water births--what did you wear

LilTiger15 · September 2014

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?

MsMacual · September 2014

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.

BLH2014 · September 2014

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.

marriedinaugust · September 2014

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.

JCWhitey · September 2014

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.

oliversmommy32912 · September 2014

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.

kindacrunchy · September 2014

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.

JennaRaek · September 2014

I didn't have a water birth, but was in the tub for some time. I wore a sports bra and that's it.

soulcupcake · September 2014

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.

mrsblueeyes · September 2014

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.

TrendyTina · September 2014

I wore a maternity tankini top from Target (black and white polka dots). It kept me nice and covered and looked pretty in pictures..

blue+skies · September 2014

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??

DebateThis · September 2014

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.

MuchlyGen · September 2014

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.

Robi1 · September 2014

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.

ABeautifulMind · October 2014

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.

liittlebean · October 2014

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

ashley.hamilton13 · November 2014

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.

passionfruit1234 · November 2014

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.

jessinaround · November 2014

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.

inmabelly · November 2014

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!

dnjmommy · November 2014

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.

aliska · January 2015

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.

malisaann · February 2015

I wore a bikini top and that's it. Once baby was out, I undid the top for total skin to skin and breastfeeding.

WDDCH · March 2015

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.

Heather042188 · March 2015

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

Marettie · March 2015

I wore a swimsuit top that tied on top so could be undone easily for skin-to-skin/easy nursing access

lilana1011 · March 2015

I wore a bikini top for the first. Planning on the same for this one.

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