If your exposure to birth has been limited to tv shows and movies, then you’re probably under the impression that a birthing woman always wears a hospital gown: the giant tarp of starchy fabric that comes in a variety of drab colors and strange patterns that look good on no one. And don’t forget the matching robe that literally covers your ass while you walk around and around and around the L&D floor of your hospital. While you might think that wearing these gorgeous items is mandatory if you deliver in a hospital, IT IS NOT.