Those who gave birth in a birth center with a tub..

[Jupiter]

The birth center I'm going to has a tub for labor. What does one wear in it?

[essnce629]

I had a home waterbirth and wore a sleep nursing bra in the tub (the cotton ones that you pull to the side). Other people wear sports bras or just a bikini top. I wanted to be able to put baby to the breast right away which is why I didn't go with just a sports bra.

Looking back though, I wish I had wore a black sleep nursing bra. Mine was white and in all the pics and video of me laboring you can see my giant dark areolas through the wet white fabric!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I never wore anything on the bottom.

[maybeebaby08]

I just wore a maternity tank top so it was nice and long, also helped me to feel a little more covered.

[SnuggleBuggles]

A tankini, undies and a sports bra and undies and a tank. Eta- I didn't give birth in the tub bc I just wasn't feeling it when I was in labor. I got more comfort out of water.

[OKKiddo]

I wore my maternity bathing suit top. Before that the midwife, doula, and I went for a long walk and I was in a tank top (with the bathing suit top underneath) and yoga pants (and the midwife insisted on depends under the yoga pants just in case--turns out she was absolutely right!).

Wear what you'll be comfortable in and what you'll enjoy seeing in pictures later. Good luck!

ETA: My water birth was the best, most wonderful experience ever! And the walking beforehand with the midwife and doula was fantastic--walking around socializing, having amazing care during contractions (that I felt were mild), and just working the baby down without getting bored or expecting the labor to hurry up because of the sit and wait inside a room (and feeling like a watched pot the entire time).

[brittone2]

I did not use the tub at the birth center, although it was an option. It was a fast labor and I just didn't feel the need that time. I packed a sports bra or bikini IIRC.

With my third birth, I had a home waterbirth. I was not sure I'd want to use the water based off my experience with DS1 (wanted out during transition) and with DD (didn't feel the need, fast labor), but I ended up using it and it was great. I wore a bikini top. We have a few pics (just for our own eyes, obviously!) and you really can't even see anything down below as it is all obscured by my big belly. You just see bikini up top and belly, then legs.

[klwa]

The hospital I used for DS had a tub in the room &, well, I didn't wear anything. We didn't do a water birth, just used it for pain management during labor. Of course, I didn't want any pictures of it either.

[mikala]

I wore a black sports bra. I gave birth in water so nothing on the bottom :-P

[MSWR0319]

The hospital I used for DS had a tub in the room &, well, I didn't wear anything. We didn't do a water birth, just used it for pain management during labor. Of course, I didn't want any pictures of it either.

:yeahthat: I am the most modest person in the world and I wore nothing! My midwife wanted me to get nipple stimulation from the bubbles because my contractions kept stalling. If I had not been in that water, I wouldn't have made it the last 8 hrs (out of 36) of labor!

[daisymommy]

1st time: Black "sleep bra"/nursing bra from Motherhood maternity
2nd time: Black nursing bra tank top

Nothing on the bottom because I delivered in the water too.

[123LuckyMom]

I had a birthing pool for my attempted home birth, and I wore a black "sleep" bra. It covered but didn't bind.

[bostonsmama]

Add me to the list of people who delivered without clothing. I thought the water was okay, but I had back labor w/ a posterior baby and needed to be over a ball on the floor to make it through transition. I wound up delivering in the squat position (hanging on to a bar over the bed). I needed help figuring out how to push, so pushing towards 2 hot compresses (above & below-perineum) while my doula poured & massaged everything w/ oil helped me not tear with our lightning fast delivery (37 min of pushing IIRC).

[squimp]

The hospital I used for DS had a tub in the room &, well, I didn't wear anything. We didn't do a water birth, just used it for pain management during labor. Of course, I didn't want any pictures of it either.

Me too. I didn't wear anything but I put my gown on before I hopped back on the bed to give birth. I stayed in the tub until I was pretty far dilated.