Shellac in hospital

[Stargazer87]

Random question but I heard somewhere that you can't have shellac on your nails when you go into hospital to give birth? Is that true??

Yes - the monitors can't read through it. Ideally no nail polish on fingers or toes.

I had fingers and toes done 3 days before giving birth and nothing was says to me.

Said

It can interfere with the oximetre.

I've had a bit of a search online and there's lots of mixed messages, some say it's absolutely fine, others say the machines can't read through dark colours? Others say avoid altogether?

They can read through it but it does effect the reading. The oximeter can be placed elsewhere but again it’s not as accurate.

I think if it was an issue then the midwife would specifically tell you not to have shellac on. I never got told anything like this or even knew anything about it until this thread!

Some of the monitors can't read through nail varnish.
I'm not pregnant, but in and out of hospital a lot and if I suspect a stay is iminent I always take off my nail varnish.

They don't really like you to have nail colour on because (natural) nail colour are a good indicator of oxygen levels etc. Of course now there's technology to do this but many midwives will prefer bare nails. I was told no varnish 20 years ago, there was not a trend for shellac or extensions then

I had shellac on for both my deliveries and it wasn’t a problem. I think the midwives would make more of a point of telling you not to get it done if it was a real issue.

Id take it off.

I had it on both fingers and toes (as I always do) when I had ds. No one mentioned it except the midwife complimenting it. I had a rotational forceps delivery in theatre.
I also had it on when I had emergency surgery a couple of years ago, again no one mentioned it.

I was told specifically not to have shellac for birth and for a d&c. So I think it's best to ask your trust.

A few of you have made a good point that if it was an issue you'd be told about it in advance...

My sister is a senior midwife and I checked with her and she told me no nail polish ..

I had acrylics and no one said anything to me. It was never mentioned beforehand by midwives either.

I had to be taken in early and still had a shellac on and had to pick it off op. Honestly avoid.

The last time I was in hospital I was told to take my nail varnish off. This was for a d&c though.

I had acrylics and nothing was mentioned. I thought that was if you were having a CSection.... I may have just made that up ! 😊

I was told I could have gel/shellac on either hands or toes but not both so they'd have somewhere for oximeter if needed

But I won't have any this time round in case

I went in to be induced on a Monday and was in for 11 days ended up having an emcs, nothing was said to me and I had gel on my nails and lots of monitoring..

I'm still none the wiser, seems to be a mix of opinions 🤷🏻‍♀️

I gave birth to my beautiful baby girl 23/08 via emergency c section and had gel nails and toes! Nothing said to me and I had heart rate monitor on my finger throughout labour 🤷🏼‍♀️

It's a pain, the pulse oximeter won't be accurate. If you can leave one nail free, staff would appreciate it!