What do I wear for my water birth?First up, I have to tell you that doulas, midwives (and OBs!) do NOT care or judge or even notice what you're wearing or not wearing! I know, it's so hard to wrap your mind around that. It certainly was for me, before I t
What do I wear to birth in water? It may sound like a simple thing and it may sound like a hugely worrying and mind-boggling thing, in my experience most women consider this question and come up short of an easy answer. What will people think of me? That’s another question that comes up again and again. Mamas, I feel you. Before my first water birth I struggled with what to wear both on my body and, as a religious jew, my head. (spoiler, I ended up wearing a tank top with a skirt – the skirt came off as I entered the water, and a bandana on my head) Here is a great article I found that I think will help you make the right choices for you. NB. There is no right or wrong answer! What did you wear for your waterbirths? I’d love to know, you can leave a comment below Oh, and here’s a link to the original article that’s pasted below: http://tulsamidwiferebecca.com/wear-waterbirth-7-options/ First up, I have to tell you that, as midwives (and OBs!) we do NOT care or judge or even notice what you're wearing or not wearing. I know, it's so hard to wrap your mind around that. It certainly was for me, before I tumbled into the birth world. But it's true, I promise. Clothes, no clothes, pubic hair, no pubic hair. We don't care, we don't notice. We've seen hundreds of women in their birthday suits (ha! kinda a pun?!), and the only time I take notice is when I think “gosh, she's so beautifully strong!”. True story! But of course, we still all agree that YOU as the birthing mom have to be comfortable and confident. So what to wear?? Here are some of the most common options.
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2. Bikini Top Very similar to a sports bra, but usually a bit less supportive and usually just a little bit less coverage. Pros:
3. Large Shirt This is often combined with a sports bra, but not always. It can be preferred if you don't feel comfortable exposing your belly and cleavage. Otherwise, the same things apply as to the sports bra. You can use a towel on your lower half as you get into the pool and if you labor on your hands and knees if you prefer to limit exposure to that area. Pros:
4. Nothing! Absolutely an option! Some women do this naturally in labor and can't imagine wearing anything at all, others would sooner die than labor in the buff. Either one is completely okay, and completely acceptable. But if you're comfortable in your birthday suit (okay, this pun is probably getting old).. go for it! You also may think now that you would never labor naked, but transition has a way of making us lose all natural inhibitions. You might just surprise yourself! Pros:
5. Tank top A bit of a halfway point between a sports bra and a shirt. It gives you more coverage, but you can pull it up over your belly if you feel too warm. Depending on the material it's made of, it also may not be as drippy and wet when you get out of the water. Pros:
6. Short Dress This seems to be especially popular with moms who hire a birth photographer or videographer. I'm not knocking it, this is what I wore for my third baby because I had a videographer! Well, not JUST because of the videographer. I also had my children and sisters there for the birth, so I wanted something that would cover my bottom. Just personal preference, certainly not required just because your kids will be there. Wearing a short dress is probably the top choice if modesty is a chief concern. It keeps everything covered as you get into the pool, if you labor on your hands and knees, etc. You will have to remember, though, that your midwife will likely want to listen to the baby's heartbeat at least every 30 minutes. This means lifting up the skirt of your dress (and not wearing underwear.. because… babies can't come out that way.. teehee!) It's also pretty soggy. I had to take my dress off as I stood up out of the pool. It's not a big deal, most midwives are pretty good about juggling towels around you so you don't feel like the entire room is staring at your nekkid body as blood runs down your thighs Pros:
This one can be combined with a sports bra, bikini top, shirt, or tank top depending on your preference. It's very similar to having a dress, but you will only have to move your shirt up for heart tone checks. Pros:
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