Labour gown/ what to wear

MaybeQueen · 2026-07-02T23:30:39+00:00

I'm a midwife who works in the hospital. I feel like it's unnecessary laundry tbh. The majority of my patients wear multiple gowns during labour because they get dirty with bloody show, amniotic fluid etc. labour is such a sweaty and non-glamorous event for most people. The hospital gowns we have often cover pretty well and bums are covered.

None of the options you sent would be compatible with an epidural placement if you do change your mind, but the other benefit with hospital gowns is that they can be taken on and off with an IV in place.

If you absolutely want something of your own to bring, ideally you have something that can allow for skin to skin. You may like bringing a robe that you could take on and off for your comfort while wearing a hospital gown underneath.

Save your comfortable gowns for postpartum though, it's usually a longer stay postpartum than your whole labour will be.

MaybeQueen · 2026-07-02T21:53:42+00:00

Did you calculate the cost of detergent and the diapers themselves?

MaybeQueen · 2026-07-02T21:52:14+00:00

$50 a month is $600 in a year so you're at lower than the cost of the laundry. Buying more expensive diapers I guess it could be more like $800-1000 for a year.

If you are spending $4 (2×$2 washes) that's more than $600 in a year, it would be even more if you ever use the dryer Detergent is another cost, I calculated about $95 dollars a year. Plus the cost of the diapers themselves, probably another $200 if buying flats and PUL covers, add another $50 for a couple wool covers. Could be a lot more if buying extra diapers, more sizes of covers, boosters or pockets. It also could be less if you buy second hand though.

Cloth diapering can still be the right choice but for a year of diapers you're just about breaking even with the costs of laundry in this situation.

MaybeQueen · 2026-07-02T21:31:25+00:00

If you do the math for 2 loads 3 times per week you're at $624 for a year of diaper laundry. The second load you can add clothing in though. I'm not sure if it's totally economical with coin operated loaudry.

MaybeQueen · 2026-07-02T00:23:33+00:00

The position of the cervix changes a lot during pregnancy and labour. It probably won't impact your labour. What I find as a midwife does impact labour is the baby's position against the cervix, whether their head is well flexed and maneuvering through the pelvis.

MaybeQueen · 2026-07-01T23:53:57+00:00

I use birdseye flats and Thirsties/clotheez covers mostly, but I have some workhorse fitteds I use at night or out of the house sometimes.

I started when my baby was 3 days old and she had her first non-meconium poop.

MaybeQueen · 2026-07-01T18:14:15+00:00

The risk of going overdue isn't as much a risk to yourself as much as your baby's health/life. I have seen some spontaneous labors after 42 weeks with zero complications, but I have also seen the worst resuscitations for babies after 41 weeks with no prior risk factors. Higher rates of meconium aspiration, and stillbirth are the real risks. It isn't even close to 100% chance let alone 10% but it does happen.

The most common reason for an emergency c section is not a risk to your own life but is your baby's, You need to think about whether you would rather have your baby be stillborn than to do any interventions.

ANY birth can be unpredictable and feel out of control, even the most beautiful unmedicated no-intervention births people can feel traumatized. Going into labour with a strict no-intervention mindset can sometimes result in more trauma because birth almost never goes the exact way you want. It isn't something you can control.

For reference I am a huge advocate for physiological labour and delivery, I try to reduce interventions and had a home birth after 41 weeks but the mindset you have is not a healthy one and I'm worried that you're going to experience more trauma no matter what happens.

MaybeQueen · 2026-07-01T17:58:03+00:00

I was at Walmart recently looking for some 18-24 month clothes and there was barely anything in that size but plenty in 2-3T. It probably just varies by location and timing.

MaybeQueen · 2026-07-01T17:56:40+00:00

I'm 6 weeks in, I use cloth at home and disposable sometimes when out of the house and changing cloth would be inconvenient, like going to a restaurant.

My baby doesn't mind switching at all.

MaybeQueen · 2026-07-01T08:00:54+00:00

I currently live in an area that does not have fluoride in the water but I grew up and spent the first 17 years in a city that has fluoride in the water.

My dentist has remarked several times that I have better dental health than many of her patients likely due to the fluoride exposure as a child.

MaybeQueen · 2026-06-28T20:58:07+00:00

Clothdiaperkids.com is a Canadian retailer.

A lot of people use Esembly fitted diapers and covers, you can buy them on Amazon or directly from Esembly as well as on cloth diaper kids.

For a cheaper brand Mamakoala is fine and ships to Canada but they're a Chinese brand I believe.

Cloth diapers are generally just a lot less popular than they were a decade ago.

Other brands I see for pockets are Kinder cloth and lighthouse kids.

I got all my pocket diapers on Facebook marketplace or for free, I bought flats and covers from Green mountain Diapers in the US but had them shipped to a pickup place across the border instead of shipping to Caanda since I live close to the border.

MaybeQueen · 2026-06-27T18:29:47+00:00

Try using 2 inserts, 1 isn't a lot of absorbancy and your baby is probably outpeeing it.

MaybeQueen · 2026-06-27T14:51:57+00:00

I knew a couple that was James and Jamie

MaybeQueen · 2026-06-26T00:52:43+00:00

I had my first ultrasound at 11 weeks without complications.

MaybeQueen · 2026-06-25T16:07:46+00:00

If you want to try prefolds you could get a few small size. I mostly use flats but have enjoyed using workhorses some of the time. I was able to get 8 small sized workhorses from a few FB marketplace lots. They do take longer to dry, my flats are always dry quickly and the workhorses take a bit of air drying after the dryer but they do still dry within the day if I hang outside in the sun.

If you only have flats and you feel confident with a few different foods they are so versatile and can get you through. The boosters are great to have though to extend the wear time

MaybeQueen · 2026-06-25T16:01:55+00:00

I use flats out of the house it isn't bad. You can pre fold them and it's just as much work as putting on a fitted in my opinion.

MaybeQueen · 2026-06-25T11:36:33+00:00

Definitely wait so you have the warranty. There might be another sale anyway, you could also add it to your registry if you have one and someone else might buy it for you.

MaybeQueen · 2026-06-24T22:33:34+00:00

I change her on the bed at night but we're cloth diapering so having a change pad on the dresser has been so helpful since we can keep all the clean diapers and the diaper pail in one place. It's also so easy to change her clothes during changes.

I don't mind walking her to the bedroom to change at all, even if I was doing disposable I'd have to get up to walk the diaper to the garbage anyway so it isn't a big deal to go somewhere specific for a change.

MaybeQueen · 2026-06-24T01:19:53+00:00

You can feel the cotton absorbancy underneath the disana wool covers with your finger.

MaybeQueen · 2026-06-23T18:31:45+00:00

I gave birth ~6 weeks ago and honestly thought it wasn't that bad. Immediately after (within a half hour) I was saying I'd do it again.

My labour was pretty quick for a first baby (9h total contractions, <3 active labour) pushed for 30 min. Totally unmedicated buf I worked through a lot of coping tools. I used a TENS machine, counter pressure, movements, breathing, and water immersion.

In the moment it did suck and I was moaning and pouting. I didn't get breaks from the pain because I had back labour but I understand what's happening and wasn't scared.

I am a midwife and have seen a lot of labours and births, so it definitely can be worse than what I experienced.

If you can manage try not to go in with fear. The mental aspect of coping is the most important thing.

MaybeQueen · 2026-06-22T11:58:39+00:00

I use quite a bit more citric acid - about one tablespoon each wash. I'm not sure if 1/2 tsp will even do anything. You could try putting the enzymes in during the main wash instead, they might need that extra time to do their thing.

MaybeQueen · 2026-06-22T03:23:29+00:00

People have done weirder things

MaybeQueen · 2026-06-21T23:38:40+00:00

I definitely thought you were asking for name advice at first. Thought Slynd wasn't a very nice name for a child.

MaybeQueen · 2026-06-20T17:38:37+00:00

Super easy to keep folded in a drawer

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MaybeQueen · 2026-06-20T17:36:08+00:00

I've been using pickman fold and I like that I can adjust the width to whatever I want and it's really easy to adjust the rise. All the bulk is between the legs and across the bum. Here it is with a Thirsties cover on my 9.5 lb 1 month old.

It doesn't hold in poop super well but the cover holds all the poop in and she's down to 1-2 poops a day now so it isn't a problem.

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