Post delivery hospital attire?

StayingFocused · April 2016

I'm planning on just wearing the gown they provide for actual labor/delivery since it will be trashed anyway. Afterwards, I would rather wear yoga pants and nursing tanks and have a robe handy. I guess my question is would a gown be more feasible? Do they check you a lot afterwards where pants would just be a pain to get on/off all the time? I'm working up a list for my hospital bag and figure i'll probably end up with some form of both but thought it was worth the post.

Lyette1206 · April 2016

I had a c section, so I have no idea about a vaginal birth. But for the first day, pants wouldn't have been an option. They put a princess pad under my bottom, I didn't even have underwear on. A little embarrassing/awkward when they came to check and clean up the bleeding, but I was still under the effects of the epidural and definitely couldn't get myself together. I was also so overwhelmed/preoccupied with my daughter that I didn't even think about it. Just a nursing bra and the gown.

WinniethePoohsPants · April 2016

I'd stick with the gown. You'll be bleeding, a lot. And yes they do check you quite a bit afterward. I'd wear the yoga pants when you leave the hossy.

fishwife799 · April 2016

I wore a tank and the gown until I was able to shower after my vag. delivery. Once I showered I wore the fancy mesh panties and a tank. If I needed to get up I would throw on the robe that my hospital provides.

For my section I wore the gown they supplied for the first day and then I think I switched into a night gown of my own I had packed.

You are going to bleed a lot and there will be lots of checking going on. I wouldn't bother with pants while there but I wore yoga pants home both times.

splsmama2016 · April 2016

I asked last night during our hospital tour/baby event and they said whatever you feel most comfortable in, but that first 24 hours they do check quite often, plus you're bleeding heavily. They suggested instead of full yoga pants, look into a cheap pair of men's boxers. Which is what I'd probably do anyways.

HeartLikeMine3 · April 2016

I bought a couple gowns from target with built in bras that were easy to pull down in dark colors. They worked perfect and were fine for company too also had a robe I could throw on and I wore yoga pants home.

AmberLiz99 · April 2016

Both times I've switched to my own comfy athletic pants and a t shirt as soon as they took out my IV. They are mostly feeling the abdomen, so just lifting my shirt was sufficient.

alysemci · April 2016

I wore the hospital gown because they check you and it was easy to breastfeed in and I didn't feel like moving or wearing any sort of pants. I left in yogas, a tank top, a comfy sweatshirt and flip flops. I brought ugg slippers to walk around the hospital

colesmom33 · April 2016

I wore pajama bottoms, a tank and those mesh underwear. It's all kind of a blur but I don't remember it being a pain when I was checked. Although I don't remember being checked that much.

xaudreyx2011 · April 2016

I wore super stretchy sweat pants with my 2ND and it was fine, but a little awkward when they checked me. I kept my hospital gown on for my first and I felt blah and gross. This time I'm going to invest in a couple cheap comfy cotton nursing dresses. I just felt better after showing and putting on my own clothes.

StayingFocused · April 2016

Thanks! I just purchased one of the "gownies" on amazon! I figure i'll change into that post delivery and then wear yoga pants and comfy shirt home.

VikingGirl12 · April 2016

I have an E CSection but had packed both pants and a gown. A gown is really best because they came and checked me and my stitches a lot, but only the first day. I was in pants the other days. But loose pants with very little waste band! Ouch.
Idk about vaginal birth, sorry.

Bear14+ · April 2016

I will go with sweatpants again. If I wore yoga pants it would look like I was wearing a diaper because of all the postpartum pads, etc down there.

marriedtoadutchman · April 2016

Once I had showered I went right into my maternity pajamas and felt fine in that. They did check me once and would come and check my uterus but that was it. It felt nice to be in actual clothes especially when guests arrived.

thegoods3 · April 2016

Yoga pants! I needed to feel like myself.

alsbaldwin · April 2016

I had an uncomplicated vaginal delivery, and I was still checked every couple hours the first day (I was still checked on the second day, but it tapered off). The nurses came in to push on my uterus and would want to see the amount of blood and the size of clots that came out during that time. I stayed in the hospital gown or the nursing gowns my hospital provided until I was ready to leave. Honestly, I sweated like. crazy. from all the hormones going through my body, so I had to change gowns every so often, and probably wouldn't have brought enough changes of clothing. This time, I'm hoping for no crazy sweating and bringing clothing (nursing tanks, loose pairs of yoga pants) to change into after the first day. The first day, after a shower, I plan on wearing a robe since it will allow the nurses to check me easily and also easy nursing access.

snowhite12 · April 2016

I had a fairly easy vaginal delivery. I wore the hospital gown the entire time with the mesh underwear the hospital provided. Trust me, theres alot of blood and you could care less if you bleed on a hospital gown.
I had really bad hemorrhoids and 2nd degree tear. They frequently would check on them and it was easier to roll on my side and pull the mesh underwear down.
When I left the hospital, I wore a loose sundress with thin straps (easy for BFing).
I couldnt imagine wearing pants, let alone tight yoga pants. I wanted things down there as aired out as possible, especially because I basically had to wear a diaper. I was scared to death of infection.
I had my first in July, this one is due June 3rd. If its a bit chilly, Im still wearing my sundress and a cardigan.

MynaBird · April 2016

I had postpartum complications and ended up cathetered for most of my hospital stay, but I hated the gown. A nurse helped me get into one of my Bravado tanks, and I wore just that. Since I couldn't get out of bed, I just stayed covered from the waist down by the bedding (and whatever layers of dressings, etc. they had going on down there... I've blocked it out!). Hoping for a more routine delivery this time and I was thinking of bringing a couple of old jersey fold-over skirts to wear. This thread is really helpful; I don't remember what I packed last time since I never got to wear/use most of it, so thank you!

StayingFocused · April 2016

Hmm,I wasn't thinking about how the "diaper pad" might end up making yoga pants look. May just make sure I have a tunic type shirt to cover that part (for going home). Definitely going to rock the gown for a while and maybe change to gownie when checks slow down. Of course, no one knows what will ultimately happen during delivery so I will try to be prepared for multiple scenarios.

Boonhilde · April 2016

Pants for going home, but I went pantless while in the hospital. A nursing t/tank and a robe that covers you when you get up is really all you need. Nightgowns work too.

Even if you don't leak blood, you're going to be wet down there because of the witchazel pads (Tucks) they give you to help heal. They soothe and are wonderful but if you were wearing pants they'd be wet.

Gross. Looking forward to it. (Sarcasm.) The healing process was the worst part of labor for me the first time. (Honestly, I hope it's the worst part this time too!)

Emztron500 · April 2016

I wouldn't worry about it too much tbh as your stay will likely only be 24 hours. I brought a light robe (like t-shirt material) and wore it over my gown so I could get up in front of friends and family without flashing my butt. A nursing bra was nice to have on under it too.

almostpriceless · April 2016

I was wearing a nightgown of my own after delivery last time and ended up having to change back into a hospital gown after bleeding all over it.

I really like the fold over skirt idea for going home.

vulpini · April 2016

I changed into maternity pajamas once I was able to get up to shower and I wore yoga pants or a maxi dress around the hospital/NICU the following few days. I don't remember being checked that much the first day. I had one first degree tear and they checked the stitches a couple times, but the other times they just checked my abdomen.

Bee112309 · April 2016

I was checked a lot post partum so I always just stayed in a hospital gown until it was time to get dressed to go home. No bleeding on my clothes and needing to wash them or throw them out, plus easy access for the nurses to check out my tear and rate of bleeding.

Bear14+ · April 2016

Is it weird that I wasn't checked at all pp? I have a few outer stitches...but no one messes with me. At least not that I remember!

AmberLiz99 · April 2016

Bear14+ said:

Is it weird that I wasn't checked at all pp? I have a few outer stitches...but no one messes with me. At least not that I remember!

Not weird to me. I think I was checked down there maybe once before I was released. Maybe. Every time they came in they just asked me about bleeding rate and felt my abdomen. Nothing invasive. Pants were no problem for me.
That was with both kids, but at the same hospital. Maybe different hospitals have different practices

Huskerfanz · April 2016

I've done both a c section and vaginal delivery now. Both times I had kiddos in the NICU which motivated me to get out of the gown. I wore gauchos/fold over shorts with a nursing tank/maternity t shirt. I had to wear a maxi skirt this morning because of the catheter. I really hate being in the gown. Both times my kids came in the middle of the night, though, so I kept the gown on until morning so about 7-8 hours after birth which worked well since they were checking me more often in that time frame and I was bleeding more.

huskypuppy14 · April 2016

Emztron500 said:

I wouldn't worry about it too much tbh as your stay will likely only be 24 hours. I brought a light robe (like t-shirt material) and wore it over my gown so I could get up in front of friends and family without flashing my butt. A nursing bra was nice to have on under it too.

Are you in Canada? Most women who deliver in a hospital in the US stay 48 hours after a vaginal delivery. 96 hours after a c section. Those are the minimums the insurance has to cover.

NLewis1 · April 2016

huskypuppy14 said:

Emztron500 said:

I wouldn't worry about it too much tbh as your stay will likely only be 24 hours. I brought a light robe (like t-shirt material) and wore it over my gown so I could get up in front of friends and family without flashing my butt. A nursing bra was nice to have on under it too.

Are you in Canada? Most women who deliver in a hospital in the US stay 48 hours after a vaginal delivery. 96 hours after a c section. Those are the minimums the insurance has to cover.

My hospital releases at 24 hours if you have an unmedicated birth.

Bear14+ · April 2016

NLewis1 said:

huskypuppy14 said:

Emztron500 said:

I wouldn't worry about it too much tbh as your stay will likely only be 24 hours. I brought a light robe (like t-shirt material) and wore it over my gown so I could get up in front of friends and family without flashing my butt. A nursing bra was nice to have on under it too.

Are you in Canada? Most women who deliver in a hospital in the US stay 48 hours after a vaginal delivery. 96 hours after a c section. Those are the minimums the insurance has to cover.

My hospital releases at 24 hours if you have an unmedicated birth.

I had a medicated vaginal delivery at 5pm on Saturday and went home at 8pm the next day. It all depends on whether or not your OB releases you and the pediatrician releases the baby. At least for me.

huskypuppy14 · April 2016

Bear14+ said:

NLewis1 said:

huskypuppy14 said:

Emztron500 said:

I wouldn't worry about it too much tbh as your stay will likely only be 24 hours. I brought a light robe (like t-shirt material) and wore it over my gown so I could get up in front of friends and family without flashing my butt. A nursing bra was nice to have on under it too.

Are you in Canada? Most women who deliver in a hospital in the US stay 48 hours after a vaginal delivery. 96 hours after a c section. Those are the minimums the insurance has to cover.

My hospital releases at 24 hours if you have an unmedicated birth.

I had a medicated vaginal delivery at 5pm on Saturday and went home at 8pm the next day. It all depends on whether or not your OB releases you and the pediatrician releases the baby. At least for me.

Maybe it's insurance or state specific then. I thought it was tied to the ACA. My hospital and insurance is 2 day stay after delivery for uncomplicated vaginal delivery. You can leave early of course, but everyone I know stays 2 days.

colesmom33 · April 2016

AmberLiz99 said:

Bear14+ said:

Is it weird that I wasn't checked at all pp? I have a few outer stitches...but no one messes with me. At least not that I remember!

Not weird to me. I think I was checked down there maybe once before I was released. Maybe. Every time they came in they just asked me about bleeding rate and felt my abdomen. Nothing invasive. Pants were no problem for me.
That was with both kids, but at the same hospital. Maybe different hospitals have different practices

This was my experience! I remember being checked at all. It could be because the first day is such a blur but I asked my DH and he doesn't remember it either!

MynaBird · April 2016

I'm sure the frequency of checks varies from case to case depending on how much you tore, how your bleeding progresses, what your delivery was like, how you're recovering, etc. No two bodies are alike, so it makes sense that recoveries are monitored with different levels of concern.

AmberLiz99 · April 2016

You can stay up to 48 hours in the US, and probably most people do, but 24 hours is the minimum for a vaginsl delivery and you can be discharged after that if all is well. I only stayed one night with both of my kids, but could have stayed one more at no additional cost (based on my insurance) if I wanted to.

HBamama2B · April 2016

Even 24hrs isn't required. I had to look into this Bc I wanted to be out ASAP and was terrified they'd force me to stay the full 48hrs. In order to be discharged early you have to have things lined up in advance (especially quick pediatrician sign off) and request early discharge. 48 is what they recommend Bc it's what is free and they like to see how you interact with the newborn. If you know you're good and want to go, you can.

marriedtoadutchman · April 2016

vulpini said:

I changed into maternity pajamas once I was able to get up to shower and I wore yoga pants or a maxi dress around the hospital/NICU the following few days. I don't remember being checked that much the first day. I had one first degree tear and they checked the stitches a couple times, but the other times they just checked my abdomen.

This. I'm surprised at how many people were checked so frequently. I honestly don't ever remember being checked after delivery. They would check my abdomen and ask how my bleeding was but that was it. I didn't have stitches though so maybe that's the difference.

RMLandy · April 2016

I recall being checked once and I thought it was so weird and figured the nurse must be new, and not know what the heck she was doing.

jennk0118 · April 2016

With my csection, the first day I don't think I wore anything except a tank maybe.. But when I was able to move around, I switched to pj pants because they were loose and nursing tank. If I had to leave my room, I used their robe.

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