Does it really matter? Unshaved/waxed during birth

[Tanya]

I was just visiting a US forum and it seems like I am in the minority when it comes to my liberal thoughts about pubic hair.

Most women seem to think it is dirty and unclean and feel they will be frowned upon if they are not cleanly shaven at their births. Is there any call for feeling this way?

I haven't touched my nether regions for quite a while... lack of motivation more than anything, and I really am not too fussed about it either. I know DP isn't over keen on it, but I can't even remember the last time we dtd so that really isn't an issue

I also read one lady say that some midwives will talk about anyone who hasn't groomed their privates... do they?? Not that I care, but I honestly think a midwife who has nothing better to do than gossip about the lady who just delivered with a crutch full mustn't be much of a midwife.

What are your thoughts? And it would be great to hear from any midwives... and be honest

Tanya

[visitor1]

Good question Tanya...i have thought about this... with Chels is never bothered me.. but this time im really stressing about it. Im not a fax of waxing, and shaving makes me get itchy and spiky.

DH dont care but prefers it bare...but never complains. Id be interested in knowing what midwives/drs thought about it too when delivering babies...
Id feel better within myself if it was bare... but thats not me..but id feel less 'hairy and feral' if it was all gone....but at the same time more exposed IYKWIM?

Ill be watching this thread!!

[joshuasmummy]

I didn't worry about shaving/waxing for either of my kids births. I wouldn't think that any professional midwife would care about whether you had waxed or not, it has no impact on the birth so it shouldn't matter.

[Trish]

Watching too. Honestly who wants the added itch of hair growing back after they have given birth. It was bad enough getting a trim (shave) for my c section, not only did I have the itch of my wound healing I had my itchy fanny too

I think that midwives wouldn't really care either way. A good trim I think is the way to go for cleanliness after birth, but buggar shaving it all off.

I used to joke about Tehy coming out with curls

[Trillian]

I normally wouldn't care what it looks like down there - can't see it by then so out of sight out of mind LMAO. I do like to have it done for the birth though as with my first birth I had an episiotomy and when I was getting stitched the Dr kept pulling hairs instead of the stitch, so that put me right off having hair down there for it, not that I could feel it but ykwim.

Plus, I think the greenie could prosecute me for deforestation if I did get rid of it all the time

[maddysmummy]

i shaved mine but did it just before DD due date was but she was 11 days late and it had grown back and by then i couldnt be bothered to re do it agian and plus it was a mission to do in the first place if you end up having a c-section they have to shave a little bit of it as the cut is right on the hair line!!

[Liz]

Yep, just a trim here I'm afraid. Occassionally I'd shave the edges off to make it look a bit neater, but geez - once you're that big it's almost impossible anyway! And there's no way I would wax down there! LOL. I wouldn't be able to stand the itch either!

[katkins]

(nurse here) I don't think the midwives who gossip are much in the way of midwives. When I did my 2.5yrs of my RN (I know, so close yet never finished!), we were told that body hair has it's function and the function of pubic hair is to stop dust and stuff getting into the vagina and causing problems. The vagina is self clensing and the hair helps move the mucous etc away from the opening. We were told if you shave/wax, you are cutting back the bodies natural defense system. Now, I do shave occasionally, simply because when I have AF/bleeding, I find it easier and less messy, Dh enjoys it as a change and I feel a little more confortable. As a nurse however, I believe it is individual choice and I would never comment on that type of thing! Heck, by the time ur 9 months pg, how do u see or reach properly to shave it anyway? (And my DH is too timid to do it for me, he's scared he'll cut me!hehe). People should learn to accept others as they are and not comment about such things unless asked. As I said. If you feel more comfortable hairless, by all means do it (the infection risk isn't high enough to rule it out) if you're not, dont. Some women do it in case they need a c/s. However I was told by a midwive who trained me, that shaving actually is no longer recommended, even tho a lot of hosps do it (removing stickys from skin with hair is more painful, that is why they do it) as the main infection barrier to the wound is the hair. I'm not sure I am co-herrant. Sorry. Pregnancy brain and tired now...
I've heard nurses call it the "hairy scarey", I just laugh. It's not so scarey when you see a few of em *heehe*

[sonya1]

i always hesitantly tidied up down once a week during pregnancy. but found it very hard when i had to stand in front of a mirror coz i couldnt see down there over my belly. i dont even wax it all when unpregnant - too itchy!!!
i cant see how midwives would mind. its best to do what makes you feel comfy.

[PlonkeeMumma]

hehe funny - i hadn't actually though of it until just before i had DS#1 and although i did my bikini line and didn't do anywhere else - dh tried a subtle comment about the length and TBH it was about 5" long (im sure you all wanted to now that!!) anyway i couldn't se eit by that point so he offered to trim it for me and then made me almost bald! Looked like i'd been attacked by a lawn mower according to my mirror. Didn't really care when i was in hossy though - i ended up having a c/s so

It was bad enough getting a trim (shave) for my c section, not only did I have the itch of my wound healing I had my itchy fanny too

btdt! and also the regrowing hairs went abit funny around the scar.

Plus, I think the greenie could prosecute me for deforestation if I did get rid of it all the time

LMAO!

Julie x

[Astrolady]

I have never shaven or waxed for any of the births, nor trimmed for that matter LOL. Ashton was 4 weeks early and my legs weren't even shaved I don't think pmsl

Love

[Tyige]

When I was Pregnant with DD I actually got a note from my hospital with all our book in info telling us not to shave/wax within 4 weeks of giving birth because it increases the risk of infection. I still got the note as a momento I thought it was funny. I did it as good as I could with DD and DS. A tad hard reaching over/around the big guts. lol


Ellie

[Jennifer13]

I wouldn't really care what the midwives or my ob thought, but I had a full wax done before my c/s (I knew I was having one obviously) and it made it a lot easier afterwards (otherwise they shave you and that would be itchy). Next time I think I'll go for the same, only because if I do end up with stitches or a c/s I don't want itchy regrowth! But that has nothing to do with whether it looks pretty or not...

[Ambah]

Wow Tanya, how interesting that the majority seem to feel that way in the US?

I was unshaven and untrimmed when I gave birth to Aidyn... and I didn't really care! My legs were very hairy from memory too, as shaving was just becoming too difficult & energy consuming

I might make an effort this time around to at least shave my legs, and trim (if I can reach)... but who knows if I will actually be bothered at 40wks LOL

[visitor1]

My leg hairs were long enuf to plait...LOL.. and i remember about 1 hr after having DD and going OMG look at my legs...:P

[Snacks]

In our antenatal class the nurse said its not worth shaving or waxing, as in most cases you don't know when bubs is going to come, so chances are you'll miss-time the shave/wax. She said if you do there's a risk of ingrown hairs and subsequent infection around the time of birth, though I don't think that'd be a major issue... not that I'm a health professional or anything. Anyway, her suggestion was to be 'hairy and proud', LOL. I must admit, it was the furthest from my mind when it was all happening. My laziness screams, "thatch up - its easier!"

[Trillian]

In our antenatal class the nurse said its not worth shaving or waxing, as in most cases you don't know when bubs is going to come, so chances are you'll miss-time the shave/wax.

When I went into labour with Erin, I got DH to do it just before we left LOL.

[Bathsheba]

I totally agree Snacks. I think the average midwife would be a bit more compassionate than to judge a woman in this way. I also liked your post katkins, thankyou for posting the reasons why we are designed to have hair there... it's important. I persoanlly don't like looking pre-pubescent down there but each to there own. Interesting thread Tanya.