Feeling embarrassed after first vaginal examination

[Worrywort98]

Firstly sorry if this is tmi! I'm almost 30 weeks pregnant and this morning i had a gush of pale brown/pink watery liquid. Was quite concerned so called in with midwife at hospital.

Long story short everything seems OK and didn't think it was labour.
But she did a vaginal examination (this is my first pregnancy and I have never had this done to me before) & took swaps etc

Obviously I know I'm going to have to get used to this for giving birth 😭😅, but I hadn't shaved or anything down there. My brain is telling me they're used to it, they likely don't give a rats ass, etc etc... But I can't help but feel embarrassed!! Not a question as such but anybody else experienced feeling like this or am I just feeling awkward bc it's the first time being inspected down there ? Also is it okay to not be shaved down there? Can't reach a thing haha. Just need a reassuring comment or two, please don't judge me 😂

Believe me, they've seen it all. A bit of hair wont phase them.

No they don't give a toss OP. Glad everything is ok.

No nurse, doctor or midwife care. At all. They care about you and your baby being healthy.

They really don't care! With my first baby I was so embarrassed & felt like everything had to be shaved. My second baby, I hadn't shaved in weeks and no one cared - least of all me.

All they care about is a healthy mama & baby.

I've never shaved and have given birth to 2 children. I trim occasionally but don't take everything off

They really won't care at all don't worry. It's all in a day's work! Good luck with everything x

PUBIC HAIR IS NORMAL!!!!!!!!
Id be more 😳 if you were bald!

Honestly they won't have even given it a second thought. The only thing they'll have been focused on is you and your baby.

So glad everything was ok.

All the best x

I had the same yesterday and hadn't shaved! Or my legs. But they really don't care. This is my second so I guess I'm more used to it. I also had to have an ECG yesterday completely nude on the top half and it took a while so that was fun! But yeah they don't care, they just want to know that you and baby are healthy❤️glad everything is okay!

Hahaha 😂😂 thank you lovely ladies for your kind words. I feel better already! X

They really aren't focused on that at all!!
And as a nurse myself I can assure you the main thing we are worried about is doing our job properly and focused on the task in hand whilst maintaining a patients dignity.

I t's only fairly recently that people have felt the need to shave pubic hair

I had this happen recently at a routine scan appointment. The sonographer had to check the placement of my placenta and had to do a transvaginal ultrasound. I also hadn't shaved - at 35 weeks pregnant. I said as I got undressed, I apologise I haven't shaved! 😂 She assured me they aren't interested in abit of hair, we all have it and at 30+ weeks pregnant she wouldn't expect me to be clean shaven (she's got a point, it's difficult to see past bump at that stage)

I really wouldn't worry. However, Have you never had a cervical smear test done? I know normally with those you have prior notice and can shave in preparation for.

But honestly, they've seen it all and more. Don't be embarrassed. It's normal and natural xxx

OMG I couldn’t even see my Vag for stretch and sweep (and honestly at this point didn’t even care what was going on as long as it meant it might move the baby along) please don’t stress. They have literally seen it all.

I'm a doctor and quite regularly have to carry out gynae examinations. We really do not mind at all! Hair or no hair, discharge, blood etc. Everyone looks different and I can't remember a time where I have ever once judged anyone or even remembered much about the appearance of their labia or vagina past that day. It's just a completely normal part of our job! Our bodies naturally produce hair there so I would never bat an eyelid.

Transvaginal doesn't sound fun!! Hope all was okay for you.

I actually haven't had a smear test yet, I only became eligible for them and got letters from my GP this year as I'm 25, but as I'm pregnant it'll have to wait until after baby comes!

My friend is a gynaecologist and she's always said she doesn't give a monkeys if you've shaved etc, she said she'd rather you washed your feet as often they are the only things she can smell, as she's closer to them than your fanny.

That's actually so reassuring!! Thank you for your kind response xx

I had a friend who was a gynaecologist and she used to post on Facebook with all the details of the vags she saw along with a rating of each one. She judged them hard. Put me right off going for exams, haven't even been to one and never will.

Hahaha good to know!

Omg that's so unprofessional of her and I don't blame you at all for feeling that way

Haha. Sounds believable. Has she been struck off your made up friend?

What?

You do know that women fought very hard to stop the obligatory shaving in early labour because it is unnecessary.

Public hair is normal.

I actually did not know that, thanks for letting me know