It must be asked: When you gave birth...

[Mary]

...were you completely nude?

This came up today in the comments of a blog I was reading and I was blown away by how many people said they were completely nude...in the hospital! So I mentioned it to a group of friends online, one of whom is a doula, and she said lots of people do it. (She also said that she can't count the number of times she'll go to the house to head up to the hospital with the parents and the mom is totally naked, which....really? That surprised me, too.)

I have never known anyone, personally, who did a hospital birth naked, and in three labors it never once occurred to me to strip down. Even with the drug-free, water home birth I still got in the tub wearing undies and a sports bra and the only reason the undies came off was the baby was on her way out. I went to the hospital still in my sports bra. I'm just so modest and private that it would've embarrassed me mightily to not have my top half covered up. I mean, yes, I do realize that my crotch was there for all the world to see LOL but there was really no getting around that so I had to make some sort of peace with it. ;) The upper half I could at least control.

Anyway, I thought I'd ask here and see if I've just been living under a rock or something, which wouldn't be the first time. I am well known for thinking most people do things a certain way and then being shocked when it dawns on me they don't. LOL How common is this?

[Christine]

It would never cross my mind to be totally nude. I think I'd have the same reaction as you!

[Jeri]

I think I was nude at Aidan's birth, but it happened so fast that I can't really remember.

[Jo]

I was totally nude with Rai. It was an act of protest. During the tour, the woman told us we could wear our own clothes. When I got to the hospital, an incredibly bitchy nurse rather forcefully told me otherwise. I said that I didn't have to wear it if I didn't want to and then stripped down and go into the bed.LOL

I just stayed nakie because there was no going back from that and it really didn't matter since my back labor took over my existence. Considering I also crapped on the midwife, being naked was sorta par for the course.LOL

[Mary]

I love that, Jo (the protest part, I mean). Right on! :D

[Erika]

Nope. I had a blue short nightie on. I was supposed to have my own room during labour but there wasn't one available so I was in a labour ward of 5. With just curtains for privacy LOL

I was bottomless and showing my arse to the world though when they moved me to delivery. But by that stage I was so focused on pushing Sasha out that I didn't give a toss who saw me.

[kcmomma]

I was in 2 hospital gowns...one on the right way tying in the back and one over the back tying in the front....while laboring/walking. Then when the fun started, the back one came off and the other one was pushed WAY up. I had my sports bra on the entire time too....Not sure how much was showing after the curtain was put up for the emergency c-section.

[Kristen]

I always had a hospital gown on but nothing underneath, as far as I can remember. I know I had no undies on, but I'm not positive on the bra thing. I don't think I did, because I remember breastfeeding right away and I don't remember having to mess with a bra. I'm not exactly large-chested, so going braless wasn't really a problem. :p

[Tobye]

I can't remember if I was wearing a bra either Kristen! I know I had a hospital gown on though.

[Jbird]

Definitely not. Bra and hospital gown. And socks.

[Kristen]

Ohhh, no socks for me. I hate to wear socks unless I'm wearing long pants...I feel like a total dork wearing them with a hospital gown. LOL

[Brooke]

Hospital gown, nothing else for me. I would not have been comfy with being totally nude even though my hoo-ha was on display. LOL

[Shana]

Bra & gown. When I was pregnant with Kaleb - during the hospital tour, the nurse told us that we "had to" be naked UNDERNEATH the gown, meaning no bra.

I was like, "umm, no way, these girls have to be held in at all times", so my protest (Jo LOL) was to WEAR A BRA under my gown -- oooooh, I am such a rebel LOL

[Mally's Mom]

I had a hospital gown and a bra on until we had to do the emergency c-section then I could have nothing metal on (bra clasps) so the girls got to come out and breathe, but honestly I don't remember any of it because they gave me so much of the anesthesia that I was a little cooky, that is just what DH has told me happened.

[Mary]

Okay, all this is good to know. I was starting to wonder if I was some sort of latter-day Puritan or something because I never would've considered stripping down. LOL

[Polly]

With a scheduled C, I just got the gown, minus the bra. Oh, and socks. Because the OR is darn cold! (Not that I could feel my feet after the spinal took effect.)

[Val]

I was in a gown both times without undies, but I can't remember if I had on a bra or not. Underwear seemed completely pointless LOL

[MathSpeak]

gown, socks and a sports bra... i would've been too cold to go it in my birthday suit.

[Danielle]

I think I was in just a gown both times... can't recall if I kept the bra or not with Takara?

[Erika]

You know, I have no idea if I was wearing a bra or not. At the end I must not have been wearing one because Sasha was brought up under my nightie and placed on my chest and we started breastfeeding shortly afterwards.

And I did have socks on, but mine were the ever-so-sexy medical compression socks that I like to call my granddad socks! LOL

[Maggie]

I was naked under the gown.

However with Eleanor I had bad back labor and she was having decels (which ultimately ended in an emergency C-section) so I hoped in the tub on all 4 completely nude. Looking back I can't believe I did it, I'm pretty modest when it comes to stuff like that. But at the time the warm water from the shower head felt good on my back and Eleanor was doing much better when I was on my hands and knees.

[Warrior Mom]

I was totally nude for part of it because they used the jets on a tub to try and stimulate labor... it didn't work, I then put on the gowns (like described earlier one tied the right way and one tied the wrong way) and demanded blankies I was cold... oh and I wore socks. Although if you read that thread about what is weird about you... being cold all the time is my weirdness.

[Christi]

I had a gown on without bra or undies both times!

[wendygrace]

I had a gown on with undies at first. I personally hate bras and go without them often so I doubt I was even wearing one. Once I was told it was time to push Danae out, I went nekkid since I was birthing in the water. I was then covered in a towel and a gown once I gave birth and got out. I was only in a gown for Michael's "C".

[Sam]

I am pretty sure I was fully clothed with all four.

I know I was wearing a U2 top with Ross and Tom's shirt with Jasmine but I can't remember what I had on with the other two so maybe the top did come off after all.

[Veronica]

Here the hospitals don't provide you with gowns etc unless they absolutely have to....so you are free to wear whatever you wish.
I laboured with Jasmine in trackpants and sweater while I was still up and walking around. Then when i was bound to the bed with monitors I changed innto my own nightshirt.
With Cadence I wore nothing while in the shower on birthing ball but noone was allowed in the bathroom. Then put a nightshirt on when I went back into my room.