vagina etiquette?

[amybelle1990]

I'm due in 7 weeks and I've allowed myself to get a little... ungroomed downstairs. Did any of you get 'tidied up' downstairs or did you just leave it until afterwards? I've never paid for waxing or anything and shaving is out of the question atm. I'm sort of thinking that whatever my vagina looks like the midwife will have seen worse but I don't know what the general standard is.

Any opinions?

BE CAREFUL!!!

I'm usually an "all off" kind of girl however since being pregnant maintenance has not been at the forefront of my mind.

The other night I decided enough was enough! Had a bath, then got in the shower to defuzz. Had a hard time with lifting bump, moving thigh fat negotiating various creases etc that I had not had previously.... looked down... red water.

Got out the bath wrapped towel round me and sat down on side of the bath to do legs.

Stood up towel full of blood! Slight panic at thought of removing parts of anatomy with a cheap razor. Decided in wisdom to swallow pride and call DP. DP walks in the bathroom while I casually say "could you just check I have not done myself a mischief" Turned white and ordered me to lay on the bed so he could check.

Reported back (after getting a massive maglite out of his wardrobe! thanks for that dickhead!) that I had took a chunk out my groin and done a really bad job of the hair removal, that I looked like a piebald pony and to let him do it next time!

:)

Very reassured now, thank you ladies... not that it's the thing I'm most worried about of course

signet you poor thing! I wasn't going to do it on my own because of the gouging risks, but I was a bit tempted to ask my DP for a hand :S he'd probably say yes knowing him

Signet, after hearing your story, I am feeling lucky that when I was pregnant I couldn't reach my own fanjo.

Op, the midwife won't care.

My unshaved fanjo had my mother in fits of laughter in the delivery room. My DS had a full head of hair when he was born. It was the same colour as mine. It looked like I had the world biggest ginger fanjo as he was coming out!

My mother was bloody lucky that I had had an epidural and could see the funny side too.

One thing never mentioned in books or classes. Just as the hair on your head can become more luxuriant than usual???

as a midwife frankly, there is NOTHING that would surprise me.

If the midwife doesn't know that a woman has pubic hair then they were not delivering my baby

I had my roots done, bikini line and legs waxed, eyebrows shaped and tinted, eyelashes tinted, manicure, pedicure and a spray tan......

DD was 2 weeks late which meant my fake tan and eyelash/eyebrow tinted had faded, I had to go to theatre after birth which meant removal of all nail polish and I'm sure the midwives couldn't care less that my bikini line was nice and neat and my legs smooth.

If I have another I certainly wouldn't bother!

Omg binfull just read your post. How funny! That actually made me laugh out loud! Typical woman thing to say!

Flosie. For the labour ward? Did you get confused and think you were off on holiday?

I think midwives nowadays feel sorry for all these chicken- skin labia.

I tried to trim mine a couple of weeks ago with DH's beard trimmers. I can't see my feet let alone my minge. I managed to nick myself with the clippers and did a right shit job. It currently looks like I'm hoarding Brillo pads, probably.

I shaved most of mine bar a triangle, last week at 34 weeks. Did it blind, no chance of seeing that far down, bit risky but results look ok. Just make sure you use a nice new sharp razor blade for it.

My section is booked for 24 Sept, so I figure there will be enough regrowth by then to cover the skin, without it being too bushy! From past experience I can tell you it is not so pleasant to have much hair when there is lots of blood about. I haven't shaved near previous scar yet as have heard this isn't recommended now?

And the previous poster who said about the goatee at the front love it...I totally get what you mean! ha ha ha

Haha floggingmolly I probably did get confused! Either that or I misunderstood the birthing process!

I shaved my bikini line for birth number two as when I had a section first time around one of the registars dry shaved me and I found it a bit humiliating. Otherwise I don't touch my pubic hair and wouldn't really think of doing so for birthing, or any other occasion really.

mrswoz My main concern was ending up with a 'Mr Twit's beard' type scenario with blood and gunk. Might just make sure it's trimmed.

"Mr Twits beard".... "wookie"..... "goatee"... Oh my god, I am crying here!

I can't believe women used to be routinely shaved as part of their prep for labour- I therefore remain au natural as a point of principle (in other words, I can't be arsed" if you can't see it, it just doesn't matter!)

I wouldn't worry about it, a mw/doctor/surgeon doesn't care.

I didn't worry about what I looked like and I came to the conclusion that even if I was the most terribly hideous person they had ever seen naked they were hardly going to point it out to me!

I have Brazilians normally. Went for my wax yesterday and she suggested going for a Hollywood as a one off for the birth,which I probably will on the basis if I needed an EMCS there would be no need to get shaved and have itchy regrowth in the scar (I don't find wax regrowth itchy).

The undercurrent by some on this thread that any women who don't like the pubes-to-yer-knees-look are at best silly, at worst wannabe porn stars is mildly amusing, but daft.

If natural floats your boat all credit to you, but it isn't my bag. There's room for all kinds of pubic topiary (or lack of it) in the world, I reckon. It's just personal preference.

That said, I can't imagine midwives give a hoot either way.

I think for postnatal comfort and ease of care, I will be having a professional "short back and sides" (high bikini wax). It is NOT FUN washing dried, congealedc blood out of your pubes when the whole area is sore and owie .

When I had DS I went in with a full-on 70s bush and it was not pleasant afterwards.

I did have a bikini wax before I had my dd only for my own benefit, midwives see a lot worse than hair. I have had previous experience just 2 words upset + stomach= something a lot worse than hair!

I didn't bother shaving or waxing before DS was born, and none of the midwives or doctors who saw my bits batted an eyelid. They were all too busy encouraging me to push DS out.

Seriously, they'll have seen thousands of vaginas and plenty of pubic hair. They won't care a bit. I reckon they'd only be all if you went in for vajazzling.

"'The midwife didn't mention it with any of my labours"

Really? I would have thought you'd be handed a penalty notice telling you you'll be fined if you have the temerity to look like a mature adult woman next time you give birth..........

I asked my midwife friend about this, whether they cared about the neatness of lady gardens. She looked at me as though I were mad and began to laugh and said, and I quote:
'the things ladies find themselves to worry about never fails to amaze me. SERIOUSLY??? People are worried about this??? The most asked question I get is am I going to poo myself (yes apparently although most people don't know they did and if they don't know the midwives don't tell). We couldn't give a stuff as long as you're clean, if you go shaving it into a shape or dye it a silly colour it may get a raised eyebrow but each to their own.' And then she carried on laughing for a good five minutes.
So no, I don't think midwives care. For personal pride I shall neaten myself down there I think though. No thigh sideburns for me.

Purplecatti I am chuckling loads at both your friend's incredulity at our daftness about pubic styling and your "thigh sideburns" comment!

I was bloody massive with my DS's and couldn't see a thing, there was no way I was going to do it blind. DH refused, so I grew my very own National Forest. I had CS's though, so it wasn't like anyone was staring at it for long.