Where can I get a good long nightie for giving birth in? And other nightwear questions...

[bohemianbint]

I ended up in hospital last week overnight and realised that at 35 wks pregnant most of my nightwear is either comfy, but unsightly, or impractical, or too small.

I really need something long, ideally for giving birth in that covers me up but allows access to business end and preferably with buttons so I can get the baby onto my chest afterwards.

But could also do with some half presentable pj's/nightwear for when people come and look at the baby so I don't look like crap.

Where can I get them from? I thought Next might be alright but there doesn't look like they have much, and certainly no long nighties. Dunno where else to try, please help!

Aye...I will Northern! I just mean that last time I got straight back to normal and people assumed that everything was fine and invaded our house and lives for aaaaaaages, to the point where we didn't get any sleep/food/bonding time. Not making that mistake again!

I've seen clients with some nice stuff from Mothercare. I was rather shocked as I always thought that their stuff was frumpy. I'm a big fan of Primark and Hennes as well. With the sales on you should have a much wider choice.

I gave birth first time in just a hip length maternity top and my maternity bra... got to hosp after days of slow contractions at home.
Bag full of suitable items to wear for this important occasion- big old t shirt and socks etc.
Midwife then registrar examined me in between me screaming at contractions, ooo you are fully dilated, monitors were strapped on, 2 hours later baby was born and I'd never had the chance to get off the bench, never mind change my clothes!

See, plan and purchase all you like, but events may well overtake you on the day!

When I got to the ward I had my trusty old winceyette pjs about £5 from Ethel Austin. Sit in bed in the button up top, put trousers on when getting out of bed to wince my way to the loo!

• glad to hear that BB

I remember the great nightie search! I never found anything. And then I gave birth naked in the pool, so it didnt matter.

Although for many weeks I looked for that elusive garment.

Post del I had a nice pair of pj bottoms with m and s secret support vest tops so breast pads didnt disappear.

DD1 - long nightshirt hauled it up for skin to skin after.

DD2 - m&s slip

Looked nice, very cool and airy.

I was naked both times at the end but a sarong is fabulous before that nudity bit.

For sarong read, large piece of lovely (or cheap if you like) wrapped and tied at bust.

Trust me it feels covered but if you just tie it at bust rather than wrapping round and round it has easy access to the front of your body when you want.

sarong it is the biz.

I got a pack of two from mothercare, long straps so easy to pull down for baby to bf, be put onto chest easily after birth. And inexpensive so can be chucked away if too messy.

Don't get anything too nice for giving birth in, but for sleeping/relaxing/feeding in after the birth Blooming Marvellous sells long cotton nighties with buttons, a bit pastelly but they wash up quite well in the machine. They also do pyjamas but you might still be comfier in a nightie.

Tesco are doing packs of 2 knee length, short sleeved, nighties for a fiver ..one black one pink - the black one would be ideal

Message withdrawn

Aggie - genius. Just been to Tesco and got the biggest pair of nighties I could find for a fiver, cheers for the tip!

Just need to look for something a bit pretty for afterwards.

Slur - a sarong is a brilliant idea! I've got loads knocking about, just need to see if any of them will still go all the way around me.

I used old t shirt of dps for both our kids! The same t shirt!
just lifted it up for skin to skin and first feed
I preferred pjs as adjusting sanitary towels hardwhen holding nightie up

I wore a fairly short "lovely day for a Guinness" t-shirt with the toucan picture for birth of DS. Still treasure it today!

Next time I'll probably wear it again but will remember to get suitable bf tops. I made the mistake of big baggy t-shirts for hospital which were really uncomfortable to roll up and got in the way when trying to establish feeding. Button down is def. the way to go.

BB you're welcome
BTW 5 and a half hours after posting that on here I gave birth ...in my black Tesco nightie

For birth I bought a couple of men's Primark t shirts which i pre-ripped down the front for feeding. Once I got home I was in M&S PJ bottoms and breastfeeding tops

I gave birth to DS in a MASSIVE t-shirt of my hubby's, the last thing on my mind was looking good and quite frankly wouldn't have cared what I had on. DD birth was in a birthing pool, so didn't have to worry about that. I was more concerned about what to wear for piccies in hospital afterwards and bought glam nightie belabumbum could also bf in this, which was great. I also had the seraphine nightie, which is lovely.

PS did have a button down nightie too, but not only did it make me look like my granny, I thought that was a massive faff and prefer the drop cup type tops.

Bloody hell Aggie - congratulations! Hope all's well, what did you have?

i wore a big man's t shirt in a choice shade of brown. was about £3 from m&s i think. for skin to skin i just hoiked it right up.

then on the ward i had brown (again) sleepwear, made up of a vest and 3/4 pj bottoms.

once i was home i wore mostly what they call 'lounge wear' so velour tracksuits etc.

DD1 - had a birth nightie didn't get used my carefully packed bag never got opened until after the birth. Gave birth in a t-shirt

DD2 - naked (homebirth)

DD3 - 2 days ago naked again sweat was dripping off me, I heated up the whole room, I couldn't bear anything near me, I laboured curled up in the foetal position on my v shaped cushion on the bed only turned onto my back when I felt her coming.

BB - thanks, a boy, 20 mins after sweetkitty's DD3 .

hi i gave birth to dc2 and dc3 in a black kaftan, probably mid thigh length very loose and comfortable - i def dinot want to be naked. Anyway after dc3 i very dramatically gave away and threw away all relevant items as was not having another. Now 18 weeks preg with dc4 and thinking im gonna need something of the same style again! Anyone spotted one of these about?