What happens right after giving birth?

Assuming you deliver vaginally I have a few questions..

When you are giving birth should I assume Im wearing a hospital gown? Do I have the option of wearing my own gown? Not that id want to bc Im sure it gets messy but Im just curious...

Once the baby is out.. Do you get cleaned up? Like a fresh hospital gown or ur own pajamas? Does it hafta be a gown so they can check “down there”? After giving birth do they continue to check down there??

My mom was surprised I wanted to wear pajamas pants, she thought that wouldn’t be possible and Id need to be in a nightgown.

When are you allowed to shower? I imagine after birth you look and feel disgusting yet I see all these pictures of women who just gave birth looking pretty fresh with their new babies..

Any insight would be great. Thank you!!

What happens right after giving birth?

After delivery the nurses cleaned me up Down there. I was still in the hospital gown. Once I got to my regular room and I changed into my nightgown and robe. I chose to wear a nightgown so it would be easier for the doctor and nurses to check the area and the stitches. ( I had three stitches from an episiotomy.
I was able to shower right away but the first night I just washed my face since it was late and I was tired. I wasn't going to have visitors until the next day anyway.

What happens right after giving birth?

I was in a hospital gown before, during and after. As soon as dd was born she was placed on my chest and they cleaned her up while she was on me. I held her for a little while, not too long. Then dh held her and my dr stitched me up. Then dh went to the nursery with dd to get weighed, checked further, etc. That felt like forever!!!

Them I got rolled on over to the maternity ward and set up in my room. The nurse had be pee and they check for blood in your urine. She gave me pads, sprays, etc. I choose to bring my own comfy underwear and use it with the pads. Changed into my pajamas (big pants and a button down top). I loved those pajamas for the first few months. So comfy and easy to nurse.


Edit. I delivered at close to midnight and after all was said and done wasn't in my room and by ourselves until like 2am. I was not showering then. I was in the shower by 7am the next morning. Felt amazing. Lol

Message edited 3/24/2014 8:54:23 AM.

What happens right after giving birth?

I delivered at night and stayed in the gown until the next day. A nurse helped me get up and use the bathroom and set me up in bed when I got to my postpartum room around 11pm. The next day I got up to shower and put on pajama pants (yoga pants are perfect for holding in ice packs, lol). The doctors usually come early each morning so they checked me before I showered and I think again before I left the next day but I don't remember how that worked exactly (just a quick check in bed I think). Honestly, I didn't care how I looked after 21 hours of labor, I just wanted to eat and get to sleep as soon as I could. The next morning it felt great to shower and I was good to go by the time I had visitors.

Re: What happens right after giving birth?

What happens right after giving birth?

You do not have to wear a hospital gown to deliver. I wore an old tank top and sweats (which I obviously took off at some point). When DS was born, he was put right on my chest, and he stayed there until I was ready for him to be cleaned. The nurses clean you up after you deliver the after birth and any necessary stitches are done.
After I peed, I put my sweats back on over the giant hospital underwear and pads.
Don't really remember when I showered... sometime the next day, I guess. I wore yoga pants and tanks. Yoga pants, as MRsT8 says, hold in ice packs well. :)

What happens right after giving birth?

I kept my gown on until the day after I gave birth bc it was just easier for them to check what was going on down there. Then I switched to sweats a tank, and a light zip up hoodie.

Eta: I delivered at stonybrook and they didn't have mesh underwear so I'm glad I brought my own disposable undies - Depends silhouettes. Comfy and absorbent.

Message edited 3/24/2014 10:21:16 AM.

What happens right after giving birth?

Gave birth, stitched me up. I was then wheeled into a room, at which point I began regaining feeling in my legs from the epi. A nurse helped me stand, and walked me to the bathroom so I could pee (they want you to be able to pee after catheter is removed). That was pretty awful, like a bloodbath, poor nurse. That's where I got the mesh underwear and pads, etc, and prob a new gown. By then it was 2:30 am, so I rested a few hours, DD was released from NICU by 11am that morning. I showered after lunch and put on yoga pants.

What happens right after giving birth?

Thanks so much for the info girls, I really appreciate it!!

Re: What happens right after giving birth?

I wound up having an emergency c section and my experience was very different. Just be prepared for the unexpected. After the C I could barely keep my eyes open from all of the drugs. I was also hooked up to IV antibiotics because of an infection and a catheter. So the first two days I didn't get out of bed or shower because of everything that I was hooked up to. When they took the catheter out I tried to pee. Getting up was very painful and talk about the bloodbath on the way to the bathroom. My bladder was full, but for some reason my body wasn't working so they had to put it back in. So back to bed I went. I think I was finally able to shower on day 3 and then I changed into a nightgown. There was no way I was going to put on pants since I had staples and they were pretty uncomfortable.

You never know what's going to happen during birth so I'd definitely recommend bringing a nightgown along with yoga pants. Also, definitely bring your own granny panties. I wore the mesh ones the first two days, but after I showered it was nice to put on my own.

Re: What happens right after giving birth?

I put on my on pj;s after I showered. Never was checked down there after any of my deliveries. They only felt my belly to make sure the uterus is shrinking.

What happens right after giving birth?

Adding- when I had DS1, I had a few stitches, and they checked me out "down there". DS2, no stitches, the only thing they did was feel my belly.

What happens right after giving birth?

I wanted to say that I gave birth naturally and had stitches. The nurses checked my pad every day and I still wish I would've brought pajamas or something because the hospital gown was really uncomfortable to wear every day for two days.

Re: What happens right after giving birth?

I used the hospital gown for the actual delivery, and changed into my own gown for the first day (or the first few hours) after because of all the mess and checks, and I wanted to look more presentable for photos. They do clean you up down there in the delivery room. When I got up to be wheeled to the postpartum room, that's when I changed into my own gown.

Later, after I showered, I wore pajama pants with a stretchy waistband, underwear I didn't care about, and a maternity tank top and light open cardigan.

What happens right after giving birth?

I delivered both of my boys in the evening. I wore the hospital gown for delivery and I think when I first went to the bathroom once I was in my own room, I was given a clean gown.

I woke up the next morning each time around 7, showered and then asked them to bring the baby from the nursery (my sons spent the night in the nursery since I FF and DH didn't stay with me).

For DS 1 - I was bleeding heavily and uncomfortable so I stayed in the hospital gown for my entire stay. For DS 2 - after my shower, I changed into yoga pants and a long sleeved t-shirt. I had stitches both times - I don't think they checked them.

Re: What happens right after giving birth?

I stayed in my hospital gown up until the last day. I was so uncomfortable and had bad PP bleeding. Changed into yoga pants and one of my maternity tops when I left.

Re: What happens right after giving birth?

I was in the gown in recovery. When I went to maternity they wanted me to stay on the IV for the rest of the night, so I was in the gown until they came and took it out. Then, I showered and put on yoga pants and a top.

My baby went to the nicu though, so I didn't have any visitors or have the baby with me right after, so not sure how and when that really happens.

What happens right after giving birth?

When you are giving birth should I assume Im wearing a hospital gown? Do I have the option of wearing my own gown? Not that id want to bc Im sure it gets messy but Im just curious...
YOU WEAR A HOSPITAL GOWN DURING LABOR AND DELIVERY. I WORE MY GOWN FOR 1 DAY DURING RECOVERY THEN PUT MY OWN NURSING PJ GOWN ON BUT KEPT THE HOSP ONE TO WRAP AROUND ME CAUSE I WAS A LITTLE COLD.

Once the baby is out.. Do you get cleaned up? Like a fresh hospital gown or ur own pajamas? Does it hafta be a gown so they can check “down there”? After giving birth do they continue to check down there??
THEY CLEAN YOU UP AFTER THEY STITCH YOU BUT LIKE WITH ANTISEPTIC TO PREVENT INFECTION. NOT LIKE THEY SHOWER YOU WITH ANYTHING. IN MY OPINION YOU WONT WANT PANTS ON. YOUR VERY SORE AND THE IDEA OF PANTS IS NOT APPEALING. ALSO YOUR BLEEDING VERY HEAVY AFTERWARDS AND THEY CHECK ON AND CHANGE YOUR PAD OFTEN, PANTS JUST SEEM SOOO ANNOYING TO ME. I BROUGHT A PAIR JUST IN CASE BUT NEVER PUT THEM ON. STAYED IN MY OWN GOWN AFTER THE 1ST DAY OF RECOVERY. AND YES THEY CHECK YOU DOWN THERE UNTIL DISCHARGE. NURSES AND DRS CHECK YOU.

My mom was surprised I wanted to wear pajamas pants, she thought that wouldn’t be possible and Id need to be in a nightgown.
ITS POSSIBLE BUT I DOUBT YOU WANT TO. THEY CHECK YOU OFTEN AND IT HURTS A BIT TO EVEN GET UP OUT OF BED THE 1ST DAY

When are you allowed to shower? I imagine after birth you look and feel disgusting yet I see all these pictures of women who just gave birth looking pretty fresh with their new babies..
DAY 2 I BELIEVE I WAS ALLOWED TO SHOWER. AND IT FELT AMAZING LOL
I BROUGHT MY MAKEUP AND MY TOILTERIES SO I COULD FEEL LIKE ME. I WAS NOT LOOKING LIKE MY BEST SELF AFTER GIVING BIRTH BECAUSE IT WAS ALSO 430AM BUT THE NEXT MORNING I WAS ABLE TO WASH MY FACE AND PUT MAKEUP ON WHICH MADE ME FEEL BETTER.

What happens right after giving birth?

I wanted to add --

I was getting up to pee a lot for the first day or so. Each bathroom trip took at least 10-15 mins between peeing, using the peri bottle, putting on new undies, pads, cleaning up, etc. When I had sweats on, it was easier to just take them off before using the bathroom. It was a good week at least before I could use the bathroom in a reasonable amount of time.

Re: What happens right after giving birth?

I wore the hospital gown the entire time. Going to the bathroom is messy, so it was just easier to keep the gown on.

Re: What happens right after giving birth?

Re: What happens right after giving birth?

Wore the hospital gown from the time I got to L&D.
After delivery I think they cleaned me up and gave me a new one but it was all such a whirlwind I don't recall.
Stayed in the gown that night.
Next morning they took my IV out and I was allowed to shower.
After I showered I put on my own clothes- not pjs though. Maternity sweats and a loose t shirt.
I also put on make up and put my hair up- nothing fancy.

What happens right after giving birth?

This is all so helpful girls, thanks so much for making me think of things that didn't even cross my mind!

Re: What happens right after giving birth?

What happens right after giving birth?

I did not wear a hospital gown. My mommy bought me on by pretty pushers and I loved it. It was a halter and low cut in the back for the epi. We just untied it and tossed it after I delivered. I had a stich my iv was out and I was in yoga pants and a nursing tank 30 min after dd was born. Left the hospital 24 hrs after giving birth so no need to shower.