Natural Birth

water births--what did you wear

I'm going for a water birth (at home) for this pregnancy.  I was wondering what other moms wear.  I know some spend time in and out of the tub during labor, so I wasn't sure what was easiest and most comfortable.  I don't want to be around the room naked, but obviously a bathing suit won't work either.  I was thinking a sports bra made out of swim suit material and a skirt made out of swim suit material? 

Re: water births--what did you wear

  • I'm doing a water birth in a hospital and I will either be completely naked or wear a sports bra (or a sleep nursing bra). I'll wear the hospital gown until I get in the tub.  I doubt that you'll want something on your bottom half b/c all kinds of fluids will be exiting as you are pushing.
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  • I may do a water birth in the hospital.  If so, I'll just be wearing my own clothes/gown that will be easy to get on and off, and probably go naked into the water (maybe a sports bra, idk) and put the gown back on if I decide to come out.

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  • I didn't have one last time but if I go in this time I'm just going to wear my bikini top. I have a nightgown to labor in but I'll take it off if I get in the tub. I really hate being wet so I doubt I'll use the tub but the midwives said the majority of their patients use it so I'll come prepared.
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  • I have big ole boobies and was way more comfortable keeping my sports bra on when I was in the water.  But otherwise was naked.

    B born 7/15/13, C born 3/2/15, #3 on the way May '17


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  • I wore a jersey skirt that was super easy to pull on and off and a maternity camisole that I folded up over my boobs to make kind of a half shirt. When I got in the water I took off the skirt. It was perfect.
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  • When I first got in the tub I kept my maternity tank top on. I had to get out for a bit and ended up taking the tank top off because it was making me cold and when I got back in the water I was butt naked. I really didn't care about clothes at that point at all.
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  • I didn't have a water birth, but was in the tub for some time. I wore a sports bra and that's it.

     

     

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  • I'm hoping to have a home water birth this time. I planned one with my youngest, but he was born very unexpectedly on my bed. I bought a two piece bathing suit with a skirt and cut out the inner part. I'll probably do that this time, too.
    G 12.04 | E 11.06 | D 11.08  | H 12.09 | R 11.14 | Expecting #6 2.16.18.



  • I ended up wearing a bikini top in the tub, it provided some coverage and made me feel more comfortable, it was also kind of fun too- felt like I was at the beach.  I did end up getting out of the tub at the very end, and it was quick and easy to untie the strings and take it off.  I imagine a wet, cold sports bra wouldn't feel great if you had to get out of the tub.
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  • I wore a maternity tankini top from Target (black and white polka dots). It kept me nice and covered and looked pretty in pictures.. 
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  • I wore a sports bra, and the main reason for that is because I have large tatas and it's uncomfortable if they're flopping around freely. I started with a bottomless running skirt on, but that got ripped off in minutes because I didn't like the pressure of the waist band (and it wasn't tight at all). After the fact, I was really happy I had the sports bra on, because right after birth I had a towel over my lap for the baby, thus I am "decent" in all of our photos. I really love sharing those photos as it was such a miraculous moment, and it would be weird if I was super naked! That wasn't planned but worked out great and I would intentionally plan it that way next time.

    Also - my labor was very short and I was in the tub the whole time. Once it came to pushing I was not getting out of the tub whether I wanted to be in there or not. Maybe if I had labored longer and gotten in and out several times I would have wanted a robe or something??
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  • As soon as I was through transition any fabric touching me felt like thousands of prickly needles so I was naked as a jaybird in the tub and on the bed. :)
    Six years of infertility and loss, four IUIs, one IVF and one very awesome little boy born via med-free birth 10.24.13.
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  • I had a birth pool with my first. He ended up being born on my bed, but I labored in the water for quite awhile. I left my bra on and was otherwise nude.

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  • I was in and out of the shower and tub last time and just wore a bathrobe when I was out, mostly open in the front. I didn't care about what I was wearing at all at the time, but now I look back and all my pictures are completely indecent and I can't show them to anyone because of my enormous nipples all over the place! So this time I will wear a top whether I'm in or out of the water - probably a Genie bra, which is really comfortable, but easy enough to pull down for nursing. I have a few, so if it gets wet I can switch to a different one. I didn't want anything on my bottom half. That said, I only had my husband, two midwives and a nurse around for my whole labor, so it's not like anyone was seeing me. 

    I didn't even plan to have any pictures of me in labor/the birth, but I'm so glad one of my midwives took pictures - I love them! Next time I will put at least a little effort into having some shareable pictures.
    #1 7/2013
    #2 3/2015
    #3 3/2017
    #4 10/2019
  • I had a home birth.  At  first I wore a jersey skirt and sports bra until I got in the tub.  Once I was in tub it all came off.  I had no prob walking around my house naked when I got out of the tub.  The feeling of anything being on me was too constricting.  It was not what I had planned, but it is what happened.
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  • I had a home birth and wore a bathing suit cover up. I just took it off when I was ready to get into the tub... Once in I didn't want to get out ;)
  • I had on a bikini when I decided to get into the shower (birth center birth).  I ultimately ended up in the tub and planned on birthing there however my water wasn't breaking so I changed my mind.  Once I took my bottoms off to see if the water had broken in order to birth in the tub I never put them back on.  I moved back and forth from the bed, to the shower, to the toilet and never thought twice about being nude.  It was just easier.
  • i am planning on going naked in the bath and wearing a night gown if i'm out of it (they don't have hospital gowns where i'm going). Seems more natural being naked somehow which is part of the appeal of a water birth for me. 
    That being said if i could find a bikini top that fitted me i might wear it in the tub. However without spending a fortune one (and it would probably have very restrictive underwire which is a no no anyway) i cannot find one to fit me. 
    I'd rather save my money for maternity bras afterwards.
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  • I had on a comfy sports bra and a pair of my husbands boxers until I got in tub. Then it was just the bra. And honestly I only wore it because I wanted pictures that I could show people.
  • I've had two water births in Australian
    Public hospital maternity wards.
    I did not even consider wearing anything?! The nurses and doctors have seen it all, they don't care... And neither will you when you are in labour ;)
    Water births are awesome!
    Good Luck!
  • I wore kind of a short night gown. My sister had a water birth and she wore one of those dresses that you put over a bathing suit. My whole family was at my birth, so I did not plan on being naked.


    DS #1 David Anthony, Born on 10/15/08

    DS #2 Jacob Fielding, Born on 12/01/10

    BFP #3 July 2013, M/C 10/4/13

    BFP #4 11/14/14, EDD 07/21/14




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  • Totally naked. I didn't even wear a bra to the birth center because I was in the shower at home, and just threw on a top and shorts. I hated anything on my skin and didn't care. I'd plan on a bra...but I would never want anything on my bottom. Clothing was the least of my worries. I plan on doing the same this time around.
    www.minegoes2-11.blogspot.com


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  • I wore a bikini top and that's it. Once baby was out, I undid the top for total skin to skin and breastfeeding. 
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    Just a sports bra last time. Which was a pain to take off when wet. So this time a bra with hooks so it's easier to undo. My midwife wants skin-to-skin to be quite literally skin-to-skin so I will end up naked but wrapped up with baby under warm blankets, in bed, once out of the water.
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  • I've noticed in some videos of home births some moms are wearing the strapless stretchy bras with no underwire or pads! It's like a mini tube top that covers only your breasts! I bought two and have slept in them and wore them around the house and I'm in love. I also want to labor/birth on water and don't want something wet and heavy on me :/
  • I wore a swimsuit top that tied on top so could be undone easily for skin-to-skin/easy nursing access :)
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  • I wore a bikini top for the first. Planning on the same for this one.
    Mom of one toddler boy, with another BOY on the way. Life is exciting traveling being active duty & a wife. 

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