Bring your own maternity hospital gown to the hospital or birth center with you for labor and delivery. You’ll be so glad you did.
Here’s why!
1. In a recent study, 60% of patients “disliked very much” or “disliked” wearing the standard-issue hospital gown.
2. Hospital gowns used today were designed in the 1920s! We wouldn’t want to give birth like we did in the 1920s, and we really don’t want to dress like the 1920s. It’s time to evolve maternity ward attire.
3. In a recent study, 69% of doctors and nurses said that hospital gowns sometimes affect patients’ emotional well-being. Meaning: when you put on that hospital gown, you actually feel more sick/less well. That’s NOT conducive to a positive birth experience.
4. Hospital gowns are used and laundered an average of 50 times. The number would be higher than that except that the chemicals they use to clean and disinfect them are so harsh that they dissolve the fabric.
5. You’ll feel more confident, more relaxed, less ill-at-ease and more like yourself on baby’s birth day-which is all better for your labor experience and your first days as a mom.
Maternity hospital gowns make great baby shower gifts, so don’t be shy about asking for one. They come in many different styles and colors, but look for one that balances the coverage you want with the nurses’ ability to access the parts of your body they need for epidural placement, fetal monitoring, and your vital signs.
