What did you wear during labor?

[AlpineMama]

I'm trying to compare the answers I get here vs on another forum which tends to have a bit more mainstream mother. Just for the sake of fun curiosity.
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When you gave birth, what were you wearing? I'm especially interested in those of you who WEREN'T at home - obviously no icky hospital gowns would be forced on you if you were at home. (Although I suppose I'd be interested in that too, did you choose to labor with or without clothes?) If you were in a hospital or a birth center, was what you were wearing your own choice or hospital policy?

This only occurred to me because I was reading that other thread's birth story about the lady who was giving birth naked, and a nurse came in and told her to put a gown on. I got mad just thinking about it, and then I thought back and realized I was totally naked for the whole thing -- well... once we got to the birth center anyway. I was already in hard labor by then, not really thinking about modesty, and got in the tub without anything on, then of course didn't put anything on when I got out of the tub for pushing. I don't even remember when I finally put clothes on, although I know it must have been before we got transferred to the L&D wing afterwards.

If someone had made me wear a hospital gown, oh how those things annoy me, I'm sure I would have ripped it to shreds.

[gcgirl]

I just saw some pics of a woman giving birth naked...in a hospital. If a staff member says you need to put some clothes on while you're in labor, the appropriate response is "Screw you." Lol. How stupid. They're MEDICAL people. Did they not take at least two semesters of anatomy and physiology? And do they not get that everything is basically hanging out anyway?

[booklady1178]

I gave birth in a freestanding birth center. I wore a t-shirt until I got into the tub, at which point I labored in the nude. I didn't put clothes back on until several hours after the birth. It made for great skin-to-skin time with my baby!

[mothragirl]

i birthed at a free standing birth center. i showed up in boxers, a t-shirt, and flip flops, but was naked a few hours later until it was time to go home.

[AlpineMama]

Originally Posted by gcgirl

I just saw some pics of a woman giving birth naked...in a hospital. If a staff member says you need to put some clothes on while you're in labor, the appropriate response is "Screw you." Lol. How stupid. They're MEDICAL people. Did they not take at least two semesters of anatomy and physiology? And do they not get that everything is basically hanging out anyway?

ITA. At the birth center they were great and never said a word, but when we were in L&D and I was trying to breastfeed (not covered up) all the nurses would come in and squeak and hide their eyes. Was that to prevent their modesty or mine? I certainly didn't have a problem and figured they wouldn't either, considering that's the department they worked in. I can only imagine some of them might make a laboring woman a little self-conscious though if they tried to cover her up to "protect her modesty" while giving birth. As if that's a time to be modest? Or was I being rude by trying to nurse without covering up? Who knows...

[Upside]

I gave birth in a hospital and wore a t-shirt for most of my labor. When I got in the tub, I was nude of course. I guess I put the t-shirt back on during my 2 hours of pushing. After the birth I changed into a hospital gown cause my tshirt had baby gook on it (I say that in the most affectionate way) and left that on for the day because of the normal discharge. It was just easier than taking pants on and off.

This time I'm doing it at home, so I guess I won't get a hospital gown to trash .

[jocelyndale]

I wore my birthday suit from the time I got there until I was just about to be sent to my room. I was in the birthing suite from 4:30pm or so until sometime after 10pm. DS was born at 7:17pm and spent most of the next few hours right against my skin, though I generously let DH hold him.

A nurse asked if I'd like to get into a gown, or if I just wanted warmed blankets for the trip down the hall. I said, "eh, gown".

It didn't last long. I kept undoing the shoulders to nurse and just leaving them down, then trying to extricate myself from the gown when I wanted to pee . . . oy.

[Steady101]

First child I wore a nightshirt, bra, and underwear. This baby I plan on having a home water birth. I do plan on wearing a tank top of sorts in the water though.

[KiwiZ]

2 hospital births:

1) c-sec: they asked my preference which was naked except my bra (my boobs were so heavy and it felt better to me to have it on).

2) VBAC (diff hosp): gown but no underwear. I think most hosp gowns open up in the back? but this one had easy access to the boobs for nursing so I liked it. I just hiked it up as I felt like it

[elladee]

I had a hospital birth. Wore the hospital gown.

I had wanted to labor in the tub, and figured I wouldn't be wearing anything for that, but DD came too fast and I never got a chance.

[dajones]

Hospital birth, I came in with sweat pants and a t-shirt, but my bag of waters had broken and with water constantly leaking, I just wore a t-shirt.

[Jimibell]

both homebirths and for both I wore my pajamas until pushing time, then I was neked!!

[jerawo]

I was at home.

For some of labor I was in a tank top then with a robe on top. Once the contractions picked up, I was too hot to wear anything and it stayed that way until after the baby was born. I think it's pretty normal for mom to be naked, especially by the end.

[hetaera]

For my first 'birth' (ended in c section)
While I was being induced, I wore a hospital gown. I had to FIGHT with the nurse to let me keep my bra on. Seriously she tried to fight with me over it. Saying if I wanted it off later it would have to be cut off blah blah blah. I told her I was keeping it on and I was fine if it needed to be cut off.

It was a silly stupid thing. I was trying to grasp at any little thing I could to gain my power back.
And later when the scissors sliced through it, every shred of dignity and humanity I had left went with it.

This time, at home I plan to wear nothing on bottom and a white tank top thats already all stained up so I dont really care if it gets nastier.

[channelofpeace]

I was in labor for a loooong time, so i went through various stages of dressed/ undressed. I was naked for a while but mostly i just had a nightie i brought from home. And purple argyle socks

[channelofpeace]

Originally Posted by hetaera

For my first 'birth' (ended in c section)
While I was being induced, I wore a hospital gown. I had to FIGHT with the nurse to let me keep my bra on. Seriously she tried to fight with me over it. Saying if I wanted it off later it would have to be cut off blah blah blah. I told her I was keeping it on and I was fine if it needed to be cut off.

It was a silly stupid thing. I was trying to grasp at any little thing I could to gain my power back.
And later when the scissors sliced through it, every shred of dignity and humanity I had left went with it.

This time, at home I plan to wear nothing on bottom and a white tank top thats already all stained up so I dont really care if it gets nastier.

[AngelaB]

My birthday suit!! In the hospital and Birth center.
Angela

I thought I would add that I did have clothes on while in public!!

[DoomaYula]

Hospital the first time: ginormous pj's that fit over my 34w twin pregnant belly. At some point I ended up in a hospital gown, maybe I puked on my pjs or something? I don't remember.

Birth center: I was so set on wearing my own clothes the entire time, and the nurse was complimenting me on my comfy-looking tshirt... just as I puked all over it. So I wore a hospital gown.

When I have clients who want to wear their own clothes, I recommend bringing SEVERAL changes, just in case. There's just so much fluid involved in birth, and hospital icky-ness.

This time I have a maternity bikini top that I *might* wear -- just so I don't have to deal with photoshop-ing pics later -- or I might be naked.

[PiePie]

i was naked. i checked into the hosp-based birthing ctr, they tried to put a gown on me, i said no, i lay on the bed for a sec in just a sports bra, and then decided to get into the jacuzzi. there was no way i was putting clothes back on. i had in my birth plan that i was going to labor in nothing or just a sports bra. DH had me take off the sports bra because he was afraid it would get wet!

[Liquesce]

Hospital birth, hospital gown. Didn't want to be naked but really just didn't care what was on me. I know some women are very sensitive to tactile things during birth, but for me probably I could be wearing a clown suit and just not care.