# sock on or off at the natural birth? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 3, 2013, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-on-or-off-at-the-natural-birth/665279 "2013-08-03T22:15:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![fiorano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/858c86/32.png) [@fiorano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiorano)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-on-or-off-at-the-natural-birth/665279/1 "2013-08-03T22:15:55Z")
what think about this? you keep your sock on at natural birth or take them off? if we keep sock during natural birth, nurses or doctor take them off? ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-on-or-off-at-the-natural-birth/665279/2 "2013-08-03T22:20:49Z")
I vote: WTF?! If I was pushing a melon out of an orifice socks would be the last thing on my mind, right behind “I wonder what Jeremy Piven is having for lunch…” ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-on-or-off-at-the-natural-birth/665279/3 "2013-08-03T22:23:30Z")
Why no vote for stripper heels? Makes as much sense. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-on-or-off-at-the-natural-birth/665279/4 "2013-08-03T22:25:43Z")
they have a foot fetish. also feet are medically significant. ---
**Author:** ![Rowanchilde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a698b9/32.png) [@Rowanchilde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rowanchilde)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-on-or-off-at-the-natural-birth/665279/5 "2013-08-03T22:26:26Z")
Is this a parody thread that I missed the origin of? ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-on-or-off-at-the-natural-birth/665279/6 "2013-08-03T22:28:51Z")
Upon what, exactly, are we putting the sock? And wouldn’t it depend upon whether the sock was of natural or artificial fiber? These questions trouble me. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-on-or-off-at-the-natural-birth/665279/7 "2013-08-03T22:28:51Z")
Well, socks are generally discouraged in these parts, so… ---
**Author:** ![fiorano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/858c86/32.png) [@fiorano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiorano)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-on-or-off-at-the-natural-birth/665279/8 "2013-08-03T22:37:52Z")
> [@fiorano](#): > > what think about this? you keep your sock on at natural birth or take them off? > if we keep sock during natural birth, nurses or doctor take them off? you can tell your wishes or experience about this ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-on-or-off-at-the-natural-birth/665279/9 "2013-08-03T22:37:59Z")
[_Natural Child Birth_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEwPy31vWZ8)- Bill Cosby. No mention of socks. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-on-or-off-at-the-natural-birth/665279/10 "2013-08-03T22:39:52Z")
> [@fiorano](#): > > you can tell your wishes or experience about this I wish I knew what the fuck we were talking about. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-on-or-off-at-the-natural-birth/665279/11 "2013-08-03T22:45:27Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > I wish I knew what the fuck we were talking about. Socks Edit- my answer: gripper socks, on for safety. ---
**Author:** ![fiorano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/858c86/32.png) [@fiorano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiorano)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-on-or-off-at-the-natural-birth/665279/12 "2013-08-03T22:47:31Z")
plz vote ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-on-or-off-at-the-natural-birth/665279/13 "2013-08-03T22:59:54Z")
Attempting to actually answer (what I think is) the question: My feet are usually hot, so I would not have socks on during any kind of birth, natural or cesarean. If you have socks on, I don’t think the nurse or doctor would take them off you. There is no reason for them to do so. If you end up with a cesarean, and go under general anesthesia (as I did because all hell broke loose), you might wake up to find they’ve put socks on your feet because they thought your feet were cold. You can always take them back off if your feet are too warm. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-on-or-off-at-the-natural-birth/665279/14 "2013-08-03T23:02:28Z")
The idea is to be as comfortable as possible. Take socks along and if you (or she) is too cold, you/she can put them on. If stirrups are used and the socks make it too slippery, take them off. Also recommend not going full on natural. Instead use prepared childbirth - e.g. Lamaze. > **[Home](https://www.lamaze.org/)** > > Lamaze childbirth education offers healthy birth practices, teaching healthy pregnancy and safe, natural birth. It’s still a vaginal delivery without drugs, but the sensations are controlled. (to an extent) My wife did it three times with very large babies (8 lbs 13 oz was the smallest) and drugs weren’t involved. The big upside is how quickly the mother recovers. I give full credit to my wife’s toughness - physical and mental, but it still would have been impossible without the Lamaze preparation. ---
**Author:** ![Ludy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Ludy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludy)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-on-or-off-at-the-natural-birth/665279/15 "2013-08-03T23:03:19Z")
I spent a good amount of time in a hot shower during labor, so socks off. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-on-or-off-at-the-natural-birth/665279/16 "2013-08-03T23:03:41Z")
Are we talking about the mother, onlookers, baby…? Are we allowed two socks? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-on-or-off-at-the-natural-birth/665279/17 "2013-08-03T23:06:55Z")
> [@fiorano](#): > > plz vote We would, if we knew what you were talking about. How do you get a sock on the baby before birth? And why would you? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-on-or-off-at-the-natural-birth/665279/18 "2013-08-03T23:09:17Z")
I thought socks were verboten here. However, looking at it logically, socks are manufactured and do not occur in nature. Ipso facto, they would have no place at a natural birth. So I voted “off.” ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-on-or-off-at-the-natural-birth/665279/19 "2013-08-03T23:10:13Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > We would, if we knew what you were talking about. How do you get a sock on the baby before birth? You make a fist… ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-on-or-off-at-the-natural-birth/665279/20 "2013-08-03T23:10:40Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Are we allowed two socks? **NO!!!** Just one sock you greedy freak :mad:. What a delightfully surreal thread :). One wonders what the convention is for _non-natural_ births. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-on-or-off-at-the-natural-birth/665279.md?page=2)