Homebirth Observation

[amandamcgrady]

Hi I have had 3 kids already so this is my 1st homebirth and I have been studying, researching, watching Youtube, Googling whatever I can to learn as much as I can about all this. I do have one strange question based on what I have seen so far.

Why is it that All homebirthers get completely Nude to give birth. Nobody gets naked in the hospital. Do the midwives request it or recommend for you to be naked?

[nashvillemidwife]

Um, no. It's not true. Not all home birthers give birth nude. Perhaps your perception is skewed because people who are open to posting their birth videos on youtube for every stranger in the world to see are probably also more open to giving birth naked? (It's also not true that no one gets naked in the hospital, it's just more unusual).

[the_lissa]

I didn't get naked. I wore a bra for the birth because I couldn't stand having my breasts touch my skin. It was so hot. The rest of my labour, I wore my regular clothes.

[Mamato3wild ponnie]

I think that when your totally inhibited you do what feels right to you at the moment. Lot's of mama's take it all off in the hospital, when you are not drugged up your body takes over and you go with what it's telling you is the most comfortable at that time.

[library lady]

Midwives do not recommend or request that you be naked. It is all about your comfort level. The only part that needs to be naked is the bottom half and you can keep that covered until it is actually time for the baby to come out. I was dressed for the entire labor with my first home birth. It never occurred to me to get undressed. I didn't take my shorts off until my daughter was ready to come out.

I doubt that the clothed home birthers are out there posting themselves all over the internet.

I am sure that some people would rather be nude in the hospital but I doubt that they would let you.

[MrsJez]

Hmm. Well I was completely naked for my hospital birth w/DS#1. I was clothed (tank top and undies) until it was time to get into the pool to birth DS#2. And then I was in just a sports bra.

My midwives could've cared less both in the hospital and at home whether or not I was wearing clothes.

My guess is women who are willing to post their births online are generally less inhibited people and therefore may be more inclined to be naked for labor and birth.

[greene_mama]

I was naked in the hospital! I'm not sure the nurses knew what to think, but I just got really hot at the very end and ripped off my robe during pushing. No one said anything, just helped me get it off, and that was that. I felt like an animal, and modesty was the last thing on my mind.

I would definitely be naked at a home birth, too, though. But then again, I've always like being naked.

[janasmama]

I was naked for my first hb but not for my second. It just didn't happen that way. I think it really depends on the person. Some people are more nudists on a day-to-day basis anyhow.

[Lit Chick]

I am not an exhibitionist.... but I got nude.
My dad was there too! I was wearing a long loose top, but I just go SO HOT that I ripped it off and threw it across the room. Bye-bye modesty!

In a hopsital, many women are in a gown, and then hooked up to a million things. Not as easy to rip off the offending garment. Also, was safe and comfy at my house, so my thinking brain was off. In a hosp, I might have been less in my body and more in my head, and kept covered.

[teachinmaof3]

I never gave birth nude.

[prothyraia]

I was completely naked for my hospital birth.

But then, I was in the shower/tub for a bit there. That's the key for me. Once I get naked to get in the water, putting clothes back ON in the midst of having contractions just doesn't occur to me.

[madiesmommy]

I plan to be clothed until I get in the pool, and then I will wear either a bra or a tank top in the pool so that pictures don't show my boobs. And then, I am not one to post my birth on you tube either...so you won't see it there!

[white_queen_22]

I wore a sports bra and was also in the water. I wore a loose, lightweight skirt for much of labor and then took it off to get in the water.

I felt very SAFE and COVERED in the water which helped me relax for birthing.

Angela <><

[library lady]

Originally Posted by prothyraia

I was completely naked for my hospital birth.

But then, I was in the shower/tub for a bit there. That's the key for me. Once I get naked to get in the water, putting clothes back ON in the midst of having contractions just doesn't occur to me.

That was me with birth #3. Once you are in the midst of contractions, clothes just don't seem to even be on the radar unless they are in the way.

[amandamcgrady]

You make a good point about the level of modesty in general about the type of women that post births on you tube.

I just wondered if you should be naked for any type of monitoring "eyes, hands" since the traditional monitoring isn't used.

Its good to know that its optional because I dont think I would like it and I also want to have lots of pictures taken and definitly not TOPLESS.

Thanks for the reasurrance. This is definitly the place to come to find people that know what they are talking about. Im glad I found this board.

[amitymama]

I did not plan to be but I was butt naked for my hospital birth and the midwives didn't bat an eyelash. I plan to wear some kind of top or bra in the water this time at home but if I decide to take it off I'll just go with it and not be embarrassed.

[wbg]

I was very naked for my first birth which was in hospital. I laboured a lot in the shower and just did not want to get dressed to push. This pattern continued with all my births! My fourth was at home and in a pool. I liked being naked so that baby could just lie on my chest and latch on straight away, but to be honest, I never actively planned to be naked, it just always felt right. I got dressed pretty soon after though. Once I come out of labourland...I can't help feeling very self conscious!

[My*Scorpio]

I am normally a very modest person, but when I was in labor w/ my son in the hospital, I was nude. I didn't like the feel of clothing. So unlike me. I always have to have clothes on, especially in the winter (he was born in Jan.). I expect I will be naked again next time I'm in labor.

Maybe part of it is getting into a tub too. There was a whirlpool tub at the hospital.

[Nan'sMom]

I wore a long shirt the whole time for my midwife assisted homebirth. During my UC birth I was naked but there was no one there to see it except dh and dd occasionally.

[thefragile7393]

With this birth, like my first, I plan on having a tank top or sports bra on....I didn't feel comfortable naked completely and I truely don't think I will this time either.