Did you wear makeup in labour?

[MakiJ]

did anyone wear makeup during labour? Well, probably makeup is the last thing on my mind but wanted to know everyone's opinion / experience

No but I took some to hospital both times (and will this third time - coming soon!) and put it on once I'd calmed down a bit afterwards.

Yes I put makeup on at 4am with DC2 (did it on the loo as my waters gushed out actually) before heading to hospital.

I have bad acne and can't bear people seeing me without some make up. Haven't left the house without concealer in 20+ years. If I'd had none on I would have been thinking about it and didn't want to be thinking about that in labour. I realise nobody would have cared probably but it's just the way I am after years of awful skin.

Nope! Waters broke pre-term at 4am, I wasn't going to fuck around with makeup. The pictures of me looking exhausted, shit and euphoric holding my precious girl are my favourite pictures of me ever taken.

Arf. No.

Kind of. I'd had lash inserts and gel nails done a few days before so they looked good.

I've only ever had them done twice, once for my wedding and then for labour. I was determined even if I looked hot and sweat and knackered in the first photos I would have nice eyelashes.

Looking back at the photos I don't even look at me, just the chunky little boy I'd created.

I had false eyelashes on, I'd had them put on for Christmas, last about 3 weeks so they were still on. I looked quite glam with no effort, despite a shocking labour and birth .

No.
I didn't want pictures of me with a newborn looking dreadful though so I just made it clear to dh that there were to be no pictures of me! Plenty of the dc of course

I once had shellac nail job and was unwell, the doctor couldn't get the oxygen sats thing to work on my finger because of the shellac so if you do get your nails done I'd suggest you go for just plain polish.

Hell no. I had a bath before i went to hospital though, mainly to relax.

Didn't think about it at all, and the couple of photos I do have from straight after the births are private anyway.

One thing worth thinking about is that you might turn out to have had a Caesarian or something else that immobilises you for the first few days ... worth taking in some dry shampoo, face wipes, brush and makeup to keep near the bed in case you won't be able to shower or wash.

God no. Though I don't wear it much anyway. How I looked was the last thing on my mind.
Also, trust me, when your face is screwed up in pain or pushing, no amount of make up is going to make you look good.
Maybe take some for photos after if you feel so inclined but I couldn't have cared less.
Also, if those damn Bounty women turn up, instruct your other half to tell them to bugger off.

No I didn't but I rarely wear make up but if I did am sure I would have done.

raven those things are definitely useful bit even if you have w c section they encourage you to get up within hours. I think it's 4hrs or so later and I was up and showered the next morning after an emcs at 4:30pm, I was up and out of bed, and had been helped to have a wash down by 11pm that night.

Unless you are really poorly you will be up and able to wash and not they help you, with my eldest I was immobile due to pelvis issues and they basically gave me a bed bath.

Haha.
I did have my hair done the week before and usually always have my toenails painted but both times that was it.

Woke up, pushed him out, looked fucking amazing again.

This made me laugh so much!

I think that if you are inclined to wear make-up, then you should go for it. Fully support this and I don't think it's vain. Aside from the fact that make-up is often our armour in the sense that it makes us feel powerful, I think it would help me feel more like a big, exciting thing was happened, rather than a big scary thing.

I'd add the proviso that it's probably best to take the sensible approach and buy 'holiday make up' especially for the big day though, i.e. waterproof. The last thing you want is mascara melting into your eyes.

5madthings I had a Caesarean years ago and the procedure is very different now, but I was not able to get up for the first couple of days even if I had wanted to, and no showers due to all the tubes sticking out. Didn't help that I got mastitis :)

I had makeup on for the day as I was going to my DGPs for Christmas dinner etc.

However, I did then spend about 2 hours in the shower once I got to the hospital so I think it all either steamed/sweated/washed off.

I don't think I put on makeup again for the next week, but on or around 4th January there was a big family dinner and I think I had made the effort for that (back to my DGPs again!).

I am beyond stunned by this thread.
Do some posters put make up on as soon as they wake up just in case anyone sees them without it?

Ha no! But that's because my labour started in the middle of the night so I had taken mine off. The pain was immediate and awful. I could barely dress to go to hospital let alone put anything on my face.

I had make up on for my second though, elcs!

Lorelei - I automatically get up and shower and ready for the day which includes any makeup before anything else is done. So this morning woke 6.30am, by 7.15am I was showered, dressed, hair and basic makeup (don't slather it on). Then I start my day. So yes I would be ready if I went into labour after breakfast for example

Not intentionally, was at work, finished work that day for mat leave, had leaving drinks, so was wearing some...got home, made dinner, labour started, had him 3 hours later in a birth pool at hosp. Not to complain but my curly hair was v frizzy from the pool!

Same here Artandco

I get up at 6.45, go for a shower, brush my teeth, moisturise and then put my make up on (takes ten minutes). Then I start my day.

If I didn't do all of the above, I'd feel as though I was walking around in my PJs. Wouldn't happen.

I never wear makeup, so no I didn't

God, no.

I mean, by the end of it all you don't really care that a million strangers have seen your fanny and/or boobs, so a bit of mascara is neither here not there.

Nope, my waters went just before midnight so I was already makeup-free and ready for bed, then contractions started soon afterwards so putting any on was the last thing on my mind for the nearly 24 hours that followed before I got to hospital and had the blessed epidural...

I look knackered and very young but also very happy in the pics, and I'm fine with that. I know others who wouldn't be though so if it's important to you, just make sure you've got some in your hospital bag so you can touch up before important pics!

Make up, yes I put on my skin coverage to cover my very bad pregnancy skin. I wouldn't have felt happy without doing it. I was putting on make up less than ninety minutes before my first baby was born, but I have two levels of make up - one to look normal, one to look attractive. So basic skin coverage is just to look normal, and that's what I did. I don't regret it and in fact did it again.

I think it's fine to care about who sees you and how they see you. A 'million strangers' didn't see any bit of me during birth. One midwife helped me to give birth, each time. Because I let them at that point. No one else touched me during birth (including my oh who I didn't want there either) then I had a well qualified friend help with bf in he days following. You can give birth without letting it all hang out if you want to, or you can dangle naked from the chandeliers as baby plops out. I think the whole 'you won't care and by the end everyone will have seen you naked' thing is really scary and off putting to many people.

It's OK to care.