The Best Labor and Delivery Gowns, According to New Moms

Don’t get us wrong: When you’re in the midst of contractions, nausea and extreme overall discomfort, you’re certainly not thinking about dressing to impress. But we asked our readers what they thought, and our survey respondents say you will care about comfort. Yes, over 80% of the new moms we asked rated comfort as the most important factor when rating their delivery gown of choice—over twice the amount that rated price and coverage.

“Rules surrounding clothes women wear while birthing are finally loosening up, which is great,” says Angela Mancini, a certified birth doula (DONA) and counselor at La Luna Counseling and Wellness. And it’s not just softness and access; style is getting a look-in too. “[My clients] often consider what would look good in photos as well as be comfortable in labor and after delivery,” adds Kristin Revere, elite-certified birth doula and CEO of Gold Coast Doulas.

So, if donning your own labor and delivery gown instead of the one the hospital provides makes you feel your best and ready to rock childbirth, the experts say go for it! We’ve consulted with the experts, surveyed The Bump community and narrowed down the best labor and delivery gowns to last you well into postpartum recovery.

How We Chose the Best Labor and Delivery Gowns

Labor and delivery is a crucial phase of your pregnancy journey, and it’s important to feel as comfortable as possible during this milestone. Here are the steps we took to help you find your perfect match:

• We interviewed a labor and delivery nurse, two certified birth doulas, a midwife and a board-certified pediatrician for their advice on important elements to consider when shopping for and using a hospital gown for labor.
• We surveyed almost 350 moms from The Bump community about the labor gowns they used. We then asked them to rate brands and specific styles based on their firsthand experience.
• We researched what was being said about labor and delivery gowns in The Bump community forums to learn what parents liked (and didn’t like) about certain brands and styles.
• To understand how these birth gowns have worked for moms, we conducted exhaustive market research, scouring external forums and message boards and reading user reviews to find out what mothers across the country looked for in labor gowns. We considered several aspects when sourcing labor and delivery gowns to include in our roundup, like material, size range, washability and value.

Editorial integrity is at the heart of everything we publish. Read more about how The Bump develops our product reviews.

Best Labor and Delivery Gowns

*Note: Some names have been changed due to privacy requests.

What is a Labor and Delivery Gown?

A labor and delivery gown is a garment that you can put on during triage (when the process of hospital admission begins) or in your delivery suite; this decision is largely down to your individual preferences and circumstances. Our survey showed that 56 percent of moms changed into labor gowns in their delivery suites, while 15 percent did so during triage and 29 percent did so in the hospital ward. Regardless of where and when you put on your birthing gown, it can be worn throughout all stages of labor and delivery. You might also choose to keep it on once baby is born and you’re moved to the postpartum unit for the remainder of your hospital stay.

If you don’t bring your own labor and delivery gown, here’s what you can expect. They’re open in the back, to provide access for an epidural (or spinal block in the event of a C-section) and are short-sleeved to make IV-port placement easy and accessible. Paulina Sun, a labor and delivery nurse at Morristown Medical Center, says the hospital gown for labor is the same for all admitted patients, including expectant mothers in the maternity ward. That being said, “moms in mother-baby/postpartum [units] are offered nursing-friendly hospital gowns to accommodate breastfeeding if that’s a desired part of their plan,” Sun explains.

Can You Wear Your Own Delivery Gown During Childbirth?

In short, yes. Not only can you wear your own gown, but certified birth doula Mancini says she’s seen labor and delivery teams get excited when her clients have whipped theirs out. “I have had many staff members compliment my clients over the years, and I can say the same even about my own births, when I wore one.” The hospital will certainly provide you with a labor and delivery gown, so there’s no need to bring your own. But some parents-to-be aren’t fans of the non-breathable, worn-out fabrics and unfavorable fits (they’re generally one-size-fits-all, and given that every mother has a unique body size and shape, the fit can vary dramatically).

Wearing your own outfit—one you’ve picked out, cleaned and packed yourself—can make you feel more at home. “The hospital is such a foreign environment to most, so I encourage individuals to wear something that is familiar and makes them feel at home,” shares midwife and women’s health nurse practitioner Dowd. Plus, as Mancini points out, wearing something other than what the hospital provides all its patients can shift your mindset around childbirth. “Some OBs treat pregnancy like an illness or condition when really it’s a natural, beautiful event, and having your own gown makes you feel a little more in control of your situation,” she says. If wearing your own labor and delivery gown can help you feel more empowered and relaxed, lean into that!

At the end of the day, everyone helping you bring your little one into the world wants you to feel comfortable, safe and set up for success in the delivery room. So as long as your labor and delivery gown allows your medical and support team to monitor your contractions and baby’s fetal heart rate and carry out any necessary admission processes (IV hookups) and checks (general vitals, cervical checks, blood draws, etc.) without obstructions, you should be in good shape.

The only exception, Sun warns, is if you have a C-section—whether it’s scheduled or emergency. “Moms who have cesareans need to wear gowns provided by the hospital,” she says. “This is to avoid the clean, sterile operating room from becoming exposed to ‘unclean’ objects from the outside.”

What to Look for in a Labor and Delivery Gown

The most important aspect of a labor and delivery gown is functionality. Your medical providers and support teams should be able to provide regular monitoring and medical interventions (if needed). Here are the factors that the moms and experts rated the most important:

• Ease of access. At the very minimum, you want a gown that offers easy access to your stomach, back, arms and vagina, whether it’s breezy bottoms, snap closures or Velcro openings. “Features like easy skin-to-skin access, breastfeeding, comfort and openings for monitoring, epidurals or IVs help reduce disruption,” explains Dr. Patel. Look for designs with full-coverage fronts and back openings that allow for unimpeded epidural placement. Snaps along the shoulders and sleeves also allow for IV access or for your doctor to check your breathing and heartbeat.
• Soft, comfortable fabrics. 82 percent of the moms we surveyed rated comfort as the number-one factor to look for in a birthing gown—something hospital gowns aren’t especially known for (it’s hard to be “buttery soft” when they need to be durable enough to last through countless washes). 63 percent also prioritized softness, and 43 percent placed breathability as a no-brainer. “My clients tend to love stretchy fabrics like spandex blends or natural fabrics like bamboo,” says Revere. “Bamboo wicks moisture and is great for sensitive skin. Many cotton gowns work just fine, too.” The consensus? Cotton, viscose and rayon are all good fabric choices that feel nice on your body, whether you’re contracting in bed, rocking from side to side on a birthing ball or straddling a peanut ball.
• Opens at the chest. Almost 45 percent of the new moms we surveyed considered styles that open at the chest an absolute must—and the experts we spoke to agree. “Openings for breastfeeding are very convenient,” says Dowd. “And they have very nice ones now with good coverage.” Even if that’s not your preferred feeding journey, chest access can make skin-to-skin contact during golden hour and postpartum checks far easier, all without needing to undress completely.
• Style and color. If you’ve got labor and postpartum photos on the brain, the print you wear may well be a deciding factor. But it’s not all aesthetics. As Dr. Patel points out, “a common assumption is that parents will care most about what is practical or hospital-standard, when in reality many want to feel more like themselves as soon as possible.” That can matter just as much when visitors arrive or when those first family photos are taken. Even then, says Dr. Patel, you might find that you’re not as ready for visitors, photos or conversation as quickly as you thought. “Often what they really want is quiet, privacy and time to settle in," she notes. In either case, experts agree: comfort and familiarity help—whether that’s a good-vibes-only pattern or a kimono-style labor delivery gown that more closely resembles a dress. And you’ll find plenty of alternatives in our shortlist.
• Price and longevity. 41 percent of moms noted price among their top considerations when buying a birthing gown. And fair enough. As Mancini tells her clients, “You don’t want to spend too much money on something that will inevitably be covered in blood and fluids!” Still, spending a little more can make sense if the labor dress is designed to carry you into the postpartum period. “In my experience, most women want to change into something more familiar as soon as they can—a soft robe, pajamas or anything that feels less clinical and more like themselves,” says Dr. Patel. But if you are going to splurge that little bit more, keep in mind that “the benefit of an extended-wear gown is not simply that it can be worn longer, but that it supports recovery, feeding and care without sacrificing comfort.”

About the writer:
Keshia Roelofs is an editor at The Bump, where she researches, writes and edits product-tested e-commerce content across pregnancy, postpartum and parenting. Since 2020, she has worked alongside health experts and human-centered businesses, translating complex topics into empowering content that serves those who need it most. Bringing that same people-first, research-led approach to The Bump editorial team, her aim is always to help families make informed choices with more confidence and less overwhelm.