Can anyone advise what to wear during and after labour?

[teacher1984]

This is going to sound ridiculous to many of you, I'm sure, but I'm quite shy and self conscious and although I appreciate the hospital staff are going to see my body I don't want everything out on show if I can avoid it, especially right after the birth when I'm snuggling with my newborn.

I have a knee length short sleeve jersey nightshirt for labour but thinking this won't be great for modesty as soon as baby born because it would need to be removed or pulled right up for breastfeeding / skin to skin.

Any ideas what I can buy?

I bought a giant sleep shirt button down for labour/post birth. Once Id had dd and was up on the ward I wore button down vests with a hoodie and pj bottoms.

With ds I only had time to yank my leggings off so still had a long sleeved jersey top on. DS just got placed onto that for first cuddles.

I didnt bf ds in the hospital so once up on the ward I just wore tshirt and pj bottoms.

A big dark nightie with a button up front for skin to skin and breastfeeding (might be worth having a couple in case of bleeding). I would also recommend a thin cotton or jersey dressing gown in a dark colour as the wards are so warm.

After labour I went for dark slouchy pj bottoms and a thin, zip up hoody with nothing underneath

Thanks for the ideas everyone

You can get cheap maternity nightgowns from eg mothercare which are easy to breastfeed in. I second the recommendation to go for something that won't make you too hot. Thin dressing gown also useful for postnatal ward.

I wore a soft crop top bra and huge knickers (frumpy bikini style) in the birthing pool and took the knickers off towards the end when the midwife needed to look. I thought I'd care, but honestly I didn't care towards the end. The bra top was easy to pull down and breastfeed in. I went straight home from our private midwife led birthing room wearing the summer dress I'd arrived in, and lived in PJ's and loose tracksuit bottoms or leggings for the following weeks at home. Shirts are quite good for breastfeeding discretely in. You could wear a front buttoned shirt style nightdress?

I took a knee length nightie with a button front for labour and another for post birth. Never got round to putting it on during labour as I wasn't there long so birthed in a long maternity vest which was perfect for skin to skin afterwards. I did wear one on the ward after, then changed into leggings, vest and open shirt for the couple of hours before I went home.

A nightshirt that buttons right down the front.

After labour just normal pj's if staying in hospital . When home leggings and baggy the shirts

I'm in the process of organising all this for dc3 so I'm in this mindset right now

With dd1 I spent hours stressing about this. I was really worried about it. I ended up buying some button down the front nightdresses to give birth in and for after I got a couple of pairs of Cotten pjs with buttons down the front. In reality i didn't give a monkeys what I looked like ended up giving birth in a bra and nothing else
Cotten pjs where nice afterwards though!

Also remember you can wear a hospital gown if needed

Has anyone seen any inexpensive button all the way down the front night dresses? Links would be really helpful!

Also a comfortable, soft nursing bra for labour and after?

Thanks so much!

I had knee length jersey dress was daydress but verycheap so didnt care used for lsbour. Or use purpose made nightdress knee lengtu thoo g one pointless they wi have to hit h it up.

I had shower immediateky after whilst they checked and cleaned up baby just wore baggy pjs can just unbutton itsnot badly exposed if breastfeeding.

Im shy too but my first midwife said leave ur dignity at the door,after 4 i think shes right

I had a button down nightshirt in my bag which I planned to give birth in....turns out the labour suite was like a fucking sauna, so I gave birth butt nekked

I got nightdresses from matalan

I got an load of primark night dresses - they unbutton at the neck like BF night dresses but only cost about £4 each!

I bought a little swim skirt thing for in the birthing pool... laughs at own naivety I had major complications so water birth was out if the question and laboured in a gown before c section. When I came round I changed into some jojo maman bébé pj's - trousers and vest. It was nice to have something comfy as I was in for ten days. Personally I prefer vests and dressing gown (or cardie) for easy feeding. DS is now 4 months.

teacher I've been wondering about this too recently, have spotted this one:

www.marksandspencer.com/maternity-bird-print-minishirt/p/p22418151

Which I was thinking of getting. Hope link works!

I'm usually super modest but DS1 decided to almost show up in the cab and I walked bottom half naked between the loading bay and the mat unit screaming my head off, I did not care one bit.

Oh red shoes, that looks perfect, I'm going to order it :)

^ it does button all the way down doesn't it?

Helloelo - oh god, giving birth en route is my worst nightmare. Glad you just about made it!

Full button nighties from m&s or mothercare. I'm usually quite modest but laboured in birthing pool wearing nothing at all and could not have cared less! Had just taken nighties to wear I think. Will take a bra top this time but can't see the point in even planning to wear bottoms!

teacher yes fairly sure it does, you can see in the second picture I think. Might also order it myself now!

Primark have full button knee length ones. Still in mine for :( at night 8.5months later

I'm 30 weeks and just thinking about getting stuff for my hospital bag so this is a well timed thread for me!

I already have some Primark short navy strappy nighties (soft material, not satin!) - would these be ok to wear for labour? I don't want to look like I'm trying too hard to be glamorous though!! Everyone recommends button down nighties/shirts but the faff of opening and closing buttons to get skin to skin seems like it might be annoying, whereas with a strappy nightie the skin is right there and the top can be pulled down for feeding? Or do I want something a bit longer in case I'm bent over a ball showing my bum to everyone in the room ?