“To be born with a shirt”, what does it mean?
The birth of a child has always been surrounded by an aura of magic. Painful for the mother, it is certainly not easy, but also “divine”. It’s not for nothing it’s the prerogative of only us women 😉
Well, if childbirth can be seen as a sort of “miracle”, a birth “with a shirt”, due to its rarity, has always been synonymous with good omens.
Being born with a shirt is nothing more than the birth of a child still wrapped in an intact amniotic sac . The newborn looks completely wrapped in a soft, gelatinous bubble.
Births like this are rare and amazing to see. They are so rare that most gynecologists and midwives have never witnessed a spontaneous delivery with bag retention in their entire careers.
What are the causes of a “birth with a shirt”?
The amniotic sac consists of a double membrane and contains the amniotic fluid in which the baby is contained during its stay in the uterus.
Baby floats comfortably inside this footmuff as they grow and develop. Amniotic fluid is a light yellow liquid that protects the baby from shocks and keeps it at the right temperature.
This liquid helps develop the baby’s lungs, stomach, intestines, muscles and bones.
Births wrapped in the amniotic sac are less common in vaginal deliveries than births by cesarean section . This is because membranes usually rupture spontaneously during or shortly before labor .
It also happens that labor begins without the waters breaking and proceeds without the bag breaking, and the child is consequently “born with a shirt”. During a cesarean delivery, doctors normally go through the amniotic sac to lift the baby. But sometimes they may choose to lift the entire baby and amniotic sac for a “shirt delivery”.
In other words: In a vaginal birth, a shirtless birth happens by itself, completely by accident. In this type of birth, a preterm (or premature) baby is more likely to be born with an intact sac than a full-term baby.
It may happen that a baby can be born with a fragment of membrane adhering to a part of the body. When this membrane covers the head and/or face, we speak of “birth with a hat”
Sometimes the piece is large enough to cover the child’s shoulders and chest, such as a sheer superhero hood and cape.
Meaning of a birth with a shirt
As with all rare events, some cultures and traditions believe that shirted births have a specific or even magical meaning.
Being born with a shirt is seen as a sign of good luck for both the child and the parents. Parents and midwives in some cultures also choose to dry and store the amniotic sac for use as a good luck charm.
In our culture, the way of saying “being born with a shirt” to indicate a very lucky person has remained in common language .
What happens after birth?
If your baby is born with a shirt on, your doctor will gently open the fluid-filled sac. The amniotic fluid will begin to drain and the membranes will tighten around the newborn.
During and shortly after birth, the baby still gets plenty of oxygen and everything it needs while inside the amniotic sac. The umbilical cord (connected to the navel) is filled with oxygen-rich blood.
Births are therefore not very different from any other birth. If you’re having a vaginal birth, the main difference is that you won’t feel your water breaking.
Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.
Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.