What to wear for labour/birthing?

[cactuspear]

Just as the title says really. This is my 3rd so it's a bit silly asking but with my 1st I bought a dress tshirt but by the time labour came it was too small and I have no idea what I wore with the 2nd so wondering what everyone else is wearing/has worn

Any links would be useful if possible

3 D.C. later - I have no idea what I wore with any of them.
Hospital gown I suspect - narrowly avoided emergency Caesarian with 2.
It was the last thing on my mind.
Healthy baby with all 3.
Thank goodness

I had my second baby 2 weeks ago and I just wore a hospital gown. Whatever you chose to wear will end up dirty and you'll want to get changed out if it afterwards anyway so I'd just chose some nice comfy pj's to wear afterwards.

That must've been scary! Glad everything was okay in the end @2020notQuiteAsPlanned

I know it's going to get dirty and stuff, just want to be comfy and I have got 2 pairs of pjs that I'll pack for afterwards mainly just looking for suggestions to actually birth and labour in. I've never been offered a hospital gown before so I don't want to turn up with nothing to wear for labour if that makes sense

I wore a navy (hide stains) knee length maternity nightdress thing with buttons down and matching pj trousers (all bought from m&s maternity - I looked very 70s/80s pregnant woman but it served me well!)

I was induced and didn't kick in straightaway so was in room for hours and had to walk to loo etc - pj bottoms kept my dignity walking round ward and partners of others there but easy to take off when came to labouring and nightdress right length.

Buttoned nightdress also meant could unbutton you out baby straight in my chest

Used that in all 3

I just had a strappy maternity nightie first time, and second time at home just whatever I had on top I think, and bottoms taken off. You just want to avoid being too warm I think.

Pi's and I just took off the bottoms when things were underway

Knee length, comfortable, cotton nighties (cheap ones in a big size). Dark colours, ones you don't mind never using again (one of mine had to be cut off), have a spare incase first gets dirty. Button fronted are great after if your bf.

I had a strappy black nightie in roughly my normal size (although it only came in small/medium/large etc) in a sort of stretchy sporty material with "lace" trimming

It actually looks really nice, I still have it two years on and wear it quite often and will probably wear for DC2 if I can and don't need a gown etc

I also had a similar black cotton nightie that I changed into after which is also doing well and will go into the hospital bag.

Both cheap as chips, didn't stain as black and I felt quite glam (as much as you can in labour!) but it was comfy and very practical too

Also took a thin Primark sort of fake silk navy robe and fluffy black slippers for the ward and they were perfect too. I almost never choose the right things to wear so made a nice change!

I do remember that I prepared a reasonably nice going home outfit for me, but when it came to it I was tired as it was winter I just put my long coat over the cotton black nightie, popped boots over bare legs and shuffled out like that instead!

Kate Middleton I am not.

My DD came a bit early, and it was a bit of a rush to get to hospital so I didn’t have time to sort myself out much. I was hoping for (and got) a water birth, so had a bikini top on and nothing else. And DD wanted to breastfeed as soon as she was born (literally, did this before delivering placenta or having cord cut or anything) so I was soon completely naked..... so not quite to plan. None of the midwives batted an eyelid and to be honest I couldn’t give a damn during labour! Think I spent a good hour or so after the birth just snuggled up I towels eating toast as they were in no rush to get me into the ward.

First time I was wearing leggings and baggy t shirt, was completely naked except for a towel over my boobs for the delivery and straight for skin to skin. Second had a water birth so some t shirt and leggings when arrived in Labour (memories!) and then just a weird nursing sports bra in the pool (in retrospect it was weird I didn’t take that off by 🤷🏼‍♀️)

Naked

Had a water birth, originally planned to wear lovely maternity bikini I had brought, ended up with a weird sports bra that I was already wearing and nothing else. Maternity bikini remains in original packaging to this day

With DD1 I used the pool for a bit so I had a tankini top on, with DD2 I couldn't use the pool as she had a protest poo so I just wore my molke soft bra top thing that I had on. I started with my maternity leggings but they ended up being binned after my waters went.