Water birth wear?

[Mrs Dragonfly]

Those of you who have done water birth or plan to do a water birth what will you be wearing? I know plenty say I won't care in the moment, but for now I'd rather have something packed than nothing at all.

Right now I'm debating between a swim suit top or a sports bra. Would a sports bra feel weird in the water?

 

[Button#]

I packed a vest top to wear for DS. When I got in the room I stripped everything off and got straight in, I very much begrudged putting a nighty and dressing gown on to be transferred to the labour ward when he wasn't coming out. I found it very hot in the hospital and didn't want anything next to my skin.

 

[Dtswife]

I started in a tank top, and finished in nothing. Right about 8 centimeters, I couldn't stand the sensation of the fabric on my skin. This time around, I am going to look for a very lightweight tankini top that might be less irritating.

 

[Mrs Dragonfly]

I feel like a tank top or even tankini would be too much. When I'm uncomfortable at home I roll my shirt up above my belly DH always teases me and says "oh the belly's out!" when I do this. So I'm thinking bikini or sports bra, I just worry about sports bra fabric feeling funky once wet...

 

[Feronia]

I wore a long maternity swimsuit top and no bottoms. When I got out to labour around the house, I just had a long skirt nearby to put on.

 

[sarah34]

I would suggest a bikini top. I took a vest top but it was very uncomfortable when it got wet x

 

[Alyssa Drough]

I got in with the bra and vest top I was already wearing, but took the vest off when I got too hot. I never considered taking anything special to wear cos I ended up completely naked anyway once lo was born.

 

[Mrs Dragonfly]

I'm not sure if I'll end up totally naked or not, I understand everyone says you don't care but I worry I will lol. A vest top sounds like too much. No where is selling swimsuits (go figure) so looks like it's probably going to be a sports bra.

 

[MommyJogger]

If you're planning to go all the way in the water, I would wear a bikini top that you can easily untie to nurse in the water. I had a sports bra on because I didn't want the fabric of the maternity tankini on my belly. Some people care. I cared, but I mostly wanted to be naked (as in, had the urge, not planned to be, lol), so the sports bra eventually came off. It didn't actually get very wet in the birthing pool, but I would find wet cotton on pregnancy-sensitive breasts to be aggravating. Don't know where you're located, but target actually sells some not-very-absorbent nursing sports bras that I think in hindsight would work nicely for a water birth.

 

[Mrs Dragonfly]

Thank you for the suggestion! On DH's next day off I'll have to send him to Target to look for me, poor guy haha. I've been placed on bed rest so I'm not certain how to get that shopping done

 

[RaspberryK]

I wore a long maternity swimsuit top and no bottoms. When I got out to labour around the house, I just had a long skirt nearby to put on.

That's very modest of you, I wore a tankini, then just the top, then when I was made to get out I headed straight to the shower in nothing. poor midwife I hated getting dressed to get to hospital, I ended up birthin in the random top I arrived in and it came off as soon as he was born for skin to skin.
xx

 

[Rhio92]

I just wore a bra. I really hated the feeling of clothes on my skin though, if I feel like that this time I'll just be naked, it's labour, no one minds

 

[MummyToAmberx]

I wore a sports bra and £2 vest from primark, it didn't bother me it didnt make me feel uncomfortable as all of my mind was stuck on fact how much pain i was in lol. I didnt have nothing on bottom half & its just aswell i dont think i would have got them off in time.

 

[RaspberryK]

Just a thought, if anyone does want to wear bottoms you could try tie side bikini bottoms in case you are worried about not getting them off in time.
Xx

 

[Mrs Dragonfly]

I'll probably wear bottoms until I get into the tub, but once I'm in the tub I'll just take them off. Side tie bikini bottoms are a good idea though.

 

[MummyToAmberx]

I wore a dress to hospital knew i wouldnt want the battle with bottoms

 

[emyandpotato]

I want to be covered up! I won't be relaxed if I'm naked because I just won't feel comfortable. So probably a t-shirt or shirt, or a vest top at a push. And definitely bikini bottoms while I can!

 

[Mrs Dragonfly]

I would hate wearing a tshirt in the water, right now when I'm uncomfortable I pull my shirt up over my belly to let it "breathe" when we're home lol.

MummytoAmber - I can't find dresses anywhere I like

 

[lj2245]

Last time I can't really remember as I wasn't in water for long and it was all a blur with the pain and baby arriving so quick but I either wore a soft breastfeeding bra (was wearing only this in the photos taken afterwards) or kept my vest top on and removed that at some point. I was in hospital and it was obvious I was near giving birth so I sort of stripped and hopped in.

This time I am planning a home water birth and plan to have everything as normal as possible until it comes to the pushing stage so plan to have my kids and MIL hanging around and we can watch dvds, etc. I know I won't want to be totally naked until I start whipping it all off to give birth and am at the point where I don't care (strange how that happens) so I have been looking for some kind of swimwear that is like a dress but I can't find anything anywhere. I think I will just have to get a maternity tankini. Not an easy task in December!

A tshirt or dress is a bad idea...it will just be floating around you and all heavy and annoying. Go for something lightweight and designed to be in water

 

[Mrs Dragonfly]

Yeah no such luck finding swim suits anywhere this time of year Hoping to find an open front sports bra when I run errands later after the black friday madness calms down.