If you had a hospital birth, were the nightgowns nursing-friendly?

[kathteach]

When I gave birth at Kaiser Permanente the nightgowns I was issued tied in the back like regular hospital gowns but had slits where your breasts were so you could easily pull them out to nurse.
Are most hospitals like this? Do you think it would make a difference in a successful bf relationship for a new mom?

[ctdoula]

At the hospital where my kids were born they had the special nursing/maternity gowns.

[jandc_hammond]

Originally Posted by ctdoula

At the hospital where my kids were born they had the special nursing/maternity gowns.

Me, too (they snapped at the shoulders). I brought my own nursing pajamas, just in case. I can imagine it would be difficult to nurse in a standard hospital gown.

[ktbug]

Mine were not, but I refused to wear them. I brought my own clothes and rejected any suggestion of wearing hospital-issue clothing.

[RockStarMom]

I gave birth at Kaiser too, and mine were just as you describe.

[Aliviasmom]

Yes and No. They had slits in them to nurse with, but they didn't line up well with my breasts. (Don't know if that is from the gown or my boobs! ) They snapped on the shoulders, so I just kept it unsnapped. I don't think I ever had ONE male in my room, and I just plain didn't care at that time. Everyone who ever set foot in my room saw AT LEAST PART of my boob!

[mumkimum]

No. (but it was a county hospital & I'm sure those will be the last to get any kind of nursing-friendly gown d/t the $ issues county hospitals have. .)

[sillymommaX2]

Yes, they unsnapped at the shoulders.

[momma2libby]

I never even thought about this. When I went into the hospital I brought all my own nightgowns. I just assumed they wouldn't have any nursing ones. They really should though.

[JamesMama]

When I delievered James the gowns had huge slits in the front for nursing.

[Leiahs]

1st hospital, no. They tied in the back. I quickly got over my modesty and ended up bare from my shoulders to my chest until I switched over to my own clothes the next day. And despite being a very modest and self-concious person, I just didn't care who saw my boobs.

2nd hospital, I planned ahead and brought my own nursing gown, but dang, that thing made me mad. The slits were horribly placed for my chest, and I ended up switching to regular clothes before long, out of frustration.

I kinda think that a lot of new moms, especially new to bf'ing moms, would be easily frustrated with official nursing hospital clothing like I was....everyone would be better off learning to nurse in their normal clothing or none at all, IMO

[PapayaMom]

ours did both times the kind that unsnapped at the shoulders. I was happy to wear the gowns with the post partum bleeding and all, for me the first 24 hours are the worst, it was nice to leave them and the hospital and not have to worry about laundry.

[eckmannl]

I gave birth in two different hospitals and both times they had nursling slits in the gowns.

[Ravin]

mine snapped at the shoulders. It didn't much matter how bf friendly they were, though, because the onlly time I wore one once I got to postpartum was when I had to leave the room (then I wore two, one snapped in back and one w/ the snaps in front like a robe so I didn't have the proverbial backside visibility), or once or twice when I had visitors, none of whom cared to stay while I was trying to BF DD (visitors includes inlaws and DH's friends, but not my mom or DH, both of whom had seen me in just my undies before, of course).

The way I saw it, I was there because I needed taking care of (I had a C-sec), so I was going to be as comfortable as I could.

[mommajb]

Mine had the slits but they were low enough to expose my navel - the ob actually check the height of my uterus via the slits the day after I gave birth.

[Turkish Kate]

FYI--the gowns that snap at the shoulders are not special gowns for nursing, they are to allow easy access for IV paraphenalia when you change gowns.

The hospital I was in with DS, certified "baby friendly," had the regular IV gowns, no special boob access, so I was topless the whole time. LOL

[Ducky5306]

Nope just normal hospital gowns and the hospital i delivered at is a womens hospital pretty much all they do is deliver babies!! they were honestly really awesome about bf'ing they had an LC meet it with every new mom and had classes on bf'ing and they give every new mom a brestpump! (a cheapo hand pump but still!) i don't remember leaving with formula samples but it may have happen i don't remember it.. I also just wore normal clothes pretty much from the time i was put in my own room i just lifted up my shirt (i'm not modest and it was a private room)

[earthmommy2]

My were the IV access gowns, but after I was moved to post pardom I showered and put on my regular clothing. I hated the idea being so hospitalized, so since I could wear my own clothing I did. One of the LC's came in when I was nursing DS sitting on the couch they had in my room and said, "I wouldn't think you just had a baby all comfy there, but I know you did...Why not nurse in the bed." I laughed, " YOu kidding, the bed is the optimal nursing situation all giving to how I would like to sit nursing...Real world isn't like that..." the only time I nursed in the bed was at night and I would lay it super flat like our bed at home.

[Satori]

I don't even remember if they were nursing friendly and its been less then a year for me. I was out of the gown as soon as my IV was disconnected I never found birth to be the messy leaking nightmare a lot of women describe so I was more then happy to put on my own clothes on and feel more like a human then a sick patient. The nurses kept asking me why I was wearing my own clothes and tried acting like I HAD to wear those icky gowns but they gave up pretty quick but I had to put up with questioning from each new nurse.

[sogriffin]

My 1st birth was at a hospital.
Gowns tied in the back, but had the bog boob slits for nursing.
My problem was the gowns were 1size fits all and huge. I'm a smallish person and got so twisted inside the gown that I just nursed out of the arm holes....