We don't do hospital gowns here, in the sense that hospital gowns are
the basic appalling paper cloth coverall with completely open backs,
that are handed out if you are an emergency admission. Every wears
their own night gear otherwise. Mothers wear what they want to, and are
advised to wear "A big baggy t-shirt" type thing for labour. Something
I felt was entirely designed to make me feel exposed and half naked.
Not to mention rather inconvenient for skin to skin. They usually go
into normal nightdresses afterwards.
During the many many trips in during my pregnancy, and sick to death of
lying immobilised with my pyjama bottoms pushed down and my tummy
exposed, I devised a pretty and practical solution to endless
monitoring. I had several multi coloured 'sari' type strips of cloth -
that I wore as a sarong, wrapped round and tied in front, the long
fabric ends easily accommodating a big knot that took seconds to undo.
Underneath I wore a soft crop top and knickers. Everyone could access
all areas, through the long draped curtained effect at the front, easily
pulled back, but with enough fabric that I could walk around without
flashing anyone or anything. It is to my regret that the fabric I had
only came to just below the knees when tied like this!
I was in it them so often, that one midwife walked into check on my
monitoring and exclaimed "You're the kaftan lady!" My obstetrician
loved the set up, as she could examine in seconds with no faffing and no
fuss. Those hideous belts for monitoring could be hidden when they were
on. You just put them on, and moved the fabric folds back up to cover.
It also meant I was free to spray down my face, neck and shoulders with
scented water during the entire labour - I plumbed for rose water and
lavender. (Clearly, I'd lost the crop top and the knickers!) I had
envisaged my birth partner spraying me gently with it as I lay there...
the reality was I had to douse myself with it as she was so fascinated
by the 'business end' I hardly saw her face!
After the birth I spent so long with my darling son on my naked chest,
him naked but for a nappy, one midwife told me off and said "That baby
needs clothes on." I ignored her, just as I ignored the legion of staff
and other people's visitors who traipsed into my curtained cubicle and
recoiled in horror at my almost naked form, naked baby pressed to me. I
closed the curtains, what more did they want?
It is to my regret that candles were forbidden in the hospital.
However, I'd have given anything to see the face of the doctor who came
in to find the lights dimmed, a famous Bollywood song playing full
blast, and me on my knees on the bed, dancing and singing along, with my
naked butt in the air.... Everyone tells me it was a spectacular
scene... and I'm so off topic I feel embarrassed!
Sarongs - definitely an option in maternity. :-)
Morgan Gallagher
Rachel Myr wrote:
> I work in a hospital where self-latching is meant to be the norm. After
> birth, baby stays skin to skin on mother's body, and while some women still
> have clothes on by then, most are wearing next to nothing. We don't have
> anything resembling gowns for patients. What we have are big loose
> shapeless soft cotton shirts that button down the front, and knickers made
> of netting whose sole purpose is to hold a sanitary pad in place. Sometimes
> we snip away the crotch of one of those and use it as a tube top to hold a
> flannel cloth there if mother is leaking copious amounts of milk. I don't
> know what the pediatric ward uses, but every adult in our hospital is
> offered the same shirt.
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