Giving birth is pretty uncomfortable, and not just because of the contractions. It seems like every hour someone is coming in to poke you with needles or move your body to track your progress. To add to the discomfort, the hospital provides you with a paper thin, scratchy delivery gown that leaves you feeling completely exposed.
Fortunately, you don’t have to settle for the hospital’s free throw away gown. There are better, more comfortable options that you can buy yourself, which is especially great for moms who opt for non-hospital deliveries. After several friends shared how much better they felt wearing their own maternity gown during birth, I knew I’d want one to provide even just the tiniest bit of extra comfort. Not to mention I have sensitive skin, and didn’t know if the hospital gown’s material would result in hives. (The last thing I’d want to deal with when giving birth.) Although a labor and delivery gown isn’t a necessary item, it’s one you’ll be happy you packed in your hospital bag — trust, me.
How we chose the best labor and delivery gowns
The best labor and delivery gowns will keep you comfortable and covered, but are functional and birthing team-approved, too. Unfortunately, in trying to find my own maternity gown, I realized there are many maternity gowns on the market that don’t meet those somewhat basic requirements. Using my experience, as well as the feedback from What to Expect community members, we ensured that all maternity hospital gowns selected met the following criteria:
Accessibility: Again, a labor and delivery gown will be of no use if it isn't practical for both you and your birth team. Obviously, gowns lend themselves well to that: Your birthing team doesn’t have to move anything to check your dilation, and they can easily roll it up to place a contraction measuring device on your stomach. That said, your maternity gown should have snap or velcro closures along the back, should you require an epidural. You should also look for a labor and delivery gown that has snap or velcro closures on the shoulder to make breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact easier. All of our labor and delivery gowns, with the exception of a postpartum gown and robe, have closures along the back and shoulders.
Material: If you’re like me, your body temperature may fluctuate during labor and delivery. You want to look for gowns made of fabric that is warm, but breathable: Think cotton, cotton-polyester blends or rayon. These fabrics are also comfortable, so you won’t mind being in them for a potentially long period of time. You may also want to consider a gown that comes with a robe for an extra layer of warmth, though you can always bring a cardigan to help with that.
Longevity: If you’re going to be paying upwards of $65 for a labor and delivery gown, you probably want to get more than one wear out of it. (Though, depending on your birthing experience, you may not want to wear your gown again.) Not only does this mean choosing a maternity gown made of material that will last should you decide to have another child, but also looking for one with features that are ideal for the postpartum phase: Shoulder closures, pockets, matching robe, etc.