labour clothing
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Topic: labour clothing
Posted By: squoggs
Subject: labour clothing
Date Posted: 30 April 2010 at 10:52am
Just curious, what did you, or are you planning to wear during labour? I realise I will probably end up naked & not caring, but still keen to hear what others have done  ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Replies:
Posted By: caraMel
Date Posted: 30 April 2010 at 11:10am
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I just wore the hospital gown and then wound up naked.
Second time I decided to be a bit more dignified and had bought a couple of big men's singlets that covered me to about mid-thigh but bubs arrived so quickly that they never even made it out of the labour bag! I wouldn't bother buying anything nice specifically for labour, they get messed up and it is easier just to let the hospital deal with the washing in my experience. ------------- Mel, Mummy to E: 6, B: 4 and: 
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Posted By: Booski
Date Posted: 30 April 2010 at 11:13am
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I was in a cotton nighty. Not planned was just what I was sleeping in at the hospital. Worked out great and actually didn't even get messy!! ------------- 
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Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 30 April 2010 at 11:14am
| Hospital gown. I got into it as soon as I got to the hospital |
Posted By: squoggs
Date Posted: 30 April 2010 at 11:59am
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Thanks ladies Providing everything goes well, I will be birthing in a maternity unit rather than a hospital - do they still provide hospital gowns?
Im thinking either a sarong or trackies, and a large t-shirt (long story, but can't pinch my hubbies t-shirts as he put them all through the hot wash, and they all shrank!). But not keen on buying anything specially. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 30 April 2010 at 11:59am
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Does the place where you are birthing offer gowns? Check that out first. Wellington Hospital does not give gowns to pregnant women for labouring in!!
I wore a black cotton nighty, but tbh wish I hadn't as I got extreamly over heated! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: squoggs
Date Posted: 30 April 2010 at 12:02pm
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oh and the other thing is, do you go to the maternity unit wearing your 'labour outfit' or do you change once there - eg. if I planned to birth in a nighty, would I wear that in, or just normal clothes? ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: WestiesGirl
Date Posted: 30 April 2010 at 12:08pm
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I actually never put much thought into clothing TBH. I went to the hospital in trackies and a top. I took off my trackies for the MW to do an internal check and when I was taken to the birthing suite I ended up naked and not caring (super fast labour though).
Depending on what you plan to wear, I'd wear your normal clothes to the maternity unit then change once you arrive. ------------- Our Angel July 08  Gone but not forgotten
And to complete our family, our princess has arrived 
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Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 30 April 2010 at 12:09pm
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I got changed there, but it's up to you.. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: mummyofprinces
Date Posted: 30 April 2010 at 12:12pm
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I would wear normal clothes there and change once I got there.. or if you were far into labour you could put your nighty on and just pully some trackies on underneath and chuck a jumper on over the top...
I was induced so wore my own clothes for most of the time as I was walking around the grounds trying to help get things moving. When I got moved from assessment to a birthing suite I changed into my sarong but my labour stopped and got cold so put a hospital gown on . I ended staying in it right through to the day after my c-section... I would check if they provide and if not just get something baggy and cheap.... some can get really mucky and I am not sure I would want to wash it 
The sarong was good though because I was covered but there was easy access iykwim  -------------   
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Posted By: HuntersMama
Date Posted: 30 April 2010 at 12:36pm
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I just wore the hospital gown which got pretty messy! I didnt wear my own nighties until a few days later. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Emmi_
Date Posted: 30 April 2010 at 1:18pm
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Ive bought a sarong ($5 from the warehouse!) and a black long top from kmart ($19 I think) that buttons to below the boobs (figured it would be good for BF if it was to be kept after labour). ------------- 
+1 May 09 Angel
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Posted By: fire_engine
Date Posted: 30 April 2010 at 1:33pm
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Hospital gown and stayed in it (well, a different one each day!) for about 3 days afterward. I bled heaps after so it was good not having to worry about my clothes getting stained. ------------- Mum to two wee boys |
Posted By: EmDee
Date Posted: 30 April 2010 at 2:49pm
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I laboured in a sarong and singlet but ended up naked soon enough anyway! They didn't get too mucky as I was naked by the time my MW broke my waters, so popping them in the washing machine was easy. I birthed in a birth centre both times and I'm pretty sure they don't provide gowns or anything. ------------- DS 8 DD 6 DS 4 DD 2 |
Posted By: SquishysMum
Date Posted: 30 April 2010 at 3:03pm
| I was starkers pretty much the whole time - dressing gown at home (was middle of the night), got nude and into bath by 6.30am, put on sarong to travel to birthcare, and stripped off again as soon as we reached the delivery room and got in the pool! |
Posted By: T_Rex
Date Posted: 30 April 2010 at 4:10pm
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i started off in a cheap dress that I'd been wearing anyway cos I was hot. I leaked waters everywhere tho and ended up changing into a singlet and pj pants once my dress was soaked. Then I ditched the pants when they were soaked and just wore knickers and singlet until I got in the pool. I probably went through 5 changes of knickers because even a newborn sposie couldn't keep up with the gushing fluid. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: fattykat
Date Posted: 30 April 2010 at 4:26pm
| I went to hospital in pjs (dark thin cotton pants & a singlet top with a maternity bra underneath) the pjs came off pretty quick as I was in the pool/bath thingy but I felt not so 'expossed' with the bra still on. Once I got out I just wore a hospital gown until about a hour after birth then had a shower and back into (dark just in case I bleed everywhere) pjs. The pjs had a draw string instead of elastic so were nice and comfy |
Posted By: freckle
Date Posted: 30 April 2010 at 7:42pm
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I have no idea what I wore to the birthing unit but I got nakey and in the pool straight away... then got into a hospital gown to transfer to hospital... I'd just wear a hospital gown instead of buying anything new for it... ------------- mum to 3 lovely girls :D |
Posted By: MrsH
Date Posted: 30 April 2010 at 10:23pm
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I started off in Shorty PJs, Bra and Undies and eventually ended up in nothing. Then it was just a bra (after they broke my waters) with a sheet over my bottom half and then it was a gown to give me some semblence of decency.
And then it was nothing. 17 hours stuck on a bed attached to monitors = I wear whatever the hell I damn well like!! ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Ashleigh
Date Posted: 05 May 2010 at 2:58pm
| i remember thnking i couldn't posibly just go naked with other people in the room! I started out in a hospital gown, then naked into the pool and didn't care after that! I see you can buy special labour dresses now - haha! Aimed at first timers I suspect! I porbably would have bought one if I knew about it during my first pregnancy, but am sure it would have been a waste of money! This time I am going to buy lots of really cheap granny knickers - I had a c-section and was in hospital for 7 days. Ran out of clean knikcers pretty fast, and a bit of a hassle getting DH to wash and bring back. also they where all hipsters and so the top of the knickers where just where my (fresh) scar was and irritated it. so yes, lots of cheap granny knickers - may just throw them out instead of washing that first week! |
Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 05 May 2010 at 3:05pm
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I second the cheap knickers! I got 7 for $10 from the warehouse! ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 05 May 2010 at 3:06pm
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I saw that birthing dress - what a hoot - everything is bound to get messy anyways and bare skin is much easier to clean. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">   [/url] Angel June 2012 |
Posted By: WestiesGirl
Date Posted: 05 May 2010 at 3:12pm
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I bought a pack of cheap knickers but ended up hating them and wearing my bonds. I found the cheap ones were too thin through the crotch and the Mat Pads were too wide and didnt fit. And also once the pad was on they didnt fit comfortably so I ended up using my bonds and didnt have any issues with leakage etc.
Albeit, it could have been the style of cheap knickers rather than the actual cheapies I bought though. ETA Spelling ------------- Our Angel July 08 Gone but not forgotten
And to complete our family, our princess has arrived
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Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 05 May 2010 at 3:26pm
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Yeah mine stretched heaps (the knickers) but I only had them for hospital ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: MissAngel
Date Posted: 05 May 2010 at 4:07pm
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I had my own PJs on for the first few hours, then chucken my crappy old night on which they made me take off and put a classic hospital gown on with the gap in the bum. No undies til after. ------------- Alex, Thomas and Lily http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: _SMS_
Date Posted: 05 May 2010 at 7:22pm
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I got a nightie for while i was in Hosp, but it got dirty pretty fast with spew, waters break etc lol. In the shower i just wore undies. I got a few black pears i was wearing during labour & cheap ones for after labour because i knew there would be blood.
When i was out of the shower and on the bed i just wore a singlet top, but the gave me dd and that got covered in blood too lol. I pretty much got half of my clothes i packed dirty in labour, but i was cold not hot lol. Just pack heaps. Leave an extra bag in the car just in case -------------  
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Posted By: kiwisj
Date Posted: 05 May 2010 at 7:41pm
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I was in a skirt and singlet top when I went to hospital in the middle of the night. Stayed in that till I was admitted to a ward and then I changed into a hospital gown coz I didn't have PJs.
When I came back in properly in labour I can't actually remember what I was wearing! But at some point I had an internal so I must have been out of knickers and shorts by then?? I was in a hospital gown by morning and delivered in that. Whoever asked - I'd just go to hospital in what you're wearing at the time but make sure there's some comfy/lightweight stuff in your hospital bag in case that's what you want to change into once you're there. ------------- SJ Callum - Dec 2008 Daniel - Oct 2010 |
Posted By: Richie
Date Posted: 06 May 2010 at 8:50am
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I went into hospital in tracky bottoms and a t-shirt. Stayed in that till I vomited all over myself so got into a hospital gown. Then I vomited on that so had to change into another one. Then ended up on the bed so MW could break my waters.... well there was A LOT of fluid (MW had never seen that much in one go lol) so me and gown got soaked. So stripped off and had a shower while MW changed the bed sheets. Into my 3rd gown in the space of an hour. That one was safe for the rest of labour but ended up having a C-Sec anyway. Was in hospital gowns for 2 days. No undies or bra, just gown! lol I bled quite a bit so the midwife would just come in, lift my legs up and shove a new pad under my butt! lol and I was having issues with feeding Isla at first and MW were coming in every couple of hours to help me express so didn't bother putting a bra on. Fair to say all my dinity is well and truly gone after that! -------------  
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Posted By: Richie
Date Posted: 06 May 2010 at 8:52am
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Oh, and in regard to undies. I got a bulk pack from Postie Plus for like $15 but didn't end up using them cause they were boylegs and sat right on my C-Sec wound! OUCH! So had to txt my Mum and get her to go get me some high waisted Granny knickers lol. NOICE! I felt sooooo sexy! NOT! haha -------------
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Posted By: minik8e
Date Posted: 06 May 2010 at 9:17am
| I went to hospital in pants, singlet and jersey (it was 3.30am and August) but once I got there, it all came off and I just kept my singlet on - no undies, pants or anything, just the sheet over me. Then I just had the hospital gown on. I had to have my belly exposed because I was being monitored and I had a few internals, so it was just easier. I didn't give a hoot who saw me, and I wouldn't remember them anyway. I had a c-sec as well, so had a 7 pack of cheap undies from the Warehouse....the full brief kind, not bikini style, because I needed them to sit above my c-sec cut. |
Posted By: Hopes
Date Posted: 06 May 2010 at 10:35am
It looks like the one essential is granny-knickers! I'll have to make sure I have some 
I've seen those 'birthing wraps' and wondered what possible use they could be. As in... if you've in labour, are you really going to care $99 worth (or whatever they cost) about what you look like? Also, the throwing up and messing up your clothes seems to be a fairly common theme, it's possible you might wear it for all of a few minutes. -------------   
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Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 06 May 2010 at 12:02pm
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Hospital Gown! Even in my pain enduced state I still cared if I was naked lol. The back of my gown was open but the rest of me was covered.
I ended up with an emergency C Section that time anyways, so didnt have to be that exposed in the end!! ------------- |
Posted By: Mum2ET
Date Posted: 06 May 2010 at 12:32pm
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first time around I wore the hospital gown. second time I wore the birthing wrap to the hosptial and laboured in that (was only for a couple of hrs) until I hopped into the birthing pool and then I just wore a maternity bra.
I ------------- Mum to Ella (5) and Tom (2) |
the womama birthing wrap- I wore it so much during my pregnancy and am still wearing it now as it is easy to b/f in (and it didn't get dirty at all while I was in labour). Posted By: MrsH
Date Posted: 06 May 2010 at 8:21pm
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Speaking of granny knickers - Bendon are having a 50% off all briefs sale so I'd go there. They are nice and tight and the ones I have sit way above a CS scar/wound (as in, on the belly button - THAT nanna-rey). ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: BuzzyB
Date Posted: 07 May 2010 at 10:21pm
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With my first pregnancy this was what freaked me out the most about labour - being in pain and naked and just too vulnerable on all fronts at the same time. I wore a hospital gown, which was comfy and did the trick.
I ended up with a CS and Wellington Hospital had these great disposable knickers that we're really soft and high waisted. They're not pretty, but they were the only thing I could wear! I'll definitely be asking for those again this time if I end up with another CS! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: myonlineself
Date Posted: 08 May 2010 at 10:57am
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I went to hospital in what I happened to be wearing that day - so leggings and a baggy maternity top, with a crappy old bra underneath. Once midwife arrived, I took my pants off for the internal and then that's how I was for the rest of my labour. I remember when baby was placed on me, my top was kinda all bunched up around my neck and I remember thinking, why didn't I just take this thing off. Then I had a shower with the help of the midwife (how dignified) and got into a hospital gown and those sexy disposable undies they give you - super comfy though!). I stayed in hospital gowns and my cheap black warehouse granny undies until I got dressed to go home ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Lillybetts
Date Posted: 18 May 2010 at 3:25pm
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Since this is my first pregnancy, I don't know much about it!
I was contemplating buying the womama wrap as it looked logical. But having second thoughts now  ..
Does your modesty really go out the window when you're in labour? Cause I plan to have a water birth and love the idea of putting the baby streight onto the skin or breast. So is being naked the best option? I'm quite scared about my MW seeing me naked haha! ------------- http://alterna-tickers.com"> 
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Posted By: Emmecat
Date Posted: 18 May 2010 at 5:21pm
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I was naked much of the time cos I was in the pool....but then when I came out to get the epi my mw gave me a t-shirt to birth in (which i'd brought along) and wore that...sweet as *edited to add* I took cheap Farmers granny pants for after- took 2 packs of 5 and it was waaaay too many lol. I thought I would bleed like a stuck pig but I didn't. Some old undies for after is a must though -------------   http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Hopes
Date Posted: 18 May 2010 at 5:41pm
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I obviously haven't been in labour yet, but I really do assume that modesty goes out the window.
I remember one time when I was really crook. Now, usually I'm kind of weird about hygiene and everything. But I was so crook that I remember lying on bathroom floor leaning my head on the toilet - and that would SO gross me out usually. I'm assuming that labour kind of has the same inhibition-removing qualities
At the same time, if you kind of want to get the wrap, I reckon go for it. You're the one having the baby, afterall, and I reckon do whatever you can to make yourself feel comfortable with it. -------------
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Posted By: lostAmber
Date Posted: 18 May 2010 at 6:10pm
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I can't imagine being comfortable naked, infact I fear this more than the birth process itself! I know it's rediculous but maybe i'm just a big prude lol. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: amme_eilyk
Date Posted: 18 May 2010 at 6:41pm
| lol, i agree with you amber. I found these wonderfull nighties at farmers last year. they come down to calf length and are really stretchy soft material which doesnt irritate at all. I lived in them for two weeks after a fentons repair and laproscopy, so I would say that they are good for cesars. |