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

[IneedAsockamnesty]

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?

Sorry, that remark was uncalled for. I apologise.

Wah! Lost a post. I'll try again...

I cannot believe that shaved pubic areas are more hygienic than clean, fluffy muffs.

I'm with this woman

But don't fluffy muffs get sweaty??

writerwannabe What worries me, though, is that what we 'find attractive' is largely dictated by what is considered attractive by society in general. eg in Georgian times, rounded faces and curvy bodies with slightly chinless looks were considered GORGEOUS, and in medieval times hairlines were plucked to give high foreheads that today would be considered very odd-looking!

The reason that shaved pubes have - over the past 15-20 years - become 'the norm' and thus considered 'attractive' is because of the increasing instant availability of porn where women are shaved to make sure that they present more of an eyeful to the audience, while simulating very young children's genitals.

I'm really not convinced that this is a healthy origin for a norm in our society.

And my fluffy muff has never been particularly sweaty - obviously in line with modern mores, I bathe and shower regularly

Pubic topiary is about to jump the shark. In five years' time, all these women banging on about how it's more comfortable, oh it's tidier, it's cleaner and my hubby likes it - they'll all be back to ignoring their pubic hair like everyone used to (and most of us still do).

I am actually really concerned by Bruthas post and also by the idea that pubes need to be shaved to give birth.

I am too old to share this specific grooming norm, but be assured it will come and go and your DDs will have something else to obsess about that you all find odd.

But if it interferes with medical care, then that is a serious problem.

I agree with the confusion about why some people choose to go completely bald - I have come across 3 people in my past who have completely shaved off all their pubic hair and I found it really, really off putting because as has been said, it made me think of pre-pubescent teenagers. I felt very uncomfortable looking at them naked and I found it difficult to completely relax during sex - the image of their bald genital areas never seemed to be able to leave the back of my mind.

I do keep my area trim but I would never completely shave it all off because I think all men and women look better with some than none. I said before that I'm fair haired so I'm lucky that I don't have to remove much to make it look aesthetically pleasing (to me anyway) but it is more just the length that I keep on top of

erm I 'rock a 70's vibe' pube wise - I am never especially sweaty - but then I bath or shower every day - I can not be bothered with the faff and the regrowth and the ingrown hairs and the cold

trimming my pubes does not make me look pre pubesent, believe me i still have a good covering of hair, i just keep.it short say a cm or less? it stops it poking out of knickers or swimming costume. is better for dealing with heavy periods and with eczema.

tbh i dont always shave my legs or armpits, when i do shave my legs i only do up to my knees as i am.not that hairy.

as i said its for my personal comfort, i dont care what others do tho i would never shave my pubes, the thought of the itching/re growth sounds uncomfortable.

Oh meant to add - for both of my sections they only shaved the bit where they would cut - not my entire pubic area - but they did it with a fucking Bic Orange

I've found fluffy less sweaty than bare. Maybe pubic hair wicks sweat away or something.

As a former nurse, I have witnessed some very unprofessional giggling about pubic hair, "apron" stomachs, tattoos, piercings, large breasts etc etc.

Any unusual and distinctive features do get noticed. You are being naive if you think otherwise.

Well thank you for that CoconutRing you have just made the self conscious feel even worse about themselves.

I shaved everything with contractions every 3 minutes before I would even think of going to the hospital. its a personal thing if it doesn't bother you don't shave if it does then shave. I doubt they will care either way.

Don't do it! I was worried about this with my DS but needn't have bothered or worried. As long as you have showered/had a bath recently that's all that matters!

Even if the midwife did care, I couldn't give two hoots. I'm having a baby not entering a beauty contest!!

It really is the last thing you will want/be able to do when massively pregnant.

coconutring then those people shouldn't be in the profession and people shouldn't sit and listen to it.

Of course they're going to get noticed people aren't being naive, people just think people in a position of trust ie nurses and midwives shouldn't judge and most definitely shouldn't pass spiteful comments.

Bruthas go for your smear!!!! Seriouly you're that bothered about a nurse who you will probably never see again worrying about the fact that shock horror an adult has pubic hair that you're willing to risk your health?! I agree with all the comments that there is something wrong with the world when women feel the need to spend time and money removing their entirely natural pubes but tbh I find your post disturbing. No one cares if you have a forest down there or are completely bald but you are using it as a reason to avoid screening for cervical cancer!

I neaten myself up a bit when I can be arsed - not very often tbh and it certainly wasn't a priority when I was so heavily pregnant I couldn't see it! I've had smears when it was neat and tidy and one when it was a matted overgrown bush, no hcp has ever commented or seemed bothered either way and if they were I would be mightily pissed off at them for being so unprofessional!

And removal of pubic hair isn't a modern thing, they did it in ancient greece because they thought having hair there was 'uncivilised'.

In the middle ages it was removed to remove the risk of lice.

I have been nursing for ten years and as I said earlier I have never ever come across "giggling" about any aspect of people's bodies. And anyway, I went for my smear last week, with very hairy legs and untamed pubes.

Coconut says people notice unusual things.

Are pubes actually unusual? I get that women in a certain age bracket tend to groom them, but we old bags over 45 don't, normally. Surely,most people in hospital and having smears and so forth are older?

Giving birth, clearly,people are young.

Yeah beast its a sad state of affairs if pubes are unusual now.

What is the obsession with getting rid of pubic hair anyway?

I have been known to trim, because of heavy periods, but never shave? Who, other than your partner, gets to see those bits? And who has a partner that's ever complained? Have you ever complained about a male partner's pubic hair? Nobody I ever got close enough to for them to see that area ever mentioned it.

And I have never, ever known a healthcare professional even raise an eyebrow at my unshaved bikini line.

Fair enough...I don't wear bikinis. But do people really look to see if others have hair showing???

If people really feel that to be 'as nature intended' down there is a sin ,it makes me feel that I've maybe led a very sheltered life!

As a former nurse, I have witnessed some very unprofessional giggling about pubic hair, "apron" stomachs, tattoos, piercings, large breasts etc etc.

Any unusual and distinctive features do get noticed. You are being naive if you think otherwise.

Naive? Or maybe just expecting HCP's to do as the 'P' suggests, you know, be professional

I mean FFS, large breasts?? Are we employing 14yr old school boys to deliver babies these days?