Pre-ELCS Waxing?

[eversomuch]

I'll be having an ELCS in two weeks. The hospital did not do such a tidy job of the hair removal with my EMCS with DC1 and stuck a lot of really sticky surgical tape over a lot of hair afterwards. Ouch. So I'm thinking it would be more comfortable in the long run to have a professional do the job this time.

Have never had the treatment before, so not sure what I need -- just an extended bikini wax? Someone told me I need to have it all removed but that has never sounded appealing and I don't think it's really necessary. Or is it?

Also, how far ahead of time would be recommended? I'm thinking a week before (and don't think I'll really have time any closer to the date anyway).

Thanks to anyone willing to share their waxing wisdom.

I had a low bikini wax before I had a colposuspension (similar position incision to ELCS) and it was fine. No need to remove everything - and I should think that would be very painful as everything is more swollen from pregnancy. Completely agree with you - my regrowth was fantastic. The woman who did mine said lots of women come in for a pre-ELCS wax - she thinks it's by far the best way. My surgeon said to do it a few days beforehand so the skin has a chance to settle down.
Good luck!!

No waxing wisdom, but I have shaving wisdom. With my ELCS for DS1 (breech), DH kindly shaved me the day before with a nice razor. The next dy in hospital, they promptly dry shaved me with a bic razor (!!!!!) up to my tummy button. Apparently, DH hadn't shaved close enough, or high nough. So, if you fancy waxing our entire prgnant belly, go for it. But personally, next ime I'm going to just leave it to them....

I was advised to shave before my elcs but to leave a few days gap to reduce the chance of infection.

When I had abdominal surgery last year I just left it to them and it as fine - but I think.if you were 'liberal' with waxing you'd be fine and then they might not need to intervene.

Both times I got DH to shave the top off to quite low down the night before with a new razor. They checked it in the hospital and decided he had done a good enough job so left it alone. The dressing came off within a day or so so there was no regrowth to be ouchy when they pulled it off!

You def don't need to take it all off!
The incision is made two finger breadths above the midpoint of your pubic bone. Some units use dressings that stay on for 7-10 days so if there is hair there, taking the dressing off will hurt. Although the theatre staff will dry shave the area, they don't always get it all off so a bikini wax is more thorough.

If you do decide to go for a wax see if you can find someone who does "hot wax". It is much less painful than strip waxing as they using a thick layer of wax which does not stick to the skin, only the hairs so, whilst still a bit nippy, the pain is gone immediately. Also you don't get any wax left behind.

Great tip, HaggisNeepsTatties. Thanks. One of the local places I enquired at yesterday said they do use hot wax, so I'll seriously consider going there.

Definitely hot wax!

If you don't usually wax, now is not the time to try IMO. I love the feeling of being waxed but find that no matter how much I exfoliate I always get nasty lumps and ingrown hairs about 2 weeks after. This can be painful and sore. I still have 2 ingrown hairs from July.

IMO no need to do this unless u really don't want hospital doing it. Don't know if u were unlucky last time or ur hospital has different approach but for my last 2 sections midwife did a very small shave with electric razor (no wider than the razor itself really) and def nowhere near my belly button!!!! My scar line is really quite low, the dressing came off at bath on day 2 and I had no problems with regrowth either time. Maybe I was lucky with both - perhaps ask ur midwife beforehand?

They shaved me but regrowth was no problem because I was completely numb for weeks after.