water that is!). By the time I got in the water, I was 10 cms dilated for the first and about 8cms for the second, so was completely beyond caring. Think the bikini top or vest suggestions are good ones, you really don't want anything that could flap around you or be heavy in the water. The midwives asked me before I got in what I would prefer.

Best of luck for your delivery. I found the water helped so much.

CoolStoryBro · 27/10/2013 14:59

I intended on wearing a crop top but ended up obliviously naked. Well, I was oblivious until I had given birth and then I was, "Get me out of this dirty bath and into some clothes right now!" I was always a little grumpy after giving birth

GlassTrees · 27/10/2013 15:02

I had a water birth for DS2 and wore a normal black vest top/camisole. Changed into a nightie after the birth. I didn't want to be naked and chose a water birth specifically as I had been inhibited in the pushing stage with DS1 with everyone staring at my bits expectantly. Under the water and crouching I felt much more hidden and in control and delivered my son myself. It was ace!

Sorry you only asked about clothing!

misscph1973 · 27/10/2013 15:09

Believe me, what you wear will be the last thing on your mind! I had a water birth with my second and with my first I was in a tub during contractions, and I was naked both times, but that was hardly an issue. It's a hospital, they've seen it all a million times before.

Just make sure you have a change of comfy clothes to wear after, the last thing you want is to wear the clothes that you wore before you got naked ;)

I really wanted a shower after giving birth, but it was really difficult as I had no strength left, so it was a half-assed job.

Confitdecanard · 27/10/2013 15:13

I took a tankini top with me but couldn't be bothered to put it on by the time I got in the pool, so I was naked. As others have said, by the time I got to that stage (was already almost fully dilated) I really didn't care.

TrucksAndDinosaurs · 27/10/2013 15:15

I worried about this too but the water gives a great sense of privacy. I started in a vest crop but when the mw suggested I remove it I was thinking! Yes! Get this stupid wet encumbering thing off me! It felt stupid like wearing a bra in the bath.

And I am usually very modest but it actually felt more immodest wearing something on top half but nothing below.

If you want labour photos done maybe start with a crop bra top or bikini but honestly, once labouring hard it does feel annoying to wear wet things. A dress or nightie would have been grim.

Big dressing gown or flannel shirt once out?

Good luck.

SoupDragon · 27/10/2013 15:16

I wore a vest with inbuilt support.

The important thing is that you go with what you are comfortable with. I get fed up with people proclaiming "Oh you won't care!" because, actually, not everyone is the same. I did care and went with what made me comfortable.

For me, the vest top was perfect. It was close fitting so didn't get in the way but gave me the "privacy" or whatever it was that I wanted. A tankini top would also work well. Something that isn't going to float about in the water and then cling horribly when you get out.

SoupDragon · 27/10/2013 15:17

Get a dark thick dressing gown for when you get out :)

ChazzerChaser · 27/10/2013 15:17

I took a tankini top thing. I ended up naked. You might care, you might not, that's for you at the time. I think you can get things with little swimsuity skirts. I assume you've seen the woman on OBEM who designed her own outfit for the pool?

PinkParsnips · 27/10/2013 15:20

I'm hoping for a water birth and I've bought a bikini top, I thought it would be softer and more comfy than a bra. I've got huge boobs so at this point dont feel comfortable with the idea of going in naked but as others have pointed out maybe I wont care by then!!

petalsandstars · 27/10/2013 15:32

I was worried about this too prior to birth, thinking I'd wear a tankini top, but when I got to the room and the pool was filled I was in pain from contractions so just stripped off between g&a and got in naked. It was night though so room was dim and it just felt like a big bath and I didn't even think about the midwife seeing my bits under the water

clare8allthepies · 27/10/2013 15:43

At my antenatal class yesterday the midwife said you can wear what you like, but if you buy something new then wash it a few times first as it's really common for the colour to come out in the pool otherwise

polkadotsrock · 27/10/2013 16:48

I cut the bottom off my mat swimsuit first time and this time I'm going with a tankini top. I was also still aware of myself and felt better being covered- though my mw (a family friend) did laugh at me later for practically doing the splits my legs were so wide...I thought it might help...so quite why I should care about covering my boobs I have no idea

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