[~*sierra*~]

So i had been searching high and low for a nightie to labour in. All i found was gross looking stuff or lingerie (thanks valentines day). So FINALLY i find a cute nightie at the maternity store that even has BF access all built in, plus it comes with a matching jersey robe which i LOVE! the woman in the store then tries to tell me that they won't let me wear it at the hospital! LMAO. what are they going to do? wrestle it off me?? and wouldnt they rather me not walking around with my rear hanging out like it would be in the gowns they give you? i bought it anyways and told her i was having a home birth. that shut her up! lol

[Oriyan]

LOL!!!!

I was told I could wear whatever I wanted to (nothing or their stuff of my own) at the hospital. When i saw how messy labor was, i decided I wanted to wear their stuff. I changed my gown 5 times! I wore my own stuff once labor was over.

[bittersweet]

I don't know if they had a policy where I was, but I never considered wearing anything other than a hospital gown. Ditto Sam on the messy labor comment. Plus the hosptial gown being open in the rear makes it really easy to get on/off, over IVs, and pulled down to put the baby on your chest.

Then afterwards there is a lot of bleeding...so not sure if there is a good time to put on something that could potentially stain or get thrown out. I know some of those labor gowns are expensive...but they sure are pretty!

Just to worn you, expect some rolled eyes from the nurses when you pull out your own and refuse to get in hospital garb

[greeneyes]

With Lily I labored in the hospital gown but with Violet and Charlotte I labored in a sports bra and that was it. I spent a lot of time in the shower or tub so a gown wasn't going to work anyway. I did wear a hospital gown and put my own robe over it when I walked the halls while in labor with Miss V.

Afterward I wore the hospital gown and only threw on my nice nursing nightie and robe when visitors came by. I didn't want to wear a scuzzy hospital gown in front of family and friends but I also didn't want to bleed all over my nice jammies.

[Resi]

I felt so gross the first few days I would have taken a couple of those gowns home to put on. lol They make everything a lot easier while at the hospital and while healing.

[soImarriedAnerd]

IF you want to wear it (and I know I strongly DO NOT encourage it).....
Make sure you realize while your attached to the monitors its going to be up at your boobs while in bed, its going to be stained and ruined when your done and you will want to throw it out. And BFing with slits....PITA at first till you get the BFing down... Just go topless! LOL Plus those slits are so big your breast are usually looking out anyway.
Just wear the hospital garb and grab a little inside jacket cover up that you will not sit on (because you would bleed on it then, robes are to long). But its nice to be able to cover up a little and looks cuter in pics!

[Resi]

You are still having a homebirth unless you need to transfer, right? I guess then you will not have the hospital gown? In that case you will most likely be best off in a long t-shirt or sports bra while laboring because you will be in and out of the tub?

I agree with Angela on the nursing gown/tops. It's so much easier at first to have your whole boob hanging out when learning.

[Frozendesire]

Hm. I would suggest just wearing what they offer. I wore nothing with Curtis, as I was in the shower. Then with Dustin and AJ I just wore a bra. I was in the shower with those boys too.

Then after I stuck to their stuff... it's just really messy, especially when they are pushing on your tummy and checking things out and everything. Getting up to pee... ya it's just messy haha

However it sounds nice to have at home or something I think you'll get use out of it.. but I just don't suggest it at the hospital.

Angela is right too.... completely bare chest is much easier when your learning to nurse I found

[~*sierra*~]

oh yeah the tentative plan is that I will be in the birthing tub most of the time and i'm just going to wear a tanktop or bikini top in there. i just wanted to have the nightie mainly to use at home (i'll bring it to hospital if i go though) cause i dont' have a proper long nightie. the only one i had was the one SIL used in labour and you can see my nipples right thru. i was just not into that lol yes i realize i probably wouldnt care at the time but i dunno, i just wanted something my own too. the nightie i got is like a dark charcoal colour, so i'm hoping it doesnt stain. i guess i dont really remember how messy labour was.....i'm not recalling a lot of gore from SIL's labour and her nightie (which was white) isn't stained at all. hopefully i can have the waterbirth i want too, and all that mess can just stay in the tub!

oh and for BF its actually a size large nightie so i can just whip the whole thing down from the top by taking my arms out (its short sleeve). so topless it will be!

i think if i end up in hospital i'd save the nice nightie for afterwards too....i'd rather mess up their gowns and have something cute for after!

oh yeah and this gear was nowhere near what some 'birthing gowns' go for! for the robe and nightie it was $45. i've seen super frumpy 'birthig gowns' online for like $95! not even a crazy person like me would pay that lol

[Mars]

If you home birth, then use it for you're picture taking. If you have to go to the hospital, then use their gowns. Here, our hospital does not supply gowns so you have to take your own stuff.

[**Jenn**]

I wore the hospital garb with Liam. I wore one gown the regular way and put another one on backwards (like a robe) so my butt wasn't hanging out while walking the halls. My socks got messier than the gown though--as soon as I would stand up blood would just drip down my legs even though I was wearing a huge freaking pad. The day after I wore my own stuff--maternity yoga pants and a big t-shirt.

With Lochy and Lila I labored in one of Ian's t-shirts and boxers. With Lochy it didn't get messy at all. With Lila, I ended up throwing them away because my water broke before I left the house and I was soaked (and they were still soaked in the morning) and my shirt was messy, had a bit of blood and she was covered in vernix so it had that on it too. She was born just a few minutes after arriving at the birth center and I whipped everything off so quickly! lol

Afterwards I stuck with the maternity pants/pajama pants and big t-shirts combo because it was super comfy and easy to nurse in.

[~*Bethy*~]

I had planned on wearing this cotton/spandex like skirt I got at old navy, to where I could go in the tub and get out and walk around outside if I wanted to and still be decent. obviously plans changed lol but all of the water birth's ive seen on youtube if they wear anything at all, they were in a skirt or something similar with a tank top/nursing cami for up top.

[bittersweet]

Originally Posted by Resi

I felt so gross the first few days I would have taken a couple of those gowns home to put on. lol They make everything a lot easier while at the hospital and while healing.

Ditto! I took home a bunch of the mesh panties b/c they held the ice packs in so much better. Some people hate them, but I LOVED them!

[Oriyan]

Ohh mesh panties. Those were heaven!

[alicenwonderland]

i was a fan of the hospital garb lol. I leaked amniotic fluid all over their socks. And bled all over another pair and a few gowns. Gotta love the disposable underwear! I brought a whole bunch of stuff with me, socks, underwear, pants, nighties, tank tops etc. I didn't wear ANY of it.

[**Jenn**]

See now, I absolutely hated the mesh underwear. They made me itchy. I actually scratched myself bloody and that's after only wearing them for a day or so.

[soImarriedAnerd]

my water broke in the tub and I delivered the placenta in the tub....its the post partum bleeding (normal stuff) thats the big mess. Mine was actually great and thanks to (i think it was resi) who mailed me some mesh panties from the hospital and some depends I stayed not to bad..just 1-2 pairs of shorts ruined. But if your water breaks earlier or your not in the shower/toilet and mucus plug is going...very messy!

[Kiwi]

I was in one of DF shirts and a pair of my pants. When I delivered, I was butt naked and didn't care who saw what!!

[thepinkleprechaun]

I was just planning on wearing my sports bra during labor and a comfy pair of shorts until I get in the tub.
When I had Phinny the bleeding wasn't bad at all! It wasn't more than a heavy period, I was surprised.