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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Hair removal before birth

42 replies

imaginationzero · 08/01/2014 21:21

Hello

I'm 33 wks pg and my mind is now in preparation for birth mode.

I've been exploiting the sales and my thoughts are now turning to how I should prepare myself.

I know midwives and doctors see all manner of 'down below' hair removal and otherwise. I'm just wondering if I should prepare myself with a wax so it's one less thing to worry about when the time comes.

Any thoughts or advice please

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Cavort · 08/01/2014 21:23

Do whatever you feel you need to but you really will not care a jot if you look like King Kong down there when the time comes.

Climbingthewalls12 · 08/01/2014 21:24

I'm someone who pretty much always has it all removed. That said it was the last thing on my mind when I was preparing for birth. If it all goes to plan the midwives and docs are going to be seeing you pushing out a head scarred my OH for life I think the last thing that they will be thinking about is your hair lol!

meditrina · 08/01/2014 21:25

There is no need to 'worry' about either the presence or absence of pubic hair.

It makes no critical hygeine difference (slight preference to non-depilated, as no micro-abrasions to follicles mean less chance of irritation/infection) and "freshness" is subjective.

Original poster

imaginationzero · 08/01/2014 21:26

I know no one else will care, just thinking about my own peace of mind!

OP posts:

Mabelandrose · 08/01/2014 21:28

I would have a wax. It makes any repair work a bit easier according to my best friend! Birth sounds so glamourous.

PenguinsDontEatKale · 08/01/2014 21:30

Why is your peace of mind dependent on being hairless down below?

I fully support anyone's right to do what they want with their pubes, but I think it's a bit sad if you feel uncomfortable at someone seeing them 'au naturel' (as opposed to preferring it that way).

PenguinsDontEatKale · 08/01/2014 21:31

Mabel- I am afraid your best friend is talking bollocks. The bits of you that might tear or be cut are hairless anyway.

cravingcake · 08/01/2014 21:34

I would recommend a trim if nothing else. Makes keeping the area cleaner a lot easier when you have a lot of lochia (bleeding) and is easier to keep any potential stitches clean. Other than that do what makes you feel most comfortable.

PenguinsDontEatKale · 08/01/2014 21:36

Yes, a trim is a totally different matter. Shorter hair can be easier for hygiene afterwards. It's just not going to actually help them stitch you up to have waxed.

Mabelandrose · 08/01/2014 21:42

Ok I didn't mean a wax necessarily. That's just my preference as it's quick and easy. But I think being neat and tidy must make a big difference.

lilyaldrin · 08/01/2014 21:46

Pubic hair isn't going to make a difference to an episiotomy or stitches, they might need to shave some for a c-section though.

PenguinsDontEatKale · 08/01/2014 21:47

Honestly, it will make zero difference to patching up any damage. If you prefer it that way, it will make keeping the area clean after a bit easier as there is a lot of blood and obviously you can't use tampons and it's all a bit tender.

I really don't care if people choose to wax. I just find it sad that the OP isn't thinking about how she feels, but how uncomfortable she will be about other people seeing her body as female bodies naturally are.

cookiemonster5678 · 09/01/2014 07:31

I find it sad that quite often people cant ask a simple question on here without being made to look/feel stupid or have to justify themselves for asking.

She was just asking for advice on what other people have done previously, I'm sure others have had hang ups over small things like this too.

Anyway, back to original poster... As others have said, you probably wont give a monkeys when you are in labour, but that isn't helpful at this moment in time... While its on your mind now, you might as well plan to sort it out with a wax/trim whatever is your preference! I imagine it is more hygienic for keeping down there clean after the birth and in the following days and weeks, and if you feel more comfortable waxed/trimmed then thats a bonus!

PenguinsDontEatKale · 09/01/2014 07:37

I'm not making her feel stupid. Had she said "I like a full wax, what is the best time to get it done" or something I wouldn't have commented. But her whole focus is what medical professionals will feel if she doesn't. That is worthy of comment because maybe, just maybe, the right choice for her is to address that feeling instead of booking a wax. As I said, I couldn't give a toss what people do if it is their own choice for their own preference.

MarlenaGru · 09/01/2014 07:41

I had a wax before my first. It was way way way more painful than childbirth! I have had several when not pregnant and it wasn't sore at all. In fact the woman doing it said most places won't do pregnant women and thought I was mad. I only did it because of people on another child website suggesting it was "better". This time I might trim if I can see down there.

mrsmugoo · 09/01/2014 09:50

I always have a full wax as I prefer the way it feels. I'll definitely be timing my appointment so it comes close to my due date - but more for the fact that i know I won't be able to get it done for a good long while afterwards and I want to maximise the amount of time I'm hair free.

Nothing to do with how a HCP might perceive me, or my DH for that matter.

cantthinkofagoodone · 09/01/2014 09:54

I think a wax would be sore due to increased blood flow. You really do leave your dignity at the door!

Locketjuice · 09/01/2014 09:56

A midwife told me its easier if its not like a wild forest as it's easier to see what's going on, so as long as you don't have it down to you're knees It really doesn't matter.
You don't want a wax making you stingy!

WillBeatJanuaryBlues · 09/01/2014 10:04

I wouldn't do it for vanity but for hygiene and as someone said to see more clearly what's going on....

with the lochia and so on and possible stiches its better to have area as clear as possible.

Parliamo · 09/01/2014 10:05

I also find it a bit weird that anyone feels the need to look like a pre-pubescent child/ porn star at any point never mind during child birth, but it's a free country and all that.

Fwiw, I wouldn't have been able to lie/ recline on my back long enough without feeling breathless and faint. I was also way too sensitive during pregnancy, especially late on, so maybe sooner rather than later.

I suppose pube-free would have stopped me wondering if it was my or the baby's hair I could see wafting in the pool between my legs when I peeked at crowning point! :-)

MirandaWest · 09/01/2014 10:11

I am very much not bothered about what my pubic hair is like - I don't trim it for smear tests etc. And with DS I just let it grow and after a while I couldn't manage to do anything anyway as my bump was too big.

But I lost a lot of blood after he was born and wasn't able to wash properly for a few days and even when I could the blood matted my pubes so much that I had to cut it off. It really didn't make me feel great.

With DD I did a little more trimming while I could and after birth it was a lot better.

curlew · 09/01/2014 10:15

One thing I don't understand about the "it's all about cleanliness and hygiene" brigade is what they actually do to get blood and other gunk all over their pubic area. I can understand trimming thick hair all round the actual "business area", but in years of heavy periods and two births (one dramatically bloody- Dp was particularly proud of the blood stains on his shoes) I have never got blood on any but the bottom of my "pubic triangle"

OP. Trimming might be a good idea if your hair is particularly thick, but the HCPs won't mind, and if you are not used to removing it all please don't do it for the first time just before giving birth. You may find it leaves your skin very sensitive, and that, plus regrowth itchiness is the last thing you want post birth.

mrsmugoo · 09/01/2014 10:15

Why does everyone get uppity about full waxes automatically being some kind of porn thing?

I've had a full wax for years and it has nothing, literally NOTHING to do with wanting to look like a porn star or a child. I just prefer it that way!

Like I have brows threaded, shave my legs and like to file my nails. It's just the way I like to have it.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 09/01/2014 10:48

For ds1, I had no pubic hair removal at all. I had to have an episiotomy, and there were no problems either suturing it up, or with the healing process, nor did I find it a problem to keep clean.

By the time ds2 came along, I had started shaving it all off, and it made absolutely no difference whatsoever to the birth experience.

So my advice, imaginationzero would be to do what makes you feel most comfortable.

MrsMugoo - it's my understanding that the full wax thing first came to prominence due to its use in porn films, and therefore some people will argue that everyone who shaves/depilates/waxes themselves has been influenced to do so by the porn industry, even if it is at second/third/seventeenth hand.

I don't accept this - I started shaving because I wanted to know what it felt like, and when I did, I liked the way it felt, so have carried on ever since.

meditrina · 09/01/2014 11:01

"Why does everyone get uppity about full waxes automatically being some kind of porn thing?"

Because it simply didn't happen before porn was widely viewed.

Though compulsory shaving of women in labour was widespread in the 50s, and rightly campaigned against as unnecessary until policy changed.

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