I'll post an update on the Portland trip soon--we didn't take many pictures, but we took a couple and I will post them here for your viewing pleasure once we get them up on the computator.
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I attended a meeting today at which I think I came off as kind of a crazy person. I hate it when I do that. You would think that, at my advanced old age, I would be able to advocate for issues I find important without sounding like a lunatic, but alas, this skill eludes me. I even came straight from doing prenatal yoga with another knocked-up friend (which was really fun, by the way), but my state of zen calm only lasted about four minutes into the meeting.
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At our birth class last night,* the instructor said we should bring several different outfits to the hospital to give birth in. She said that having something fresh to change into can make all the difference. People who've given birth, is this true? I feel like this will likely be the one time in my life when fashion really doesn't matter to me, but maybe I'm wrong.
*Will I ever talk about anything besides birth class ever again? Perhaps no.
16 comments:
Outfits? They had me in a hospital gown the entire time. No outfits involved. And I certainly wouldn't wear anything I liked too much. It's not a very clean business. You might want something you feel good in to wear home, because there will probably be pictures involved. The things that made a difference for me was anything that made me less aware of being in the hospital. Bringing my Aveda shampoo was a particularly good idea. Everything smelled so sterile and hospital-like that when I finally got around to taking a shower, which was like the best shower ever in the history of showers, having something that smelled really good and familiar was key. Having music we liked was also an excellent thing.
While in labor you will so not care about what you are wearing. I see that they now sell BIRTHING CLOTHES which is pretty hilarious, really.
Harriet's right though--bring some other clothes to throw on after you wipe off the sweat and stuff for pictures.
PS: I am also unable to speak dispassionately about things I care about (especially of I feel like the things I care about are being threatened or dismantled--and I had no clue that said meeting was going to raise my emotional ire). And even though this tendency (much like blushing) kinda sucks in the moment, it also means you aren't a robot.
Ladies, I am glad to hear that I don't need a birthing wardobe. I saw those birthing gowns advertised in a pregnancy magazine I flipped through at Powell's. They cost upwards of $80! Madness.
By the way, Misha, I've been thinking about you and what a ray of sunshine you were around here throughout your pregnancy. I don't think I'm going to be quite as delightful in my last couple of months as you were during yours.
Birthing clothes. What HAS this country come to?
I had my kids at home with entire closets & dressers nearby & I pretty much started out in schlumpy layers & continued shedding them until I was down to a sweaty tee.
I have no doubt that while some days you may feel an alien has invaded your body, your naturally pleasant demeanor will fake everyone out. xoxo k8
I'm so glad that I'm not the only one who feels like a lunatic after work meetings. I always feel like I sound like a child having a temper tantrum whereas everyone else is calm and collected and very professional (at least when there's an issue I care about).
Uh, I totally was in a hospital gown or nekkid the whole time. I had a couple outfits for post-birth (for me and the baby), but yeah, no. New outfits for birthing? heh. I'm with your friend who suggested bringing your own toiletries, too. Man, that shower post-labor is like the best thing in the world. And also, meconium is kinda stinky even when it's not "dirty."
2 or 3 t-shirts and toiletries. That really is the ticket!
ha ha ha - hospital gown the entire time but I did insist on wearing socks always because I had to look at my feet up in stirrups a lot and I didn't want nice doctors to have to look at my bare feet for 36 hours. I should have bought nice stripey socks or toe socks though - mine were black and workmanlike.
I am certain that you were absolutely articulate and on point with your meeting comments, dear. I am the QUEEN of passionate meeting outbursts that make everyone in the room pray for an earthquake to take place immediately, or any natural disaster, for that matter, and yet I am still employed. Not sharing those passions is worse, believe me. As for the birthing clothes, PUH-LEZE. Post birth, though, I have to admit that I was jealous of the ladies who changed into regular clothes before we had a little class with other new moms about nursing, etc. I think that class happened about 12 hours after I gave birth, so I had at least taken a shower and was in a clean gown and robe, but I wasn't in street clothes yet, which made me feel like an invalid, unfortunately.
Adding my voice to the chorus mocking birthing "outfits." With my second I was on my hands and knees on the floor of the hospital lobby, my pants soaked with amniotic fluid, screaming that I wanted to take my clothes off. But perhaps if I had arrived in a little black dress I would have behaved somewhat more couthly. --ARB
Dang- after reading all the comments, I am sort of sad that the Secret World of Birthing Wardrobe Changes does not really exist. It was just such a weird thought that I was kind of excited about it.
Maybe your birthing class teacher hangs out with Cher or something.
And PS- I have never seen you be anything but passionate (which is a good thing) and articulate at meetings. I think that sometimes we feel like we sound more crazy than we actually do to everyone else. At least I tell myself that about me.
I'm late to the party because I can now say from experience that changing clothes in labor never occurred to me. The johnny may not be fashionable, but in the moment, pragmatism really wins out. Also, as was stated above, birth is not the kind of experience where you want to be wearing good clothes. It's pretty messy.
Something comfortable to wear afterward, though: yes. I recommend something easy to remove, because if you think lots of people are looking at your nethers while you're in labor, that's nothing compared to how many nurses will want to check the swelling at every shift change. Good luck!
Congratulations, Brandy! (And thanks for the advice.)
One last costuming tip: oversize button- or zip-up shirts. First, you may find yourself in a place where you're not really at liberty to remove a shirt all together. Second, removing a shirt all together can mean cold arms. Third, if the shirt is big enough, you can wrap them back around Baby as a blanket. Good luck! I'm excited for you!
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