KUP. I hope it all turns out well and your wishes are respected.

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http://rchiprean.abmp.com/index.html

Ok, so new question for those of you who have already done this. What to wear during labor. I would rather not wear a hospital gown and feel like a patient, but I want immediate skin-to-skin contact after delivery (w/baby put on my belly or chest) and to bf asap. What did people wear for the delivery (I realize it will probably get ruined). I considered just wearing a nursing bra and pants, and then ditching the pants last minute, but still like the modesty afforded by a nightgown. I am just unsure where to even find a nightgown that opens all the way down the front. I am just curious if anyone has any great ideas. Thanks

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Krissy

Krissy- although I haven't been there yet, I plan on wearing a sports nursing bra type top and comfy pants and then ditching the pants. Since we tested + for GBS the doctors should not be internally checking us too often to keep the chance of infection down. After watching that granola video I shared with you I couldn't help but wonder why women have to take their tops off? The breasts do nothing to help with delivery. Oh well, I just don't want all of my goods to be hanging out there.

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Jo--LOL! I agree! I think that the idea is to be "natural", and also to be able to bf very easily after the birth, but I totally don't mind ruining a bra if he gets goo all over me! I think I would feel ridiculous laying there completely naked; but at the same time I want it to be very easy to offer bf'ing soon, and to have that skin to skin contact. That's why I wanted to hear about what people chose/are choosing to wear.

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Krissy

I don't know if this is the same at all hopsitals, but at my hospital you can't wear anything BUT the hospital gown - no sports bra's, no nothing. So in that case, you'd just be naked. And honestly, I didn't believe this until I was in the situation but you have NO SENSE of modesty when you are in labor. That is the last thing on your mind. And Jo, I was still checked quite often even though I also had tested positive for strep b. Maybe the best thing to do would be to check with your hospitals and see what is ok with them for you to wear during labor.

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When I had the hospital tour, I actually had the frame of mind to ask about the hospital gowns. They said that you can wear anything you'd like as long as when it's time to deliver you are naked. So I don't have to wear the standard issue gown. She said one lady even when to a scrub store and bought a cute pair of scrubs with her name on them. Cute as it sounds, it'd just get messy anyway. Do you think the "goo" will stain clothing?

That leads me to another question. What will your DH be wearing? He never thought of it until he read "Don't Just Stand There" that I bought for him. Now he's thinking a pair of gym shorts (not the tighties) or loose sweats. Since he'll be moving around with me and sweating, I'm sure, he was thinking something loose and free.

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I put in my birth plan that I would like to wear my own clothing, and my doctor had no problem with it (he did warn me that everything I wear will get stained).
I also put in my birth plan that if my water breaks, I do not want a vaginal exam until they absolutely have to (they can detect cord prolapse just as easily with a doppler) so that the clock wont start ticking quite as soon. And I put to "limit cervical checks", which my doctor actually agreed with. He said that having too many cervical checks makes it hard to relax, and also can be very frustrating for women when they are not progressing rapidly. He put my birth plan into my chart and assured me that the nurses would comply. I guess we'll see!

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Krissy

Krissy- my plan is also in my chart, but I am bringing about three extra. One for my nurse, one to post outside my door and one for my support team (my DH and my sister).

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Sounds like you guys have your bases covered! Good for you. OOoooh, I can't wait till your babies get here!!!

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Jo-that seems weird that your hospital said you have to be naked when delivering?? did they mean compeltey naked or just from the waist down? I was in a hospital gown the whole time.

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Bina- sorry, I meant waist down nekkid.

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Jo-whew!! I was gonna say that even though you lose modesty, THAT would have been too much for me, lol.
Gosh, I hope Dominic comes soon!!!

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Tell me about it! My mom's plane JUST landed here in Dallas so now Dominic can feel free to come on out. I honestly didn't think my mom was going to be here to welcome him. They are stopping by here on their way home so my mom can see me before he comes. They live an hour away and I haven't gotten to see them as much as I would've liked during this pg.

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Jo--Are you going to try some natural inducers? Maybe a little bd'ing? I read an article yesterday about a study done somewhere in Europe; they compared pitocin to using a manual breast pump to stimulate nipples; the results were IDENTICAL! They both started labor the same percentage of the time. If I were you, I might be considering it!

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Krissy

Krissy, with my first I wanted to be in my sports bra and yoga pants but I HATED having that tight band around me (my guess is that this is why woman loose the bra in the BOBB) so the hospital gown was way more comfortable. It also gave me something to look foward too, putting on my own clothes was awsome.

and an FYI, that goo stuff does stain, but you wont mind at all

ETA, I labored in the shower until around 6 cm in and out of the shower with Molly (they kept making me get back in bed so they could check her heart rate, I think this is one of the reasons I got the epi) so wearing a sports bra was hard to take on and off

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Krissy - I would go with no bra or at least one that you can unhook. I was hooked up to so many things I couldn't take off my sports bra to nurse right away. I almost wished they would have checked my progress a few more times too.

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I wore a sports bra and then cute maternity PJ's because I was on the birthing ball and up walking. When I got into the whirlpool I kept my sports bra on. When I got out, I changed bras and put on a nursing bra and then the hospital gown because I was getting close. That is crazy that some hospitals FORCE you to wear something. I would not listen to that. I even let my patients keep their panties on with a pad when up so it absorbs the amniotic fluid leaking out...if I need to check them I just move their panties over to the side, it really isn't that complicated

Krissy, you cannot tell if you have a prolapsed cord by doppler. Yes, you will hear the baby's heartrate dropping with each contraction but that could be a prolapsed cord, cord compression or head compression because the baby is near delivery. If you go by doppler only you would risk a c-section for something that could easily be fixed such as cord compression, which they do an amnio infusion which will "float" the cord out of the way and improve the oxygenation to the baby and stop the decels.

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