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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

To have this first world problem?

203 replies

Happyandhungry · 27/02/2017 20:12

So my first baby is due in a few weeks. I am about to book in for a pre birth hollywood wax Shock but i also planned on having a pedicure and manicure just to feel nice. Everyone is saying ooh no i wouldn't in case you need an emergency c-section! They'll literally stand over you and make you take all the nail polish off before theatre?! Is that true?! I planned on having shellac on fingers and toes which i couldn't get off even if they stood over me so what should i do? I am not hugely vain etc i just wanted to feel nice before going through child birth. AIBU?

OP posts:
squizita · 28/02/2017 19:26

The "you won't care for 2 years afterwards" type comments contributed significantly to my pnd.

In my mind th subtext was "you wont care for two years afterwards ... If you're looking after your child properly like a normal mum." And tbh with some people that was what they thought.

So I felt scruff and out of control.
Or
Dreadful and guilty and paranoid I should be mothering better.

And YES it WAS 'just a few online comments' - the comments added up more and more. In the end my anxiety etc almost cost me my job. The constant "it should feel like hell or youre not doing it right" mantra created a self fulfilling prophesy like an inner sanctimum/flaky mum battling.
Loads and loads of really good mums enjoy make up, nails, sport, reading, tv series, nice food etc etc. If you're lucky and have enough money and support from friends and family you might well find you're one of them. It doesn't mean you "should" be staring at your child (once on Mn someone almost convinced me I should sleep in shifts dh and watch my baby 24-7 'just in case'. Another poster called it a recipe for pnd. Good call).
You might have a situation where life is tough for the first years too. And people shouldn't take that for granted like it is "normal" ... if it's tough it's tough and sympathy/credit needs to be given, not written off as just what 'anyone' would or could do.

ApplePieLikes · 28/02/2017 19:27

Whats a pre-birth Hollywood wax?

Total first world problem.

And one I'm glad I don't have.

stoopido · 28/02/2017 19:31

Yes had my toenails done and then had to have it all removed because of emergency csection! Felt really odd a nurse removing the polish!

GrumpyOldBag · 28/02/2017 19:40

You are not supposed to wear nail polish if you are having a C-section. Although I managed to get away with it 17 years ago, on my toes.

ApplePieLikes · 28/02/2017 19:48

I know this was a humerous OP, so not too bothered about it, and nothing personal to you.

But something bothers me about the content (not the humour of the title) and all the posts following. You're giving birth and all you're worried about is a Hollywood pre-wax (never heard of it, whats the frigging point of that?) and something to do with nail polish.

MN just so weird ...

Verbena37 · 28/02/2017 19:53

It's not an urban myth.
I had to have an emergency section and they quickly scrubbed my toe varnish off. They didn't mention pinking of nails for blood pressure (thought that was for circulation anyway).....they said it was about nail polish harbouring bacteria.

Vikitaylor · 28/02/2017 19:53

Defo an urban myth. I had an emergency section and the monitors read fine through shellac. I wouldn't get tips added but polish wasn't a problem

Verbena37 · 28/02/2017 19:54

I would say that there is emergency section and emergency emergency section .....the latter I'm guessing they'd have to forego polish removal but if they do have time, thy quickly take it off.

MooPointCowsOpinion · 28/02/2017 19:58

I'd consider not having the nail varnish because your hands will be all over a baby. Easiest way to quiet a baby in a car trip is to stick your finger in their mouth for them to suck, and you don't want a newborn sucking on those chemicals.

BigGrannyPants · 28/02/2017 20:19

Why don't you just ask them, then you would know what their policy is 🤔

MrsStinkey · 28/02/2017 20:21

I had shellac on fingers and toes and I had an emergency c section. I told them it was gel and couldn't be removed and so it wasn't! Go and treat yourself!

reallyanotherone · 28/02/2017 20:23

Bear in mind also pubic hair removal actually increases infection risk. It introduces tiny tears and abrasions where bacteria hide out and get a good hold...

Wayfarersonbaby · 28/02/2017 21:37

They used to monitor oxygen levels under GA through looking at fingernail saturations. Now they just use a pulse oximeter.

Mammyofdeux · 28/02/2017 21:52

The nail varnish remover came out when I was being prepped for a section.
The midwife said 'but the nails are so pretty'. The doctor turned round and said 'would you like pretty nails or would you like to die'.
The nail varnish remover didn't actually work as it needs to be acetone, but I fairly picked off the gel polish quickly after the doctor said that.

So to summarise, it is unadvisable to go in with a gel polish.

EmMcK · 28/02/2017 22:01

Hmmm, I doubt that the waxer would have been pleased to see me rocking up at 39 weeks with my vulvar variscosities.......

DrinksFewAndPeopleMany · 28/02/2017 22:28

Random aside balloonslayer pulse oximetry does not tell you if you are anaemic or not

K80lou · 28/02/2017 23:35

Good luck with the wax! I went for a full leg and Bollywood before I was due and only managed the front of my shins before I had to stop because I thought I was going to faint! Usually I manage fine but I was far more sensitive when pregnant! And I had French shellac on my toes and fingers when giving birth and had no problem.

Palace2 · 28/02/2017 23:52

I told them to put the monitor on my toe. Not a problem (work in a hospital and asked doctor before I went for admission )

Sugarlumps333 · 28/02/2017 23:56

I wouldn't just incase - as pp have said they sometimes use fingernails to monitor oxygen levels. Knowing the NHS I would be too frightened in case that was the only monitor they had that day or something - nervous patient over here Sadwouldn't risk it - definitely not. Fuck shellac, would just want to be as safe as possible.

BalloonSlayer · 01/03/2017 06:49

Thanks Drinks I had wondered! I thought as anaemia stops oxygen getting to your cells it would < polishes ignoramus of the year award > Grin

MargaretCavendish · 01/03/2017 07:00

You're giving birth and all you're worried about is a Hollywood pre-wax (never heard of it, whats the frigging point of that?) and something to do with nail polish

What an unnecessarily nasty post. It isn't all she's worried about, it's just the question she's asked here. It's normal to worry about small things as well as big when a major event is happening for you.

mnpeasantry · 01/03/2017 07:27

Had shellac on fingers and toes before my planned c section. The wonderful doctors and nurses just told me how lovely my pedicure was.

I took no jewellery along though.

Natstar98 · 01/03/2017 07:45

I planned to have my nails done last year for my birthday as a treat and to feel nice for when my daughter was born. Baby then decided to be transverse and C section was booked. All consent forms said that all nail polish must be removed, so the nails never got done. After a stressful few weeks baby turned and came out naturally. Am I disappointed I didn't get my nails done? No, all that matters is that my baby arrived safely. And I don't quite understand the waxing thing either. I shave my lady garden but once I get too large to reach I just let it grow. I'd much rather have a huge bush covering that nasty swelling that starts in the 3rd trimester and the car crash of birth! My baby is now 9 months and my nails haven't been done and my bush has been whipped off only once 😂

BretonTop · 01/03/2017 09:43

Ugh. The amount of people on here ignoring the safety measures hospitals impose to keep you and your baby safe and alive is shocking.

Ask your midwife OP and do as she says. Coming from someone who has had a planned c-section, but then nearly died from bacterial meningitis a few hours later, every second does count. I personally wouldn't want to make the nurses' and doctors' lives any harder.

And Hmm to the poster who said that OP's friends should only ever talk about positive birth stories. That's not real life.

ClockBusCanada · 01/03/2017 10:53

Check out the shoe photos from the Oscars, lots of the celebs are doing the natural look on toes instead of polish/shellac. Just get pampered and a tidy up without going for colour. If it's good enough for JenAn...

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