What to wear in labour?

[Bee]

I took an old nightie to wear but then was told to put a gown on! Then spent the whole time (well not long ) flashing my bum with the midwife trying to cover it up. I didn't care tbh - u won't by that point

 

[Sylvie]

Bought some large nighties but never had a chance to wear them as everthing went so quickly! I came into the birth centre wearing jeans and a rather long T-shirt but ended up completely naked very quickly to get into the pool. The MW got me out of the pool after 10 minutes so I stayed naked until the end and at the time I didn't care at all

 

[X5OT]

I bought a couple of cheap nighties but never wore them. I went into hospital in jogging bottoms, baggy fleece and wearing crocs (the only thing I could even vaguely get my swollen feet into). I wore nothing for most of my labour - couldnt' even bear to have the sheet over me - just lay there "au naturele" hooked up to monitors sucking on the gas & air! Like others have said, you honestly wont give a hoot and just go with whatever you feel like at the time
x

 

[wmakara]

You really won't care, I just used the hospital gown that way you don't need to deal with the washing of it afterwards.

 

[moss]

You probably won't care. I'm the most self-concious person ever and I wore my tankini top. When I was transferred I was in a tank top, huge granny pants and my husband's terry robe. I looked lovely! I was wheeled outside my huge development and hundreds of neighbours like that and that only occurred to me last week! Also, people often streak across the ward naked when in labour- all inhibitions go and instincts kick in!

 

[tinkerbell*]

i brought a baggy long t-shirt to wear... but by the time i got up there i was nearly 8cm, and couldnt be naffed to search through my bag for t-shirt to put on. i am sooooo self consious but i just stripped off and they put a hospital gown on me! it was worried about getting too hot, but midwife put a huge floor fan blowing at me, and OH had a hand held one! hehe everyone else had goose bumps!

i remember afterwards they said "do you have any knickers to put on"?
i said "oh yeah i have some disposable ones".....
OH got them out my bag, passed to midwife who put them on me.. pulled them up....... to about just above my knees....
ummmm *cringe"... well they fitted me before! hehe!

 

[mum's the word]

My feet got freezing during my labours, second time I packed a fluffy pair of bed socks and I was soooo glad even though it was July. The rest of your body gets hot but I suppose your feet are a low priority for blood flow! Also wore a short nightie, not just socks! took leggings and baggy top to change into after, found leggings helped keep my maternity pads in place (so dignified) and supported my belly a bit.

 

[MagicMarkers]

A strappy top, would have liked to change but id had a drip put in by then lol, so when bubs was born i decided i wanted skin to skin and whacked that and me bra off, left em hanging round the drip wire thingy lol dear oh dear !

 

[flowergirl]

I laboured in a pair of comfy jogging bottoms and a maternity hoodie from next (I think!) I endfed up totally naked with my bum in the air though! I didn;t care that I was starkers, I just didn't want anything on me or getting in my way!

 

[Mildly]

I got to the hospital at 8cm and managed to secure the birthing pool room, so just stripped off naked and jumped in the pool. Normally I am fairly self conscious about being undressed in front of people but I really couldn't care less and that was before I'd had any drugs. The midwives made me feel really comfortable about it. I think at one stage (when I had to leave the labour room to cross the corridor to the toilet) they had to drap a sheet round me as I was heading off totally naked without a thought about other labouring women's partners that may be about.

Then later on when things headed towards my emergency c section, I was naked in front of a whole team of people without a thought or a care. I vaguely remember being dressed in a gown before being wheeled to theatre but am assuming that it got rolled up so they could cut me open so I doubt it covered much.

I hadn't actually bought any night dresses or big T-shirts as I wasn't expecting to stay in hospital and had pretty much decided to be naked in the pool anyway. OH had to go to tescos and buy me a couple of cheap nightdresses for my hospital stay as the PJs I had packed were a bit too tight on the scar.