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2nd Trimester
Athena0809
member
delivery apparel
Athena0809
member
So someone posted something similar on the may 2011 moms board but that raised a couple of my own questions and I wanted to see what you guys think?
So the post was about wearing the hospital gown vs your own. But here's my thing...I don't like hospital gowns because they are very uncomfortable and inconvenient for the following reasons: your tush hangs out, I'm a very thin person you can see everything from the arm holes ( I mean my boobs) uncomfortable to nurse you have to pull the whole thing down, and speaking of that, I hear you are not allowed to wear a bra under the gown? whaaaat? I understand the reason why the opening in the back, easy access for epidural, got it, but depending of what monitors you have own sometimes the gowns even interferes!
So here is my proposal: can I wear a nursing cami? the pros: the girls are supported and out of sight, easy access with modesty for nursing, cons: back covered for epidural, uh, you lift the cami? I don't want the baby put on my chest until he's cleaned up so no issue getting it dirty. For bottom, an old cotton/jersey skirt pros: tush is covered, you still have the same access as the gown for checks and pushing, cons: you might get it dirty, but it's an old clothing piece you don't care, who cares.
Overall, I see a more comfortable and convenient solution. Don't you? do you see a problem with my plan? I don't plan on buying a binsi on the claims that you feel pretty like their website says, who cares what you look like giving birth, I'm talking about comfort and convinience....
This discussion has been closed.
Re: delivery apparel
I think that sounds like a good plan. I labored a lot in the tub (didn't give birth in the tub, it just helped me relax through contractions) with DS1. So I ended up taking off the hospital gown after leaving triage anyway. I just wore a sport's bra. I'm not really a "let it all hang out" kind of person, but by that time everyone had seen everything up close anyway and I did what I needed to to get through labor. I never put the gown back on until after I was stitched up and he was cleaned up and had tried to nurse.
All that to say...wear what will make you feel comfortable, but you may not be so worried about your tush hanging out when you're actually in that moment.
i wore a sports bra under my hospital gown. i had monitors around my belly, so a cami would have been out. for getting out of bed and such, i had two gowns on, one in each direction. didn't have to worry about anything hanging out. and a skirt will get dirty. between water breaking and bleeding just when they check you. it just seems really inconvenient. plus, i always think in the back of my head, what is going to be easiest for the nurses and dr if i end up with an emergency c-section. they probably aren't going to want to deal with taking my clothes off me.
ETA: and yes, in labor, all modesty goes out the window. you aren't going to care who sees what on you.
Our hospital has nursing gowns, they basically have slits near your boob and another piece that covers it. Easy peasy to nurse while wearing one.
You cannot just "uh, pull up the cami" if you get an epidural. They won't want a tight cami rubbing on the line, even though it's taped to your back. The monitors on your belly need to be on your skin as well.
I seriously think you are overthinking the entire thing. After delivery, wear what you want. I promise you won't care, and it's not that long to have to wear a hospital gown.
When DS was born, I wore 2 special maternity gowns provided by the hospital. One forward and the other like a robe. They had special snaps that opened up my chest area for monitors, skin to skin after birth, and breastfeeding. Once I got the epidural, I didn't bother with the robe anymore though since I wasn't allowed up after that anyway.
By the time you're in labor, modesty will most likely go out the window. Contractions, pain, and people regularly checking and monitoring you... it was honestly the last thing on my mind. The doctors and nurses see it all everyday and other people in the area will have their own families to focus on.
I agree here. While laboring, maybe I'll wear a robe to hide my ass, but otherwise, who cares? My vagina is going to be exploding and there will be goo everywhere, the last thing I'll care about is what I'm wearing.
MC 9/8/10
Baby Boy Born 7/31/11
This. I understand the modesty concern, but really... you're not going to be out in the waiting room. You're talking about your DH, doctor(s), and nurses. All of these people have seen the worst & could care less. They're there to safely get the baby out of you... they certainly won't care, and if your clothes interfere in any way, they'll be very annoyed. Also, I'd check with the hospital first & foremost because THEY might not let you wear what you want. I'd find out their restrictions first.
www.cozylittlecave.com
When you are in labor the pain will be pretty much all you'll be focusing on, everything else becomes a blur. You won't want anything tight on your skin because it will be uncomfortable, even a stretchy cami. Most hospitals won't allow your own clothes because its not as sterile and not as easy access, especially in case of an emergency. As soon as baby is born they will kind of clean up baby fast and then put him/her up on you and continue to wipe baby off. Not as messy as you would think, and in that moment you are not going to be thinking of making a mess. After that they weigh baby and get him/her more cleaned up/weighed/diaper and wrapped up.
The hospital gowns really aren't awful, they just make us look even bigger than we are! The one I had was huge and had all sorts of snaps and ties so I was able to wrap it around me pretty much twice and cover up really well. They give you extras so you can where one each way like PP said.
I dont think a Cami would have worked until after the baby was born for me, because I had to have constant monitoring. But they didnt care if I wore my bra. but they also had robes for when you were up and about. After the baby was born they would have let me wear pretty much anything I wanted.
I think take a cami with you(or ask when you pre register if they will let you wear it), it might not work out with your situation, but one thing I also found was at that moment... I didnt care at all who saw what... and I am not that way at all, Im very modest, but honestly between having the nurses/doctors fingers up there, and them helping you learn to breast feed... last thing I cared about was if they saw my toosh. At some point during the whole process I found I didnt care anymore.
Buying your own gown to deliver a baby in seems like a waste of money to me! I mean I had an emergency c-section so I didnt have the whole labor and pushing ordeal but I can tell you things got really nasty during the bleed out spell. I mean I changed gowns several times the first day because the blood leaked out from the pad and messed my gown and bed linens.
I did eventually move into a nice pair of sweats and t-shirts though cuz I got sick of the gowns. I was in the hospital for a week.
I'd invest in a really nice robe and slippers though.
Edit- They let me keep my bra on under my gown....but I was wearing a sports bra...that might make a difference.
I overthought my delivery the first time and bought a long nightgown. It never made it out of my bag and ended up being the biggest waste of money. I wore the hospital gown that they gave me and changed out of it after showering. I also second the recommendation of the Vera Wang pajamas from Kohl's. I bought a similar pair and they were so refreshing after cleaning up.
And I have to agree once you are in the hospital all modesty goes out the window and you don't care
I was basically confined to my bed once getting to the hospital since I was hooked up to monitors.....so my tush was rarely exposed 
I am planning on wearing what my Grandma called "Puerto Rican Housedress" (we are puerto rican and she must have 10 of these...)
It's dirt cheap, $3 each off the street around here-- thin cotton, so giant you could have quadruplets under that thing, and snaps up the front. Usually in loud, garish colors
Our hospital birthing center provides gowns, but they open in the back, and I really want to get the baby skin to skin on my chest after birth. We'll be in the birthing center, so no need for epidural access b/c you can't get one 
Also, so cheap that I fully intend on tossing that sucker on my way out of the hospital.
As for supporting the "girls"-- if you are planning on breastfeeding, it's recommended you let the girls fly free--- baby will recognize the scent and search them out.
This.
During the labor and delivery- Just wear the hospital gown! If you are going to be out and about walking around, they will hook you up with a robe so everything is covered up. I did wear a sports bra. Seriously though, you won't care what you are wearing. When you look back at the idea a wearing a skirt to deliver your baby, you will probably roll your eyes at yourself, because it really does sound that silly. Have you ever heard of anyone talking about the skirt they wore to deliver in? Theres a reason....
Post delivery until discharge- Now this is a different story! I didn't ask anyone what I could wear, I knew I was going to have visitors and wanted to feel dressed! I brought nursing camis and a zip up hoodie and black lounge pants with me and thats what I wore. Nursing was super convenient. I was comfortable. Nobody said anything about what I wore at that point either.