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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think the midwife will not give two hoots about my bikini line?

337 replies

IneedAsockamnesty · 18/10/2013 22:02

I'm going into hospital in just over a week to be induced, I can not see my bikini line and am disinclined to brandish a razor and any sharp bladed object near something I cannot see.

So will the midwife even notice let alone care?

OP posts:
KarmaBiatch · 19/10/2013 03:52

I am currently in the throes of early labour, and decided to have a bath earlier and give myself a wee trim with the razor.. ended up slicing a haemorrhoid i didn't know had appeared. Oh my poor bleedy bottom, it is currently sorer than the contractions, and so very not worth it!

ZuluWarrior · 19/10/2013 03:59

I am an an anaesthetist, so have been at hundreds of births in theatre. I have never seen anyone take notice of the amount of pubes let alone have a secret giggle about them. It simply does not register with anybody.

I didn't trim or shave with any of my 3. I couldn't see my bikini line and it was the last thing on my mind!

ipswichwitch · 19/10/2013 05:00

I'm 32 weeks now and since I can't see my bikini line I've decided I don't have to give a crap about it. There is no way in hell I would ever let DH loose with a razor either. Can't even reach my calves anymore so I'm now more yeti than aspiring bikini model (dammit!)

My mam got the shave and enema experience too (I'm 36), which she told me that'd thankfully stopped doing in our area by the time she had DBro.

ElleBelly · 19/10/2013 05:40

I am a nurse, and for several years worked on a gynae ward and clinics. In all that time there was never any giggling or commenting on anyone's pubic topiary or fanny. Never ever. I find it very difficult to believe that any healthcare professionals would give two shits, and certainly wouldn't be giggling together about it.
The only time I did have a smile to myself was when a patient came in with a mobile phone up her bajingo. Even then we didn't giggle about it together.

ElleBelly · 19/10/2013 05:42

I did attempt to trim mine before Dd though without being able to see it, and left odd patches. I looked like I had mange.

GrandstandingBlueTit · 19/10/2013 06:39

I remember Catgirl posting that she had a trainee midwife friend who used to regale them with tales of untended bushes.

I suspect most midwives don't care - they will have seen everything and then some. But I suppose there probably is a small minority who do have a bit of a snigger behind closed doors.

I am sure once past the trainee stage and when you're seeing more fanjos than having hot dinners, the novelty of encountering full bushes probably wears off, and isn't worth sniggering over any more. Or not.

I mean let's face it, full bushes are hilarious.... Hmm

catgirl1976 · 19/10/2013 06:49

Trainee midwife friend is no longer a trainee midwife

Which is for the best as she clearly wasn't suited to working in healthcare / seeing people's bodies.

chanie44 · 19/10/2013 07:11

I didn't trim before I went into labour.

I ended up having an emergency caesarean under a general anaesthetic.

I remember being in surgery and I was awake, but paralysed. The dr says 'shall I shave her, she's really hairy'. Other dr says 'no i will'.

Oh the shame, how I wished the ground would swallow me up.

Lj8893 · 19/10/2013 07:19

I gave up shaving my bikini line at about 20 weeks!!

At 39 weeks I am still giving it a bit of a blind trim, but that's purely for comfort and not for vanity.

I can just about still manage to shave my lower legs, again for comfort.

TEErickOrTEEreat · 19/10/2013 07:26

I swear I wasn't shaved for my CS, which was planned for health reasons.

Could I have completely forgotten?!?! It was only 4 years ago!

MollyWhuppie · 19/10/2013 07:29

As others have said, if you end up needing a c-section, you will need to be shaved, and personally I think it's preferable to have done it yourself beforehand rather than have the midwife attack you with a dry Bic razor!

MollyWhuppie · 19/10/2013 07:36

When I was about to go in for my section the midwives were discussing shaving me, then they had a look and said 'it's ok we don't need to do it, she's already nice and tidy'! So I'm glad I went in groomed!

grobagsforever · 19/10/2013 07:36

It depresses me that there are a number of women who clearly feel their pubic hair is 'untidy'. How can.hair be untidy? It's women worryingly about a patrichal societies' notion of beauty/gromming whilst they are giving bloody birth!! Even if its a minority of women, its still very sad.

TheWazzock · 19/10/2013 07:37

I went at mine with DH's beard trimmer. Not for anybody else's benefit but because I know how uncomfortable I feel having long pubes when I'm on my period so I thought it would be easier to deal with lochia if my bush was under control. I'm glad I did Smile

TEErickOrTEEreat · 19/10/2013 07:40

It depresses me that other people get depressed about other people's decisions about their body hair or anything else that is no one else's business.

TEErickOrTEEreat · 19/10/2013 07:41

And if hair is never untidy why do we brush, comb, style, cut the hair on our heads?

blackteaplease · 19/10/2013 07:43

I have had 2 sections. One planned, one emergency and wasn't shaved for either. My cut is above my bikini line. And for the elcs the paperwork beforehand said not to shave as it increases infection risk.

Tyranasaurus · 19/10/2013 07:44

This reminds me of when I was in labour. The midwife had been examining me and we'd been chatting about whether or not she thought the baby had hair. The male doctor comes in to examine me and the midwife says to him, 'What do you think, bald?' He gives us a really funny look and doesn't say anything. It's only after he left that I realised he thought we were soliciting his opinion on future pubic hair dos :)

PoppyAmex · 19/10/2013 07:53

Do what you're comfortable with and i doubt anyone will be laughing at pubic hair (unless they're 12)

I waxed a week before my csection (not because of HCPs) but because i beber shave and really didn't want a dry bic razor in theatre! Also, like someone said up thread lochia+hair= yuck.

SHarri13 · 19/10/2013 07:56

I can say, from experience that HCPs do not care. I used to be more disturbed when there was not a hair in sight.

stinkingbishop · 19/10/2013 07:56

I just took the top edge down a bit in case I needed a C section, which I did, but tbh if there's an emergency and they're having to whip them out pronto, I really don't think anyone's going to be that fussed!

Walkacrossthesand · 19/10/2013 08:03

When I had my babies, 20-25 years ago, the previous practice of insisting on shaving women in early labour was seen as humiliating and un-necessary, a manifestation of 'old fashioned' controlling male-dominated obstetrics. How ironic that now it's women with a full 'bush' that are the topic of conversation!

spongebob13 · 19/10/2013 08:59

i would for the simple reason that IF you needed a section (please god you wont) they will mutilate you with a cheap ass razor. I got dp to do it was an elective and she actually asked the day before, I showed her said dp did a good job. if he hadn't she was gonna do it.

Jackanory1978 · 19/10/2013 09:07

Sorry I don't want to sound mean but having actually worked on many labour wards I can tell you the doctors & midwives DO notice.

It makes my job easier (applying forceps, suturing etc) if there's minimal pubic hair.

Thants · 19/10/2013 09:10

Obviously she won't care! It's shocking that sexual, vaginal grooming has become so important and prevalent that women are worrying about it when in labour.