C-Section and make-up?

[sailorcherries]

I have a planned c-section on Tuesday and at our pre-op class and clinic visit the midwife mentioned that nail polish was okay, as long as it was pale/neutral, as was makeup.

I mentioned to OH that I planned on painting my nails a pale nude/pink colour and will be applying my normal make up in the morning before we go. He thinks I'm bonkers and cannot understand why I'd do it.

My normal routine is concealer (my hormonal skin is horrendous atm), a mineral powder foundation, eyebrows filled in lightly, mascara and lip balm. It's not ott but enough to stop me feeling self concious about spots when in public, nail polish helps me feel more together.
I hope that it will make me feel slightly more myself post birth and during the first visits from family.

Aibu in applying it before we go?
Would you apply it if you had the chance?
Am I being awfully vain (OH hasn't said this, just thinks makeup before an operation is bonkers)?

I didn't wear makeup as I wasn't allowed.

However in the end it was probably a good thing - hospital was really hot, I sweated like a pig and makeup wouldn't have been a good look.

Also, after having my first shower afterwards it was really nice to blow dry my hair and get dressed, like getting back to normal. If I wore makeup (I don't normally) then I'm sure that would also have contributed to a nice 'back to normal' feeling.

I know that there is no normal after having a baby but having been through a CS, catheters, unable to move, drips etc it was nice to feel human again.

So you might want to omit the makeup so you can relish the first time afterwards that you can put it on again!!

I do love this thread
"My medical practitioners told me make up and neutral nail polish was okay"
"No that must be wrong my Doctor said..."
"Thats right I was also told..."
"Why don't you listen to your Doctors OP?"

Different hospitals and medical practitioners do things in different ways, have different equipment and different experience. And if she gets a change of anaesthetist on the day they can remove the nail polish - this is an elective and in my experience there is plenty of time for such minor adjustments (and what would they do in an emergency).

It seems anyone who wears makeup and enquires whether others did or if hospitals generally allow it, you are putting yourself before your baby, being selfish, have got your priorities wrong, risking precious newborn skin by potentially rubbing a trace of makeup on them...

Only on mumsnet, the place for parents 😂 full of judgemental people.

Pressed send too soon.

Women give up so much to pregnancy and many continue in the same vein to breastfeed.

Their body, sleep, work, hobbies, food and drink they enjoy, independence.

They deal with sickness, aches, pains, horrid conditions like SPD, GD, pre eclampsia, their body changing, sometimes surgery, being glued to a baby for weeks on end that can only settle on the breast.

The list is endless.

Not complaining at all, that's the way it is! They do it out of love and out of wanting a baby and wanting to be a mother.

God fucking forbid they want to put a bit of makeup on, paint their nails or blow dry their hair just to feel a little like themselves or look back on photographs and feel like they look nice.

If the hospital says no on safety grounds in theatre, that's one thing, but all this bull shit about priorities is just tearing another woman down and making her feel bad just because it's not what you would do.

I just feel sad that so many women have so little confidence that they must wear make up all the time to feel good about themselves.

I do wear make-up, but not all of the time and wouldn't want to bothered with the faff of cleaning it off after a major operation. I guess I hate the thought of it clogging up my pores when I am hot and sweaty.

I had a section 8 weeks ago and the brought nail varnish removed into labour ward and told me to take it off as the put a clip thing on my finger and it couldn't read my pulse because of the varnish!

Iamastonished; it's not always lack of confidence, some people just like to look together at all times and makeup is a part of that. I'd no more leave the house without a bit of mascara and light foundation then I would with messy hair or unbrushed teeth.

susiestripes everyone can do what they want but no I don't think I'd like Clinique lipstick to be the first thing to touch my baby's skin.

I had ELCS for DD and I did have toenail polish on (they said it was allowed), didn't even consider wearing makeup. I actually limited wearing makeup when she was very small and didn't wear perfume for almost a year because I was breastfeeding and didn't want it getting in her mouth.

I just feel like newborns are so small and precious and where possible if I can limit how much unnecessary goop and gunk I put on their bodies I will. I even fought with my mother about not putting body lotion on her every day

Bottom line is, everyone is different.

It's got bugger all to do with anyone else whether women going through childbirth wears light makeup, full makeup, no makeup, styles their hair, paints their nails or shaves their arse hole if they so wish!

It does not make you more or less of a mother or woman which ever way you choose to dress yourself.

to be fair, the OP asked a question and for people's opinion!

Iamastonished it is probably partly to do with confidence but also because of HildaOg's reasons too. I do lack the confidence to go out without makeup, just now, as my skin is so bad. In other situations I've not bothered bar a lick of mascara on my stubby lashes but my skin has been much clearer. It's for no one else's benefit bar mine and not down to any expectations.
However, I also feel like it makes me seem more together for the day, in much the same way that having my hair washed and styled does.

As I said it's not much but it evens out my skin tone, covers blemishes and opens my eyes that little bit more.
Feeling that little bit more together and myself makes me feel more in control, which is something that keeps me calm in situations where I can physically control nothing.

Thank you to everyone who has replied.
Once again I am not disregarding the medical advice I have been given, by the people responsible for my care pre and post surgery. If they had said 'no makeup and no nail polish at all' then this wouldn't even be a discussion. However, they had said it was allowed and in those circumstances I wondered what others might do.

As for not washing the makeup off at night after the surgery I have face clothes and face wipes. OH will be charged with wetting said cloth so I can wash my face before he leaves, regardless of makeuo being applied. I'd never go to bed without washing my face, much like I wouldn't go without doing my teeth.

For those who have implied (or even just came out and said) that I am not putting the needs of my baby first and so on, I'd ask you to rtft where I have said that the medical team have no issues. I'm not disregarding their advice in the slightest. Please never assume that I'd chose makeup over my child, if that were the choice I was making.

newbian I wish I had a Clinique lipstick! As it is I have a natural mineral powder and concealer, a coconut based lip balm from Holland and Barrett and some mascara and eyebrow pencil.

At no point did I mention a full face of heavy coverage, eyeshadow, eyeliner, lip liner and lipstick.

susiestripes I think it's a long leap from having a different opinion to saying someone is "less of a mother."

People seemed to be saying it's vain or it's a way to feel confident, my only thought was, isn't baby going to get makeup on their face? Which has nothing to do with either and I have no opinion on it. There are methods of makeup that wouldn't smear on baby like eyelash/brow or even a good fake tan!

I'm similar to you OP and like to wear makeup even just when slobbing in the house. But when in hospital I kept it off until I was recovering from my section as they need to see your skin and nails incase they turn blue. It's their way of telling you're lacking oxygen during the op I think. But the second day post birth I re-did my nails and put a little makeup on, which silly as it sounds helped my recovery! I just felt more together at a time when you feel so out of control, tubes stuck in you, legs and feet like shrek due to water retention, pain, tiredness, boobs hanging out etc. I remember the midwives saying how much better I looked and that I'd got my colour back

It makes me really sad that this is even a consideration in so many women's lives. I'm including myself in that btw - I put on make up to nip to Tesco yesterday and I remember fretting about the same when I was pregnant.

Forgot to add, I'm glad I didn't wear it as I ended up being rushed for a section due to cord prolapse (while I was waiting for scheduled one!) and lost a lot of blood, so they did end up needing to see my nails and skin pallour.

Somebody upthread said something along the lines of thinking about wearing makeup is not putting the baby first, and it shouldn't be a priority.

That is just a smart arse way of saying somebody isn't as good a mother because they are thinking of something that makes them feel good.

susiestripes Yeah I don't see any correlation between makeup and being a mother. My mom is obsessed with the stuff and actually works in the medical field, she probably had a face full when we were born!

I've had two c-section. On the photos taken after my first, I look almost dead! Call me vain, but I put a full face of slap on before I had DS2 - and I look great on the pics taken during /afterwards

It was also a major distraction activity as I was terrified. Obviously having a healthy baby and being okay myself was the main priority, but I wasn't doing any harm putting some make up on too.

Isn't that because they check your nails to see if you're getting enough oxygen? I wouldn't risk it for that reason - you can paint them afterwards!

Lots of luck, it's an amazing time, even when you're beyond exhausted and everything hurts :)

I'd say go for it. I refused to have any pics of me when ds1 was born due to being in labour for 4 days and being absolutely exhausted. Also my hair was a fright due to having been in the pool and I wasn't able to shower until 24h afterwards I was so weak. Would have liked one of me looking relatively normal just after birth.
My dm came to see me and said I looked diabolical

Was going to say no re the nail varnish but seems like your hospital might be less strict on that matter.

I just don't agree with tearing strips off other women for doing something that makes them feel good just because someone else doesn't do it.

Becoming a mother doesn't mean you have to stop doing things that you enjoy and make you feel good.

Makeup is pointless and vain and a waste of time to some people. That's fine.

Some people just like a light touch up to brighten up their face, but can take it or leave it. That's fine.

To others it helps them feel more 'together' and is a big part of their identity. That's fine.

As long as everyone follows what their hospital says, there is no problem with individual preferences.

Making suggestions that someone has their priorities wrong for putting a bit of makeup on is just unkind.

Makeup is pointless and vain and a waste of time to some people. That's fine.

Actually, there have been studies on how people with makeup are perceived.

Seems to be as if according to their results and interpretation of them women with makeup are generally seen as smarter and more competent.

I'm not saying it's fair (or should be important in the delivery room) but I thought it qas quite interesting....

Thank you susiestripes. I don't mind telling me how they felt before/after and whether they would or wouldn't wear it and their reasons. However implying my priorities are wrong and/or that I'm a bad mother/selfish for even considering it is just plainly rude and unkind.

Haven't rtft OP but it seems that your healthcare team have no concerns so I'd go for it.

I had an unplanned c section 2 weeks ago (undiagnosed breech baby) and had gel nails and minimal 'everyday' makeup on as had gone into hospital for monitoring but wasn't expecting baby for another 10 days. The theatre staff had no problems with my nails - in fact the anaesthetist commented that she loved the colour!!

If it gives you a feeling of control over the situation I think it will be a positive thing for you. I would say - I didn't care about my makeup after the birth for a couple of days as I was sick all next day from the spinal but I did freshen up and apply concealer before visitors on day 3. Good luck!