What do plan on wearing during labor?

[hbomdiggity]

This is not a fashion question, I just don't think I will be comfortable in a hospital gown.

I think I want a tank top or bra top, but then what on the bottom - anything?

[starburst604]

I wore the hospital gown, and I'm no fan of hospital gowns. Not sure what your plans are for medication during labor, but once there's an IV, epidural, or catheter involved (I had all 3) there probably won't be any changing. It just gets complicated. I did change into my own pajamas once my IV and catheter were removed after c section and was so glad I had brought my own stuff just in case.

[autumnfire]

I wore a pretty pushers gown. Honestly I was so damn comfortable in it and I arrived from our home to the hosptial in it and didn't need to change. Bottoms can cause a mess if your water breaks.

It was very well designed. I never had to degown for the monitor checks. It opened in the belly for easy access then I would tie it back up when I would go back on my hall walks. It had a nice tie halter top that if I didn't need a C-section would have offered immediate access for A to do skin to skin and feed. For me I did care about how much was showing so it made me feel really comfortable. I wore between a 16 and 18 before getting pregnant. So I bought both the plus and regular size. Plus size felt better on me. The nurses all commented on the gown. I didn't wear it to look 'pretty' I just liked wearing my own clothes. It was nice and light. But if your hosptial runs a bit cold you may want to bring a shawl or sweater.

They even allowed me to keep it on when I got my epidural because of how well it's all designed for labor. The time I had to take it off was when we went for a c-section. They then had to cut it off but really it was done at that point I didn't mind at all. It was made to be disposed of if you wanted to after.

The only thing I had to do before was check in with the hosptial to make sure I could use my own gown. I guess some places won't let you. But mine was fine with it.

ETA: I just checked out their site. They're now outrageously expensive compared to what I paid almost 2 years ago. Not worth the $40. It was worth the $16 I spent.

[Deleted]

A gown will make it so much easier for skin-to-skin. When you are in labor, you won't be thinking of how uncomfortable the hospital gown is making you. Plus, I don't think you can have anything on the bottom because, you know, a baby is coming out. lol

[hainesherway]

I'm having a c-section, so I'll be in the good ole' hospital gown.

[dearprudence]

I just wore the hospital gown the first time and plan on doing the same this time.

Nothing on the bottom, because with luck you'll be progressing enough that there will be some checks and a delivery. If things aren't progressing quickly there's need to be even more access down there.

[imimahoney]

I labored in a tub so I wore a sports bra and bikini bottoms. I stayed in the bra once I got out and went bottomless.

[Blackout81]

I wore the hospital gown and nothing else and even that was barely on. I labored med free in a July heat wave - they kept trying to close the door but it was a million degrees in there. I didn't car who saw what.

If I get my VBAC I plan to labor in a tub, but I won't be allowed to deliver in it. I'm not particularly planning on anything yet - for me plans haven't seemed to mater much!

[dojo]

Why wouldn't you be comfortable in a hospital gown? I spent my entire labour in a bed last time with an epidural and being checked a million times. I wouldn't have wanted anything of my own on.

[miamigirl]

I plan on wearing the gown. I don't think it will be uncomfortable.

[liverandonions]

The gowns suck, but when they put baby on your chest, it's nice to not have to worry about the blood and vernix caseosa getting on your clothes.

[Susie]

I think hospital gowns are cumbersome (I'm short, they're basically ankle length) and annoying, but I'm not planning on bringing anything else to wear. I'm hoping to be able to move around a little while in labor, and I'll just have to deal with it then.

[jsillyfun]

I'm wearing a purple cotton sundress I don't mind destroying. I can easily pull down the top to nurse. I don't like hospital gowns. In the birth tub I will just wear a soft nursing bra and no bottoms. I might also just end up naked.

[thejackpot]

Hospital gown. They need access to all of me and that provides the access they need.

[liverandonions]

May 18, 2015 15:25:51 GMT -5 @missy1 said:

A gown will make it so much easier for skin-to-skin. When you are in labor, you won't be thinking of how uncomfortable the hospital gown is making you. Plus, I don't think you can have anything on the bottom because, you know, a baby is coming out. lol

And yes to this-they just popped her right in there.

PDQ

[starburst604]

liverandonions I have practically the same photo! Skin to skin is easy in the gown.

Attachments:

[fezzik]

Probably nothing, ha. My hospital offers water births with a midwife. I labored pretty much only in the birthing pool last time and although I planned to wear at least a sports bra in the water, I ended up being naked pretty much the whole time. All modesty went out the window, lol. Once I had her, I slipped on a hospital gown until I could shower and change into my own clothes.

[meltoine]

First time I was mostly naked.

Second time I was wearing a skirt, tshirt, and sleep bra when I went into labor. The skirt came off at some point. I took the shirt off when he was born to do skin to skin.

I will likely wear the sleep bra again this time.

[achi]

Not sure yet. I have a lot of my own nightgowns with a shelf bra that I hardly wear so I think I might wear one of those. I hated the hospital gown when I had to have my gallbladder taken out.

[pooh8402]

Hospital gown. Why in the hell would I want to get blood, amniotic fluid, and poop all over my own clothes? It is gory, y'all.

And there's no point in wearing anything on bottom.

I do have a pretty gown that is structured similar to a hospital gown, but that is for after I'm all cleaned up.

[dcn]

I just wore the hospital gown last time and will do the same this time. Childbirth is messy!

[brandienee]

The only thing I am uncomfortable with is not wearing any underwear. It's stupid, I know, but I feel much more secure if I can wear my own panties.

[nachos]

Hospital gown here as well.

They're designed to do a job; give access where it's needed and (mostly) cover up the rest. You can always slip a robe on over it if you want to walk, and it's much easier to get out of afterwards when it's time for skin to skin and cleaning you up.

Then, when you're nice and clean, wear something from home.

I'm far more concerned with what to wear afterwards; I hate pajamas.

[cmarie11]

I labored in the tub, so I just wore a nursing sports bra, nothing on the bottom. I was out of the tub for <10 mins before she was born, and I think they just threw a sheet over the bottom half of me. Maybe not? I don't remember, haha.

[Deleted]

They made this huge deal about putting the gown on so I went with it. I insisted on keeping my bra on for the beginning because I have huge boobs. It came off when I got the epidural. The gown was nice. Breezy. When I changed rooms I think I put a tank top on and was bottomless under the sheets.

[ebeth]

At the hospital probably some sort of nursing sports bra thing and a robe or the hospital gown. Conversations with MW suggest that most people end up naked but I'm prob going to want some sort of bra type item on top particularly since the plan is to be moving around

[lindsaymg]

Since I will most likely have a c section (still have a low lying placenta at ultrasaound yesterday) I will be wearing close to nothing.

[dojo]

I remember seeing a birthing video during the prenatal class with DS1 where this gal was free as a bird as she gave birth. At the time I figured it must just be her personality to not care that she's completely nude (given that she volunteered to have her birth videoed for these classes). Then I delivered and there came a time when I just didn't care that I was completely nude either, much less what kind flimsy piece of cloth was supposed to cover me up (be it my own or the hospital's). I think at some point during 99% of labours you stop giving a crap about what you're wearing and what's hanging out and what isn't and who is in the room and who's walking by with the door open.

[starburst604]

May 19, 2015 10:45:24 GMT -5 dojo said:

I remember seeing a birthing video during the prenatal class with DS1 where this gal was free as a bird as she gave birth. At the time I figured it must just be her personality to not care that she's completely nude (given that she volunteered to have her birth videoed for these classes). Then I delivered and there came a time when I just didn't care that I was completely nude either, much less what kind flimsy piece of cloth was supposed to cover me up (be it my own or the hospital's). I think at some point during 99% of labours you stop giving a crap about what you're wearing and what's hanging out and what isn't and who is in the room and who's walking by with the door open.

So true. I never thought I'd be so lacking in modesty as I was during labor. When they would come in to check my cervix I just assumed the position. I didn't care that my mom and sister were in the room, or nurses or anesthesiologists roaming around. The entire hospital stay was pretty much like this. Everyone saw my boobs.

[ebeth]

To be clear, the bra thing isn't out of modesty. My boobs are so big at this point it's straight up uncomfortable bordering on painful for me to go braless. And I envision labor/delivery to be a somewhat active experience and one that I would want some support in the boob area for at least some of the time.

I've not done this before so we'll see what happens but this is the working plan.