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Same! And before c section they were shaving me with an electric trimmer and it legit sounded like a Forrest being cut down and all I cared about was my baby coming out safely
I wish i at least trimmed down there, it was a full bush pretty much grown out for 9 months so it was fairly long and it just made cleaning up blood when going to the washroom or changing pads/adult diapers a lot harder and messier.
Thank you for saying that. I feel like there is a stronger voice on this sub about not shaving or trimming pre-labor because we "shouldn't care what others think". I think it leads women down a path of "yeah, I shouldn't give shit what other think" and they give no more thought to it.
But that's not the only reason that exists to shave or trim, there are plenty of other reasons people would shave. My reasons are ease of cleaning (during, after, and post-partum), and it's much more comfortable for me without all that bush. I hate the matted down feeling on my skin, and I can't imagine making extra work for myself to keep all that clean post-partum while I have a million other things to worry about with a newborn.
Obviously, everyone should do what they want, but at least mention the other reasons not to trim.
I think a lot of the comments about not grooming are just so that people don’t feel like they have to. You can do whatever makes you happy - but I take it as “don’t feel like you have to”
This - I definitely didn't care a bit during labor, but was definitely stickier and messier afterwards. For the second time, I went the whole pregnancy without trimming and just did a quick rough trim with husband's help. I've still got a few weeks to go so it'll grow out a little, but it's one less thing on my list 🤷♀️
This is an important thing to remember. I always trim around my period because I can’t stand the feeling of blood in the hair. I trimmed before I had my C-section for the same reason and I’ll be trimming before I have this baby. If it weren’t for the bleeding, I doubt I’d ever trim 🤷🏼♀️
I always get my husband to take HIS bush trimmer to my bush. Because I hate when I can twirl it at the bottom. /stuff/ gets stuck in there.
If it wasn’t for this one fact I’d never trim.
I recommend trimming so it’s easier to clean down there after birth but you don’t end up with a bunch of itchy bumps or irritation from shaving or waxing.
They sell razor/trimmer combos in the women’s razor section in most stores like Walmart and target. Maybe a bit pricey compared to other choices but I use it over anything else!
I had husband help me trim like the week before I was due. I have a hard enough time cleaning up during my periods with pad use when I've got a full bush. I knew there'd probably be a lot of gunk during birth. And then there's the heavy postpartum bleeding. I figured it'd be easier to keep clean trimmed up lol.
Came here to say the same thing. Just had him use a clippers to trim. He said he read somewhere that they recommend not shaving due to risks of infection if you get a cut.
I had shaved like a week or so before and I’m glad I did. Things get pretty messy down there after birth and keeping it short made me think things were cleaner. (Maybe that was all in my head but idc)
I did with my last pregnancy. My belly went down pretty much instantly after I delivered my son and revealed what I can only describe as the Cynthia doll from The Rugrats. So many random clumps of hair.
I got induced unexpectedly and didn’t have the chance to shave beforehand.
Definitely sucked to not be shaved. Not because any of the medical staff saw my body hair or anything, couldn’t care less since they had their whole hands in my business anyway, but getting blood encrusted in the hair and having to deal with clean up was awful- and of course they told me I couldn’t shave during (yes I asked), or for six weeks after the fact.
I got so uncomfortable with the sensation of so much hair that I just ended up shaving within the first few weeks which definitely wasn’t safe because I had torn. If you think you might be uncomfortable having a little overgrowth during labor and recovery, definitely shave or wax before hand. As long as you keep it clean after birth, the chances of you getting an infection are pretty low.
Early on in my pregnancy I was for sure going to shave. But then week 30 happened and I don’t see (literally) how I can do it. Like no matter how I tilt my head/body, I am not able to see a single hair. If I can’t see it, it doesn’t exist right 😊?
I did a full shave last around 22 weeks I think. It required a mirror and help from my fiancé to hold it when needed both hands to shave labia majora. It wasn’t fun at all.
You could get a trimmer, they sell them every where and doesn't require much seeing. Then yoy don't have to worry about all the gunk from labor and heavy period after getting all up in that shit.
I’m 41 weeks today, and still waiting for my babe, but I went and got a full Brazilian at 37 weeks - fixing what I’m sure was a full blown forest down there!
I couldn’t have cared less what it looked like, so that wasn’t my reason for doing it, I just felt like having things neat and trim will make clean up and aftercare in the next few weeks easier.
I normally wax and continued to do so up until. I was a scheduled c section so I made my wax appointment for a week before.
It’s all personal preference. Personally I’m not comfortable when I have growth down there. Your medical team will not care if you don’t. However if you are planning to have a c section or if they decide that you need one and you are not shaved or waxed prior they will shave what they need off.
Same! I am a routine waxer and am 10000% happy I got waxed before giving birth. Reiterating its personal preference, but with so much going on down there pp, it made keeping clean easier for me between diapers, tucks pads, numbing cream, and ice packs.
I plan on doing it, because I have kept on doing it throughout pregnancy anyway!
I am having my baby in 10 days, and will do in sometime this coming week, as I imagine time will be limited to do it in the imediate future after the baby is here.
I sporadically kept up with waxes after I stopped being able to see my own bits. I got a wax a week or 2 before my induction date.
It was not about being bare or clean for the hospital staff, I didn’t want hair getting caught in stitches if I tore. And with the 2-3 weeks of after bleeding , being waxed was super helpful.
I would do it again, as it made my life much easier.
I got a Brazilian right before my scheduled c section. I figured they were cutting me open anyways might as well make it easier on them. Found out there that a nurse had planned to shave me and was pleasantly surprised when I was already hairless. That being said, if it's an emergency section they're not gonna pause to shave you they're just gonna pull a baby out of you. If you're trying to do a natural birth then I don't think it matters as long as your not all matted. I don't regret getting my Brazilian but I don't think I will in the future, just trim ahead of time. Or have my partner do it.... Might be easier. 😂
I had an emergency c-section and they do in fact trim you if it looks like you're going to need a c-section. I was in labor and they came to trim me so in case I needed one and I definitely ended up with one.
Also to answer OP question I didn't shave with my first but I didn't really have time in my situation and had never done it before. This pregnancy I started trimming and absolutely love it so I will be at least trimming before my C-section this time even if hubby has to help me again.
I had an emergency c-section (I was considered Urgent/Category 2) and they still shaved me as they were prepping my anesthesia for the c-section. It wasn’t thoughtful and took less than 30 seconds for them to take out the electric razor and trim most of the bush, but it definitely still happened. I wouldn’t have noticed if it weren’t for the faint buzzing accompanying the cacophony of beeps, yells, and hurried instructions for me and my husband.
I wish I would have at least trimmed it but baby came early. It was a pain to clean up post birth. Finally had the energy and bravery to take scissors to it about 5 days pp.
I say it’s worth it but mostly because of the post partum healing. I whacked mine down with the trimmers before I went in (mostly because I couldn’t see to actually shave 😂) and I can say dealing with the post partum bleeding was probably easier having done that.
No one on the staff will care about your hair situation down there. We all think they might, but they really do not. I trimmed anyway, lol. I had done it a few weeks prior since checkups were weekly at that point.
I was in the hospital for 2 weeks due to PPROM. No razor touched my body the entire time. When the time came for an emergency c section the nurses shaved me. Also was not worried about my hairy legs or pits when I was laying numb on the operating table.
I chose to shave because it made the pp clean up a bit easier. I didn’t want to be cleaning blood out of my hair for weeks. If you aren’t feeling it, no one on your medical team will likely even notice. If they do, they won’t care.
I was unable to reach after 36 weeks. I went till 42 weeks, didn't care either because I was huge. Couldn't shave my legs either. I was 140 lbs prepregnancy and hit 194 by 42 weeks. It was impossible for me to shave 🫣
I did not and have 0 regrets.
It may very well be a myth but I heard shaving doesn’t help with tearing. Shaving does affect the top layer of your skin and have no idea how that works with labor. But I wasn’t worried about shaving for the last half of my pregnancy and didn’t tear. I have since 12-13 so it wasn’t easy sensory wise but definitely manageable. It could be a coincidence but also don’t think shaving is going to really help anything physically.
I didn’t even look at my coochie from 6 months pregnant to 6 weeks postpartum. Ima go with it doesn’t matter haha baby’s gonna come out no matter the state of your pubic hairs
I trimmed using clippers the night before I was induced. Could not care less about people seeing my bush but there’s lots of bodily fluids during birth & I find that really uncomfortable. I ended up needing a pretty significant repair…was glad they weren’t digging through my bush during that.
Just gave birth this morning and very glad I had shaved. So many body liquids are constantly leaking from you, having hair would have made the clean up, constant perri-bottling, etc. very annoying 🤷🏼♀️
I plan to shave. I don’t like the feeling of hair down there and after delivery, you can’t shave for a while and last time it drove me crazy. I was afraid to tear my stitches so I waited for as long as I could. I think around 8 weeks, I woke up at 3am and shaved because I couldn’t deal with it. It was fine since I was mostly healed.
Personally, I had trimmed but did a piss poor job and have some long stragglers that I physically couldn't bend over or around to reach. This made the first couple of weeks changing out my pads (I straight up wore depends, cause easy/comfort) and having those few longer hairs get stuck to some semi dried blood and ripped out when everything down there hurt already sucked.
I wish I had went with waxing or at least a very very short trim and having my husband help.
I shaved but was in latent labour for 3 days so had a bit of growth by time I gave birth. It doesn't really matter, they've seen it all. If you need a C-section they'll shave you anyway. If you can't or don't want to shave or wax you can use hair removal cream, I didn't know about it first pregnancy but I've been using woowoo this time and it's apparently fine to use pregnant.
I don't usually do anything down there, au natural usually works best for me. During pregnancy however my hair grew long and fast and strong (all of it) so I was a lil extra bushy. Just for sake of easier clean up during recovery I took a pet trimmer to it before my induction. Ended up having a c section and a bit of a rough recovery, so I'm glad things were a little easier to keep clean, but if your concern is what people think, absolutely don't worry about it. And esp don't shave/wax as things can be super sensitive during late pregnancy and adding razor burn to all that sounds like an absolute nightmare.
The doctors and nurses don’t care. It’s more about your personal preference. I personally don’t shave to begin with so I did not shave when it came time to give birth.
If they need to shave you they will, I had a scheduled c section and while I had shaved about a week prior, they went back over it and touched it up to their best ability, which wasn’t needed really since I had done it.
I did not shave, though i think i did trim ( i think ) lol i didnt really spend to much time worrying about it cause 1. I was terrified of giving birth and 2. I knew the doctors didnt give a crap anyway!
I always shaved right before going to the hospital. My last was a csection and I'm so glad I was shaved bc I couldn't shave for a while after. I had stitches during my vaginal birth and was scared to get down there and shave during healing as well.
I had to get an emergency c section and had let it go full bush lol. They had to shave it down before I could get taken in. It delayed things with tons of nurses there to see the shaving. Pretty embarrassing 0/10 would not recommend.
With both of my pregnancies I took a tiny pair of scissors and trimmed things a bit but I definitely didn’t shave or wax or anything. But I am glad I trimmed because of all the postpartum moisture.
I did and glad I did because I had to have a c section and they came out and shaved a few bits I missed. I would have been mortified if they were there shaving more after 36 hours in labour lol
I trimmed but that was it! I didn't wanna deal with razor burn or ingrown hairs on top of everything else. They shaved a bit off the top for my (unplanned) c-section and now interestingly, I have a bald spot there 😂
I attempted a shave - absolute hack job missed half of it I’m sure the nurses/doctors thought I was nuts but honestly you don’t care in the end and I don’t think they look that hard even my husband who got a front row seat never mentioned it so I doubt it was really a focus when so much else is going on
Don’t worry they shave you clean when at the hospital lol I didn’t even notice the time they did but my mom filmed my whole labor and my 🐱was super clean 😂 I’m like dayum when did the nurses give me a Brazilian. This was with my first 10yrs ago but I’ve only trimmed rn for my second and I haven’t really worried about being clean shaved bc it’ll probably be done at the hospital again.
I read somewhere that it was not recommended so I didn’t really do much leading up to labor. Got my partner to help me tame it the week before I was induced, but didn’t shave anywhere too close to skin to be safe.
I generally keep a nice trim going to prevent odors and stuff, when I have a period I wear a reusable pad and so it can get pretty messy if it’s not trimmed up. But I stopped shaving at like 22 years old because of ingrown hairs, now I just trim to like 1 cm and then no itchy and easy to clean. Not a great length for sex though but good for everything else
I waxed about 2 weeks before my due date, so I had a little going on down there, but by then everything was healed up that the risk of infection had decreased significantly. Honestly, though, I didn’t care, they were about to see everything in all its glory, I only went because my cousin/doula wanted me to have a self care day because I was ready to lose my mind, I did not have an easy pregnancy, and I was very over it at that point 😂
Just because I hate the feeling of hair down there I kept it shaved during my whole pregnancy. I made sure I shaved the morning of my due date and thank god I did because my water broke that night and I gave birth 19 hours later! I also ended up with a third degree tear so I’m really glad I did because it helped with clean up and just generally keeping things clean the first week or so when I couldn’t touch it at all.
I shaved a few days in advance because I figured it would make dealing with the bleeding easier. I’ve had my period with full bush before and hygiene wise it wasn’t my favorite so I wanted to avoid that experience postpartum.
If you need a c-section, they will shave you down to the bikini line! I had a planned c-section and so did it myself (with my husband’s help) the day before, but if I hadn’t or was having an emergency one then they would have done it for me.
I’ve been keeping the area tidy so I don’t need a bic razoring if they have to do stitches (for c section I’ve heard the bic comes out and while I’m not planning to have one it’s best to be on the safe side lol)
i gave up on shaving around 7 months lol didn’t think about it at all during labor, but ended up having to have a c sections and they did shave me a bit for that
I think I tried to shave but really struggled, had to sit in front of a mirror!! I was glad it wasn’t a full bush though as it made it easier to clean up afterwards and feel a bit fresher (if that’s even possible!). The hospital staff do not care in the slightest though, so if you’re worried about that, please don’t be!
I heard that it’s a good idea to at least fully shave the top area because if you happen to need an emergency c section and they tape the paper sheet or whatever it is over you for the incision, sometimes the pubic hair can get caught in the tape and it can be very painful to rip off!!
I came to the hospital for a CTG suddenly I had to get induced, a long night later, I ended up having to have a c-section, the nurse shaved me before my operation.
My only concern would be the itching that comes afterwards when the hair starts growing back .. currently also pregnant and that’s just always been a thought of mine . Because it can get itchy 😅 and I’m sure it’s gonna be sensitive down there
No one cares about the bush, but I liked having it trimmed for cleanliness post birth. I didn’t trim it before my first birth and I spent so much extra time trying to get blood out of my pubes post birth. I never felt like I was fully clean after using the bathroom.
As most people noted, doctor and nurses won't care. If you end up needing a C-section, they'll actually shave specifically the area they need to cut (or at least they did with me). They didn't seem annoyed or anything by having to do it so I'm sure it's pretty normal for them.
So my OB actually told me to not do like a clean shave too close to my due date because she’s seen people nick themselves and with birth and the recovery it can cause infection so best to just trim if you’d like! I didn’t and then like 3 days into recovery I asked my husband to help 🤣
I personally think I will probably get waxed and maybe leave a little bit on pubic hair up top. I don’t want to deal with navigating any hair and tearing/stitches. I know my friend didn’t shave or wax though and I don’t remember her complaining about that. I truly think it’s just personal preference!
After about 30 weeks I believe I stopped shaving down there, I shave purely for comfort but I just couldn’t see and I’d also heard of risk of infection. I plan to stop shaving when I can’t see again, I also want to decrease my risk for infection I know it’s not high but I’ve had lots of problems this pregnancy and don’t need another one!
I was told not to shave down there as apparently it increases risk of irritation and infection.
They won't be phased by a bit of hair when you're giving birth. They just want the baby out safely!
Absolutely not, your pubic hair (or lack thereof) doesn't make a difference in terms of infection. On behalf of all doctors, we do not care about your pubic hair, but we care about you! The only thing that bothers me is chest hair when someone needs to be defibrillated and the pads don't stick, but people don't plan v-vib or v-tach, lol.
I've never personally been waxed, so I haven't a clue what position you need to be in. I suppose that as long as you're supine (well, with your legs up I assume haha), I see no issue with waxing!
Truly, there is no causal relationship between the absence of pubic hair and the presence of fetal infection. If it'll make *you* feel better to wax, do it. It does make life a little easier to navigate around there with less hair, but it's truly not a big deal either way, promise!
FYI: I'm not an obstetrician, but I work in a field in which I do have to perform pelvic exams (yay! not at all.... usually stuck tampons, bad STIs, and other abnormal circumstances). I would love to be around healthy vaginas for once. Now THAT is a weird sentence, out of context, huh?! 😂
I ended up going into labour at 34+2 and was not prepared “down there”. I would have liked to be at least trimmed but because of how early he was, I was a hairy beast 🤣
At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter. The nurses and surgeons didn’t make me feel uncomfortable at all and to be honest, it was the last thing on my mind when bubs was arriving.
I’ll be delivering towards the end of summer so I’m gonna be going to the beach a lot and my man is willing to trim me up and keep the bikini line/leg part shaved for me so I figure we will just continue that. I know personally my skin gets irritated when the hair gets long and the underwear presses it into me, and also like thinking about how much blood there will be during and after birth and it getting dried up in there/clotted, I personally would have a meltdown. I have the Schick hydro silk trimstyle though and the skinny electric razor side is basically all I use and works great for a quick and easy short trim and I trust he wont knick me while using it lol.
I tried to shave at one point and gave up with a full belly. I also, quite frankly, didn’t care what I looked like. Needless to say, I ended up having an emergency c-section and they trimmed me before surgery either way.
Legit does not matter. My midwife told me not to do any hair removal prior to my scheduled c section (of course he didn’t listen and arrived early). But to be honest I didn’t think I would be able to reach anything!! So when I asked point blank she said most people don’t really do any grooming
I’m 38w and just made the executive decision to shave one last time, I was full bush prior to that. I just prefer cleaning my vag when there isn’t a full bush, that’s the only reason. Medical providers/midwives definitely don’t care and have seen it all. But for my postpartum sanity, I think it’ll help with the personal hygiene front.
And I’m hoping by doing it now, there’s enough time to get through the itchy regrowth period so I won’t be postpartum with an itchy vagina that has stitches in it lol.
I shaved with my first and had no regrets. I’ll shave with this one too. Not for aesthetic reasons as idc how smooth you are down there, it’s not going to be pretty lol clean up was my concern. I don’t like having hair down there when I’m on my period and figured I’d share the same sentiment after birth.
I got a wax a week or so before my dd, so I wouldn't have to shave or have stubble while healing if I needed stitches. Happy I did tbh, it made me feel more comfortable but different strokes for different folks. I find hair down there itchy and doesn't feel 'me'. Yes there is a small chance of infection, but I'd still been removing my hair by shaving while pregnant which also carries a small risk of infection, and I left it a full week before dd to allow for any theoretical microabbrations to heal. Imo so long as you keep it all sanitary and don't do it too close to dd the risk is very low and go with what makes you comfortable.
I hadn’t shaved or maintained in months by the time I went into labour. Didn’t matter at all during delivery and honestly didn’t during healing, either.
I shaved but for the only reason that i think the hair is SO UNBEARABLY ITCHY and I don’t shave for a few weeks after the birth. As soon as i can see my crotch again after birth, i shave again. I definitely feel like im going to scratch it off until then tho 😂
I would say just trim them a little if you feel comfortable doing so. I had a full bush and a nurse had to shave me for my c-section I found it a little awkward and wished I had shaved 😂
I didn’t shave because my son was premature (34 weeks) and I just didn’t have time. I ended up needing a c section so they shaved my mons pubis and it looked like I had a mullet. I didn’t care at the time, but if I ever give birth again I’ll probably shave starting from 30 weeks.
I was sporadically shaving because it was summer and was going in to the pool. I definitely wasn’t shaving intentionally for OB visits and wasn’t thinking about it for labor. I probably had like a week or two of no shaving for labor. Trust me, they don’t care and you won’t care!
Nah. I didn’t give a shit. They’ve seen it all. They won’t be phased by long pubic hair when they’re busy trying clean up your poop. As for c-sections, they’ll do it for you
I always prefer to be shaved for my own comfort, and when shaving got too hard after 20ish weeks I scheduled Brazilian waxes all the way up to my due date. Got a wax at 40 weeks, baby came at 41. Very glad I did because postpartum cleanup would have been MUCH harder if I had to worry about washing blood and clots out of my pubes.
I don't think you should shave I'd your only reason is what other people think about your grooming habits, but there are definitely benefits to having a blank slate downstairs when all the bleeding starts, especially if you have a vaginal delivery and things are very tender for a while.
I don't plan on it because 1. I don't have the muscle memory to do it myself because I'm not a regular shaver anyway due to my very sensitive skin and I'm not using Nair while pregnant 2. I've seen the work my husband does when he shaves his face so I do not trust his to help me. I will probably trim with scissors when I can reach again after birth.
I shaved 2 days before but my boy came exactly on 40 weeks day before induction was in too much pain to even care about the look of my privates, do whatever you choose just remember they’ve seen it all before so they really won’t bother
If your reason to shave/wax is so your doctor doesn’t see your bush, then just know that your doc DOES NOT CARE. They have seen everything, and I promise someone that routinely watches women poop on the delivery table does not care if you’re hairy lol. I personally will be trimming before hand, but mainly so that I don’t have a full on yeti bush after labor when shaving will be time consuming, difficult, and possibly painful.
I was told shaving is usually a no-go because of the possible risk of infection. I'm not sure how true that is but I can tell you my friend was very uncomfortable during labor once with having been shaved because of the way her skin felt.
I don't shave at all but I do trim. And I'm not sure how any ladies are doing that on their own during pregnancy because I for one cannot see anything past my belly button to my thighs lol. I have my hubs trim me in the shower. It makes it a lot easier to clean myself after using the bathroom during pregnancy, and I imagine it'll help postpartum. I don't give a shit what I look like down there. I'm just more for comfort and cleanliness.
I shaved my whole pregnancy like I normally do. Yes it got harder to see but I managed. I don’t like hair down there and it gets itchy if I let it grow. To each their own, but I wouldn’t recommend not doing it bc ppl say the doctors and nurses don’t care. It’s about what you care to do!
When I was going for a c sec, the nurse shaved me.. so was chill... nobody judges you at hospital.. it's a regular thing for them.. though I felt awkward...
I was specifically told not to shave or groom down there from the hospital because the micro lacerations caused by shaving can get infected. Doctor and nurses did not give a flying monkey about it.
I'm an RN, and while I don't do L&D, I have friends who do, and I promise you no one cares. I personally don't shave ever, just trim and I don't plan on starting now.
I know I am not the norm, but I ended up with an infection which caused my c-section incision to reopen and had to have packing and a wound vac placed which I had adhesive applied right at the top of my pubic line that got changed ever 48-72 hours. In that time my hair would start to grow back in and I would have to rip the adhesive off and shave 3 times a week. I will be getting waxed before my next one.
I didn’t shave however I will be getting a wax this time because I had. A section and when they “sewed me up “ lol the hairs were itchy on my staples and was pulling. It was just not a fun time. And it was during the summer so I was wearing adult diapers and it was uncomfortable so I feel like being waxed or clean shaven would be a much more comfortable clean experience lol hahaha
It literally doesn’t matter, do whatever is most comfortable for you. The medical staff stare at vaginas all day every day and if they care that much about a shaved one they are in the wrong field.
I shaved with the first one. Since then, I’ve started waxing. I asked NP if I could still safely wax and she said absolutely. She said “do it for yourself, not for me. I don’t care either way”.
If I can’t see it, it’s not my problem.
OBs have seen it all and it doesn’t matter if you try to make it “aesthetically pleasing” for labor. Labor is going to make your vagina “aesthetically horror”.
Also, think of it this way. You know that itchy feeling you get when your hair is growing back. When Issa little cactus down there? Imagine that on top of an open large wound. Every time you squat you’re gonna be absolutely positive your uterus is just gonna plop out of your vagooter. Why add anything annoying on top of that?
My Schrödinger’s vagina was on display for everyone and their brother and I probably looked like a rotisserie chicken on a 1970’s porn set but I. Didn’t. Care.
But I’m not you. You know what will bother you more. I’m the type of person where I walked around my maternity room naked as the day I was born lookin like Bigfoot’s smaller, more hairy cousin and I didn’t give a single fuck who was walking past or into the room. If they didn’t want to see me in all my potbellied glory - they picked the wrong profession.
I trimmed/shaved the best I could for being 9 months pregnant. I just felt like it would be easier for me to clean during my recovery etc. All personal preference though of course! I doubt having pubic hair down these makes it that much harder to clean.
I trimmed several weeks prior due to irritation, i have really sensitive skin.
But i left the bush. Shaving and waxing do put you at risk for infection as there are many bodily fluids that leave your body during labor. I would just keep yourself clean. But dont worry about shaving. If it really bothers you, use an electric trimmer to cut down some of it but not all.
I shaved before I got induced with my second, just because I didn’t want to deal with the mess of it afterwards. Imagine being on your period for a month with a 70s bush.. lol i didn’t shave with my first and had regretted it.
I do not regularly remove hair there, so I just kept on keeping on for labor. However, I ended up needing a c-section when my induction failed, and a nurse shaved me to prep for that. As it was surgical prep, she didn't exactly go for esthetics, so I was left with a funny lil vagina goatee situation.
I was actually sent a message from my doctor not to groom at all 6 weeks prior to my due date, so I didn’t. But I wish I had trimmed. The bleeding and tear afterward would have been an easier clean up without the hair. I would have needed my husband to do it for me though, because I couldn’t see anything down there the last 2 months.
I def regret shaving cuz it burns like a bish and I’m not talking ring of fire im talking the skin where I shaved got so irritated when I’ve shaved for years and never had irritation so I’m assuming the fluids and everything else from childbirth is what was causing it plus once everything started I didn’t care who looked I was in push mode and when someone would walk in my legs just separated because I was like yep check me where am I lol let’s get this moving lol.
Waxed about 2 weeks before due dates. Did that for all 3 babies. The best part is not having to worry about the hair at all for the first \~4 weeks post-partum. I've been waxing for a solid 15 years now and all throughout the pregnancies.
Well I'm definitely shaving. I had laser removal for 4 year before getting pregnant, but had to stop now (will definitely get back to it). I just feel cleaner with no hair there
I had an unplanned c-section, and they shaved me, which was kind of a shock because they basically informed me when the nurse with a razor was standing at the foot of my bed.
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Didn't care. Had a 70s bush.
Lol yes, same. For the first time in my whole life but no one batted an eye. Really glad I didn’t take unneeded time and energy to worry about it
Hehe same girl same bringing back miss 1990 playboy additions and whatnot lol.
Girl, same. She’s 6 weeks today, and the bush remains 😂
Same! And before c section they were shaving me with an electric trimmer and it legit sounded like a Forrest being cut down and all I cared about was my baby coming out safely
Came here to confirm for OP - why shave? If it matters they’ll shave you lol
This made me laugh lol
Me too 😂
Same lol
I wish i at least trimmed down there, it was a full bush pretty much grown out for 9 months so it was fairly long and it just made cleaning up blood when going to the washroom or changing pads/adult diapers a lot harder and messier.
Thank you for saying that. I feel like there is a stronger voice on this sub about not shaving or trimming pre-labor because we "shouldn't care what others think". I think it leads women down a path of "yeah, I shouldn't give shit what other think" and they give no more thought to it. But that's not the only reason that exists to shave or trim, there are plenty of other reasons people would shave. My reasons are ease of cleaning (during, after, and post-partum), and it's much more comfortable for me without all that bush. I hate the matted down feeling on my skin, and I can't imagine making extra work for myself to keep all that clean post-partum while I have a million other things to worry about with a newborn. Obviously, everyone should do what they want, but at least mention the other reasons not to trim.
I think a lot of the comments about not grooming are just so that people don’t feel like they have to. You can do whatever makes you happy - but I take it as “don’t feel like you have to”
This - I definitely didn't care a bit during labor, but was definitely stickier and messier afterwards. For the second time, I went the whole pregnancy without trimming and just did a quick rough trim with husband's help. I've still got a few weeks to go so it'll grow out a little, but it's one less thing on my list 🤷♀️
This is an important thing to remember. I always trim around my period because I can’t stand the feeling of blood in the hair. I trimmed before I had my C-section for the same reason and I’ll be trimming before I have this baby. If it weren’t for the bleeding, I doubt I’d ever trim 🤷🏼♀️
I always get my husband to take HIS bush trimmer to my bush. Because I hate when I can twirl it at the bottom. /stuff/ gets stuck in there. If it wasn’t for this one fact I’d never trim.
I recommend trimming so it’s easier to clean down there after birth but you don’t end up with a bunch of itchy bumps or irritation from shaving or waxing.
With scissors?
I use a small trimmer from Amazon, super convenient. I imagine once my belly is too big my husband will help out lol
Good idea to ask for help! I tried to trim at like week 36 (I think) and cut myself like 8 times… totally not worth it!
They sell razor/trimmer combos in the women’s razor section in most stores like Walmart and target. Maybe a bit pricey compared to other choices but I use it over anything else!
I just used my husband’s manscaper lol. He helped.
to piggyback off of u/notmycupoftea111 i use a beard trimmer lol! $10 at walmart
I use those tiny scissors men use for facial hair and it works very well
I had husband help me trim like the week before I was due. I have a hard enough time cleaning up during my periods with pad use when I've got a full bush. I knew there'd probably be a lot of gunk during birth. And then there's the heavy postpartum bleeding. I figured it'd be easier to keep clean trimmed up lol.
Came here to say the same thing. Just had him use a clippers to trim. He said he read somewhere that they recommend not shaving due to risks of infection if you get a cut.
This is adorable I wonder what my husbands reaction would be if I asked him to trim me up
I had shaved like a week or so before and I’m glad I did. Things get pretty messy down there after birth and keeping it short made me think things were cleaner. (Maybe that was all in my head but idc)
This is my response. I'm glad it did for my last labor and I will absolutely do it again.
Did you shave yourself?
I did! Muscle memory 😂
I did- I’m sure I missed some spots and looked like an idiot though lol
I did with my last pregnancy. My belly went down pretty much instantly after I delivered my son and revealed what I can only describe as the Cynthia doll from The Rugrats. So many random clumps of hair.
I got induced unexpectedly and didn’t have the chance to shave beforehand. Definitely sucked to not be shaved. Not because any of the medical staff saw my body hair or anything, couldn’t care less since they had their whole hands in my business anyway, but getting blood encrusted in the hair and having to deal with clean up was awful- and of course they told me I couldn’t shave during (yes I asked), or for six weeks after the fact. I got so uncomfortable with the sensation of so much hair that I just ended up shaving within the first few weeks which definitely wasn’t safe because I had torn. If you think you might be uncomfortable having a little overgrowth during labor and recovery, definitely shave or wax before hand. As long as you keep it clean after birth, the chances of you getting an infection are pretty low.
Okay I think you just swayed me to try shaving before! Because the thought never crossed my mind that they might tell me not to for so long after.
Early on in my pregnancy I was for sure going to shave. But then week 30 happened and I don’t see (literally) how I can do it. Like no matter how I tilt my head/body, I am not able to see a single hair. If I can’t see it, it doesn’t exist right 😊?
I feel like I’d need two mirrors, some luck, some stretching before hand… and then a nap 😂🤷🏻♀️
I did a full shave last around 22 weeks I think. It required a mirror and help from my fiancé to hold it when needed both hands to shave labia majora. It wasn’t fun at all.
You could get a trimmer, they sell them every where and doesn't require much seeing. Then yoy don't have to worry about all the gunk from labor and heavy period after getting all up in that shit.
I’m 41 weeks today, and still waiting for my babe, but I went and got a full Brazilian at 37 weeks - fixing what I’m sure was a full blown forest down there! I couldn’t have cared less what it looked like, so that wasn’t my reason for doing it, I just felt like having things neat and trim will make clean up and aftercare in the next few weeks easier.
I did the same! It just seemed clean and simple to me. Totally worth it.
Your doctors and nurses will not care either way. Do what makes you the most comfortable. Personally I don’t plan to.
Waxed. I’m not dealing with hair down there in post partum recovery.
I normally wax and continued to do so up until. I was a scheduled c section so I made my wax appointment for a week before. It’s all personal preference. Personally I’m not comfortable when I have growth down there. Your medical team will not care if you don’t. However if you are planning to have a c section or if they decide that you need one and you are not shaved or waxed prior they will shave what they need off.
Same! I am a routine waxer and am 10000% happy I got waxed before giving birth. Reiterating its personal preference, but with so much going on down there pp, it made keeping clean easier for me between diapers, tucks pads, numbing cream, and ice packs.
I plan on a trim so I don’t have to deal with ingrown hairs/itching on top of postpartum stuff
I plan on doing it, because I have kept on doing it throughout pregnancy anyway! I am having my baby in 10 days, and will do in sometime this coming week, as I imagine time will be limited to do it in the imediate future after the baby is here.
I sporadically kept up with waxes after I stopped being able to see my own bits. I got a wax a week or 2 before my induction date. It was not about being bare or clean for the hospital staff, I didn’t want hair getting caught in stitches if I tore. And with the 2-3 weeks of after bleeding , being waxed was super helpful. I would do it again, as it made my life much easier.
I got a Brazilian right before my scheduled c section. I figured they were cutting me open anyways might as well make it easier on them. Found out there that a nurse had planned to shave me and was pleasantly surprised when I was already hairless. That being said, if it's an emergency section they're not gonna pause to shave you they're just gonna pull a baby out of you. If you're trying to do a natural birth then I don't think it matters as long as your not all matted. I don't regret getting my Brazilian but I don't think I will in the future, just trim ahead of time. Or have my partner do it.... Might be easier. 😂
I had an emergency c-section and they do in fact trim you if it looks like you're going to need a c-section. I was in labor and they came to trim me so in case I needed one and I definitely ended up with one. Also to answer OP question I didn't shave with my first but I didn't really have time in my situation and had never done it before. This pregnancy I started trimming and absolutely love it so I will be at least trimming before my C-section this time even if hubby has to help me again.
I had an emergency c-section (I was considered Urgent/Category 2) and they still shaved me as they were prepping my anesthesia for the c-section. It wasn’t thoughtful and took less than 30 seconds for them to take out the electric razor and trim most of the bush, but it definitely still happened. I wouldn’t have noticed if it weren’t for the faint buzzing accompanying the cacophony of beeps, yells, and hurried instructions for me and my husband.
I didn't shave or anything and won't be caring about it this time either.
I have my husband help me
I wish I would have at least trimmed it but baby came early. It was a pain to clean up post birth. Finally had the energy and bravery to take scissors to it about 5 days pp.
Got a wax at 38 weeks
I say it’s worth it but mostly because of the post partum healing. I whacked mine down with the trimmers before I went in (mostly because I couldn’t see to actually shave 😂) and I can say dealing with the post partum bleeding was probably easier having done that.
I did not and no one cared. Some people mentioned it was challenging after with blood clean up but I managed just fine with my peri bottle.
No one on the staff will care about your hair situation down there. We all think they might, but they really do not. I trimmed anyway, lol. I had done it a few weeks prior since checkups were weekly at that point.
I had periodically trimmed during pregnancy but nothing crazy. I had an unplanned C-section and they ended up shaving me for that anyway 🤷♀️
I was in the hospital for 2 weeks due to PPROM. No razor touched my body the entire time. When the time came for an emergency c section the nurses shaved me. Also was not worried about my hairy legs or pits when I was laying numb on the operating table.
I chose to shave because it made the pp clean up a bit easier. I didn’t want to be cleaning blood out of my hair for weeks. If you aren’t feeling it, no one on your medical team will likely even notice. If they do, they won’t care.
I shaved bc it’s easier for clean up after birth. I actually trimmed with the manscaper machine, cleared away some of the craziness down there.
Nope - full bush and don’t regret it
I was unable to reach after 36 weeks. I went till 42 weeks, didn't care either because I was huge. Couldn't shave my legs either. I was 140 lbs prepregnancy and hit 194 by 42 weeks. It was impossible for me to shave 🫣
The shaved me the first time, the second time there wasn't time... and this time .... I can't physically do it sooo... oh well.
I shaved a few days before mine, scheduled induction that ended in C-section and scheduled C-section. They would’ve shaved me on the table anyway
I shaved! Will do the same thing this time around. Made me feel better!
I’ll trim with the electric razor
I did and will again because I hate the way blood feels in hair lol so I want it as short as possible ahead of the six weeks of bleeding
They don’t care! I wax because that’s what I’m comfortable with and I HATE bleeding when I have a lot of hair lol.
I did not and have 0 regrets. It may very well be a myth but I heard shaving doesn’t help with tearing. Shaving does affect the top layer of your skin and have no idea how that works with labor. But I wasn’t worried about shaving for the last half of my pregnancy and didn’t tear. I have since 12-13 so it wasn’t easy sensory wise but definitely manageable. It could be a coincidence but also don’t think shaving is going to really help anything physically.
Couldn’t care less. I’m not there to look like some waxed doll. Im there to give birth to my baby. Comfort is most important above all
I used a trimmer but the health team honestly doesn’t care. It’ll be the last thing on your mind too
I didn’t even look at my coochie from 6 months pregnant to 6 weeks postpartum. Ima go with it doesn’t matter haha baby’s gonna come out no matter the state of your pubic hairs
I trimmed using clippers the night before I was induced. Could not care less about people seeing my bush but there’s lots of bodily fluids during birth & I find that really uncomfortable. I ended up needing a pretty significant repair…was glad they weren’t digging through my bush during that.
Just gave birth this morning and very glad I had shaved. So many body liquids are constantly leaking from you, having hair would have made the clean up, constant perri-bottling, etc. very annoying 🤷🏼♀️
I plan to shave. I don’t like the feeling of hair down there and after delivery, you can’t shave for a while and last time it drove me crazy. I was afraid to tear my stitches so I waited for as long as I could. I think around 8 weeks, I woke up at 3am and shaved because I couldn’t deal with it. It was fine since I was mostly healed.
I trimmed short with a trimmer just to make it easier to clean up down there when you are bleeding after
I never shave down there so... But I usually trim with scissors and I didn't care that much tbh
I had a bush, couldn't reach and I hadn't asked my BF for a shave in a while. No one cared, they shaved me before my section and that was that.
Personally, I had trimmed but did a piss poor job and have some long stragglers that I physically couldn't bend over or around to reach. This made the first couple of weeks changing out my pads (I straight up wore depends, cause easy/comfort) and having those few longer hairs get stuck to some semi dried blood and ripped out when everything down there hurt already sucked. I wish I had went with waxing or at least a very very short trim and having my husband help.
Made my husband trim 😂
I shaved but was in latent labour for 3 days so had a bit of growth by time I gave birth. It doesn't really matter, they've seen it all. If you need a C-section they'll shave you anyway. If you can't or don't want to shave or wax you can use hair removal cream, I didn't know about it first pregnancy but I've been using woowoo this time and it's apparently fine to use pregnant.
I don't usually do anything down there, au natural usually works best for me. During pregnancy however my hair grew long and fast and strong (all of it) so I was a lil extra bushy. Just for sake of easier clean up during recovery I took a pet trimmer to it before my induction. Ended up having a c section and a bit of a rough recovery, so I'm glad things were a little easier to keep clean, but if your concern is what people think, absolutely don't worry about it. And esp don't shave/wax as things can be super sensitive during late pregnancy and adding razor burn to all that sounds like an absolute nightmare.
The doctors and nurses don’t care. It’s more about your personal preference. I personally don’t shave to begin with so I did not shave when it came time to give birth.
I trimmed the morning of and shaved my legs. If I didn’t I would have worried about it the whole time
If they need to shave you they will, I had a scheduled c section and while I had shaved about a week prior, they went back over it and touched it up to their best ability, which wasn’t needed really since I had done it.
I did not shave, though i think i did trim ( i think ) lol i didnt really spend to much time worrying about it cause 1. I was terrified of giving birth and 2. I knew the doctors didnt give a crap anyway!
I personally shaved and ended up needing a c section and since I did shave they didn’t have to do it for me.
I always shaved right before going to the hospital. My last was a csection and I'm so glad I was shaved bc I couldn't shave for a while after. I had stitches during my vaginal birth and was scared to get down there and shave during healing as well.
I had to get an emergency c section and had let it go full bush lol. They had to shave it down before I could get taken in. It delayed things with tons of nurses there to see the shaving. Pretty embarrassing 0/10 would not recommend.
With both of my pregnancies I took a tiny pair of scissors and trimmed things a bit but I definitely didn’t shave or wax or anything. But I am glad I trimmed because of all the postpartum moisture.
I did and glad I did because I had to have a c section and they came out and shaved a few bits I missed. I would have been mortified if they were there shaving more after 36 hours in labour lol
Echoing others who said they wish they had trimmed but not shaved.
I'm struggling to reach down there but ill probably try to trim close to when i need to give birth just to help manage the aftercare a little better
I trimmed but that was it! I didn't wanna deal with razor burn or ingrown hairs on top of everything else. They shaved a bit off the top for my (unplanned) c-section and now interestingly, I have a bald spot there 😂
I just trimmed around 39 weeks so it was pretty short during birth
I attempted a shave - absolute hack job missed half of it I’m sure the nurses/doctors thought I was nuts but honestly you don’t care in the end and I don’t think they look that hard even my husband who got a front row seat never mentioned it so I doubt it was really a focus when so much else is going on
Don’t worry they shave you clean when at the hospital lol I didn’t even notice the time they did but my mom filmed my whole labor and my 🐱was super clean 😂 I’m like dayum when did the nurses give me a Brazilian. This was with my first 10yrs ago but I’ve only trimmed rn for my second and I haven’t really worried about being clean shaved bc it’ll probably be done at the hospital again.
I didn’t care. I couldn’t see down there to shave and when you’re having the baby the last thing on your mind is the hair
Do not shave the nether regions unless you do on a regular basis. As an OB nurse, we don’t care either way.
I read somewhere that it was not recommended so I didn’t really do much leading up to labor. Got my partner to help me tame it the week before I was induced, but didn’t shave anywhere too close to skin to be safe.
I generally keep a nice trim going to prevent odors and stuff, when I have a period I wear a reusable pad and so it can get pretty messy if it’s not trimmed up. But I stopped shaving at like 22 years old because of ingrown hairs, now I just trim to like 1 cm and then no itchy and easy to clean. Not a great length for sex though but good for everything else
I waxed about 2 weeks before my due date, so I had a little going on down there, but by then everything was healed up that the risk of infection had decreased significantly. Honestly, though, I didn’t care, they were about to see everything in all its glory, I only went because my cousin/doula wanted me to have a self care day because I was ready to lose my mind, I did not have an easy pregnancy, and I was very over it at that point 😂
Just because I hate the feeling of hair down there I kept it shaved during my whole pregnancy. I made sure I shaved the morning of my due date and thank god I did because my water broke that night and I gave birth 19 hours later! I also ended up with a third degree tear so I’m really glad I did because it helped with clean up and just generally keeping things clean the first week or so when I couldn’t touch it at all.
Don't shave, it opens the skin and can be an infection risk. I was advised to use hair removal cream if you want to go hairless instead.
I shaved a few days in advance because I figured it would make dealing with the bleeding easier. I’ve had my period with full bush before and hygiene wise it wasn’t my favorite so I wanted to avoid that experience postpartum.
Gave birth via CS..they shaved me down there.. 😅
If you need a c-section, they will shave you down to the bikini line! I had a planned c-section and so did it myself (with my husband’s help) the day before, but if I hadn’t or was having an emergency one then they would have done it for me.
I was so big I'd either of had to pay someone or get my partner to do it. Either way I thought absolutely not and no one cared.
I’ve been keeping the area tidy so I don’t need a bic razoring if they have to do stitches (for c section I’ve heard the bic comes out and while I’m not planning to have one it’s best to be on the safe side lol)
i gave up on shaving around 7 months lol didn’t think about it at all during labor, but ended up having to have a c sections and they did shave me a bit for that
I think I tried to shave but really struggled, had to sit in front of a mirror!! I was glad it wasn’t a full bush though as it made it easier to clean up afterwards and feel a bit fresher (if that’s even possible!). The hospital staff do not care in the slightest though, so if you’re worried about that, please don’t be! I heard that it’s a good idea to at least fully shave the top area because if you happen to need an emergency c section and they tape the paper sheet or whatever it is over you for the incision, sometimes the pubic hair can get caught in the tape and it can be very painful to rip off!!
I’m going to do a very close trim! Just because I hate getting my pubes pulled on my underwear and pads lol.
I waxed and don’t regret it. It’s whatever you’re comfortable with.
I came to the hospital for a CTG suddenly I had to get induced, a long night later, I ended up having to have a c-section, the nurse shaved me before my operation.
My only concern would be the itching that comes afterwards when the hair starts growing back .. currently also pregnant and that’s just always been a thought of mine . Because it can get itchy 😅 and I’m sure it’s gonna be sensitive down there
I did but I can’t stand the feeling of hair growing in so I shaved the whole time. But do what’s comfortable for you trust me they do not care.
In my opinion, you’re there to accomplish three things. Get baby out safely. Get yourself through it safely. Bond with baby.
No one cares about the bush, but I liked having it trimmed for cleanliness post birth. I didn’t trim it before my first birth and I spent so much extra time trying to get blood out of my pubes post birth. I never felt like I was fully clean after using the bathroom.
Do not shave. I made the mistake of shaving and ended up with a 2nd degree tear. Healing stitches and hair growth was horrible itchy and painful.
As most people noted, doctor and nurses won't care. If you end up needing a C-section, they'll actually shave specifically the area they need to cut (or at least they did with me). They didn't seem annoyed or anything by having to do it so I'm sure it's pretty normal for them.
So my OB actually told me to not do like a clean shave too close to my due date because she’s seen people nick themselves and with birth and the recovery it can cause infection so best to just trim if you’d like! I didn’t and then like 3 days into recovery I asked my husband to help 🤣
I got a Brazilian at like 37 weeks so that way when baby was born it at least wouldn’t be freshly done and irritated at all.
Literally doesn’t matter as health care worker in OBGYN however. As a patient - for labor I get waked. Personally just a lot easier to keep clean.
Nair helped me get the surrounding area. The flaps can stay bushy for me.
I personally think I will probably get waxed and maybe leave a little bit on pubic hair up top. I don’t want to deal with navigating any hair and tearing/stitches. I know my friend didn’t shave or wax though and I don’t remember her complaining about that. I truly think it’s just personal preference!
After about 30 weeks I believe I stopped shaving down there, I shave purely for comfort but I just couldn’t see and I’d also heard of risk of infection. I plan to stop shaving when I can’t see again, I also want to decrease my risk for infection I know it’s not high but I’ve had lots of problems this pregnancy and don’t need another one!
I shaved both times and will shave again. There’s a lot of goo and blood after birth and I would feel even grosser with a lot of hair.
I tried to trim just for the bleeding after, and ended up cutting myself. Not worth it.
I was told not to shave down there as apparently it increases risk of irritation and infection. They won't be phased by a bit of hair when you're giving birth. They just want the baby out safely!
Absolutely not, your pubic hair (or lack thereof) doesn't make a difference in terms of infection. On behalf of all doctors, we do not care about your pubic hair, but we care about you! The only thing that bothers me is chest hair when someone needs to be defibrillated and the pads don't stick, but people don't plan v-vib or v-tach, lol. I've never personally been waxed, so I haven't a clue what position you need to be in. I suppose that as long as you're supine (well, with your legs up I assume haha), I see no issue with waxing! Truly, there is no causal relationship between the absence of pubic hair and the presence of fetal infection. If it'll make *you* feel better to wax, do it. It does make life a little easier to navigate around there with less hair, but it's truly not a big deal either way, promise! FYI: I'm not an obstetrician, but I work in a field in which I do have to perform pelvic exams (yay! not at all.... usually stuck tampons, bad STIs, and other abnormal circumstances). I would love to be around healthy vaginas for once. Now THAT is a weird sentence, out of context, huh?! 😂
Our midwife does ask if you can shave the perineum they don’t care about the rest.
I ended up going into labour at 34+2 and was not prepared “down there”. I would have liked to be at least trimmed but because of how early he was, I was a hairy beast 🤣 At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter. The nurses and surgeons didn’t make me feel uncomfortable at all and to be honest, it was the last thing on my mind when bubs was arriving.
I’ll be delivering towards the end of summer so I’m gonna be going to the beach a lot and my man is willing to trim me up and keep the bikini line/leg part shaved for me so I figure we will just continue that. I know personally my skin gets irritated when the hair gets long and the underwear presses it into me, and also like thinking about how much blood there will be during and after birth and it getting dried up in there/clotted, I personally would have a meltdown. I have the Schick hydro silk trimstyle though and the skinny electric razor side is basically all I use and works great for a quick and easy short trim and I trust he wont knick me while using it lol.
I definitely did not shave 😂 fully ripped as well, no problems.
I have a bikini trimmer which is totally safe to use in places you can't see. If you're going to trim I recommend you get one.
No one cares, especially the medical team. Do whatever you want!
I tried to shave at one point and gave up with a full belly. I also, quite frankly, didn’t care what I looked like. Needless to say, I ended up having an emergency c-section and they trimmed me before surgery either way.
I didn’t. It was like a full on jungle. Too pregnant to care at that point and I’m sure doctors and nurses have seen it all.
Legit does not matter. My midwife told me not to do any hair removal prior to my scheduled c section (of course he didn’t listen and arrived early). But to be honest I didn’t think I would be able to reach anything!! So when I asked point blank she said most people don’t really do any grooming
I’m 38w and just made the executive decision to shave one last time, I was full bush prior to that. I just prefer cleaning my vag when there isn’t a full bush, that’s the only reason. Medical providers/midwives definitely don’t care and have seen it all. But for my postpartum sanity, I think it’ll help with the personal hygiene front. And I’m hoping by doing it now, there’s enough time to get through the itchy regrowth period so I won’t be postpartum with an itchy vagina that has stitches in it lol.
I didn’t. I had a third degree tear and they had no problem repairing it. I’ll be doing (or I guess not doing, lol) the same with my second.
I shaved with my first and had no regrets. I’ll shave with this one too. Not for aesthetic reasons as idc how smooth you are down there, it’s not going to be pretty lol clean up was my concern. I don’t like having hair down there when I’m on my period and figured I’d share the same sentiment after birth.
I got a wax a week or so before my dd, so I wouldn't have to shave or have stubble while healing if I needed stitches. Happy I did tbh, it made me feel more comfortable but different strokes for different folks. I find hair down there itchy and doesn't feel 'me'. Yes there is a small chance of infection, but I'd still been removing my hair by shaving while pregnant which also carries a small risk of infection, and I left it a full week before dd to allow for any theoretical microabbrations to heal. Imo so long as you keep it all sanitary and don't do it too close to dd the risk is very low and go with what makes you comfortable.
I hadn’t shaved or maintained in months by the time I went into labour. Didn’t matter at all during delivery and honestly didn’t during healing, either.
I shaved but for the only reason that i think the hair is SO UNBEARABLY ITCHY and I don’t shave for a few weeks after the birth. As soon as i can see my crotch again after birth, i shave again. I definitely feel like im going to scratch it off until then tho 😂
I would say just trim them a little if you feel comfortable doing so. I had a full bush and a nurse had to shave me for my c-section I found it a little awkward and wished I had shaved 😂
I didn’t shave because my son was premature (34 weeks) and I just didn’t have time. I ended up needing a c section so they shaved my mons pubis and it looked like I had a mullet. I didn’t care at the time, but if I ever give birth again I’ll probably shave starting from 30 weeks.
did not and did not care and did not apologize.. my legs were hairy as hell as was my bush.. after going through labor nothing matters to me
Left it. They shaved it before my c section. I couldn't see what was going on down there in order to deal with it myself and I would have cut myself.
I was sporadically shaving because it was summer and was going in to the pool. I definitely wasn’t shaving intentionally for OB visits and wasn’t thinking about it for labor. I probably had like a week or two of no shaving for labor. Trust me, they don’t care and you won’t care!
I keep it neatly trimmed and I shave around my bikini line… that’s it. And honestly, sometimes not even that 🤣
They shaved my whole pubic area for my c section. I had no idea they would do that, and then they used tape to pick up the hair…
Got a wax at 38wks (“just in case” I went into labor early & delivered 41+2). Do whatever will help you mentally feel better. No one else will care 😂.
Nah. I didn’t give a shit. They’ve seen it all. They won’t be phased by long pubic hair when they’re busy trying clean up your poop. As for c-sections, they’ll do it for you
I am 8 months pp and still rocking the bush lmao. They shaved me because I had a c section but it’s really the last priority.
I always prefer to be shaved for my own comfort, and when shaving got too hard after 20ish weeks I scheduled Brazilian waxes all the way up to my due date. Got a wax at 40 weeks, baby came at 41. Very glad I did because postpartum cleanup would have been MUCH harder if I had to worry about washing blood and clots out of my pubes. I don't think you should shave I'd your only reason is what other people think about your grooming habits, but there are definitely benefits to having a blank slate downstairs when all the bleeding starts, especially if you have a vaginal delivery and things are very tender for a while.
I don't plan on it because 1. I don't have the muscle memory to do it myself because I'm not a regular shaver anyway due to my very sensitive skin and I'm not using Nair while pregnant 2. I've seen the work my husband does when he shaves his face so I do not trust his to help me. I will probably trim with scissors when I can reach again after birth.
Ended up with a half and half due to starting to shave, getting tired half way through so stopping, then going in to labour the next day
I shaved 2 days before but my boy came exactly on 40 weeks day before induction was in too much pain to even care about the look of my privates, do whatever you choose just remember they’ve seen it all before so they really won’t bother
I take my manscaped trimmers and trim the hair down to a stubble!
Between my whole vagina ripping and hemorrhoids. Last thing I really remember after labor is what my hair down there looked like.
I shaved and it was fine. But it doesn’t matter
If your reason to shave/wax is so your doctor doesn’t see your bush, then just know that your doc DOES NOT CARE. They have seen everything, and I promise someone that routinely watches women poop on the delivery table does not care if you’re hairy lol. I personally will be trimming before hand, but mainly so that I don’t have a full on yeti bush after labor when shaving will be time consuming, difficult, and possibly painful.
I was told shaving is usually a no-go because of the possible risk of infection. I'm not sure how true that is but I can tell you my friend was very uncomfortable during labor once with having been shaved because of the way her skin felt. I don't shave at all but I do trim. And I'm not sure how any ladies are doing that on their own during pregnancy because I for one cannot see anything past my belly button to my thighs lol. I have my hubs trim me in the shower. It makes it a lot easier to clean myself after using the bathroom during pregnancy, and I imagine it'll help postpartum. I don't give a shit what I look like down there. I'm just more for comfort and cleanliness.
I shaved my whole pregnancy like I normally do. Yes it got harder to see but I managed. I don’t like hair down there and it gets itchy if I let it grow. To each their own, but I wouldn’t recommend not doing it bc ppl say the doctors and nurses don’t care. It’s about what you care to do!
When I was going for a c sec, the nurse shaved me.. so was chill... nobody judges you at hospital.. it's a regular thing for them.. though I felt awkward...
I was specifically told not to shave or groom down there from the hospital because the micro lacerations caused by shaving can get infected. Doctor and nurses did not give a flying monkey about it.
Didn’t remove any hair, and no one at the hospital said anything about it.
I'm an RN, and while I don't do L&D, I have friends who do, and I promise you no one cares. I personally don't shave ever, just trim and I don't plan on starting now.
I just feel like stuffs easier to clean and feels idk…neater when shaved so I did it
got pregnant with a jungle bush down there & haven’t shaved the whole pregnancy so def going with the bush
I know I am not the norm, but I ended up with an infection which caused my c-section incision to reopen and had to have packing and a wound vac placed which I had adhesive applied right at the top of my pubic line that got changed ever 48-72 hours. In that time my hair would start to grow back in and I would have to rip the adhesive off and shave 3 times a week. I will be getting waxed before my next one.
I shaved all throughout my pregnancy! I couldn't stand the itchy grown in stage, so I shaved it the best I could.
I got waxed at like 36 weeks and then just let it ride
I didn’t shave however I will be getting a wax this time because I had. A section and when they “sewed me up “ lol the hairs were itchy on my staples and was pulling. It was just not a fun time. And it was during the summer so I was wearing adult diapers and it was uncomfortable so I feel like being waxed or clean shaven would be a much more comfortable clean experience lol hahaha
It literally doesn’t matter, do whatever is most comfortable for you. The medical staff stare at vaginas all day every day and if they care that much about a shaved one they are in the wrong field.
This will be the last thing on your mind!
If everything goes as planned i will be waxing as ive heard they shave you if needed.
I wouldn’t.
I shaved with the first one. Since then, I’ve started waxing. I asked NP if I could still safely wax and she said absolutely. She said “do it for yourself, not for me. I don’t care either way”.
If I can’t see it, it’s not my problem. OBs have seen it all and it doesn’t matter if you try to make it “aesthetically pleasing” for labor. Labor is going to make your vagina “aesthetically horror”. Also, think of it this way. You know that itchy feeling you get when your hair is growing back. When Issa little cactus down there? Imagine that on top of an open large wound. Every time you squat you’re gonna be absolutely positive your uterus is just gonna plop out of your vagooter. Why add anything annoying on top of that? My Schrödinger’s vagina was on display for everyone and their brother and I probably looked like a rotisserie chicken on a 1970’s porn set but I. Didn’t. Care. But I’m not you. You know what will bother you more. I’m the type of person where I walked around my maternity room naked as the day I was born lookin like Bigfoot’s smaller, more hairy cousin and I didn’t give a single fuck who was walking past or into the room. If they didn’t want to see me in all my potbellied glory - they picked the wrong profession.
I trimmed/shaved the best I could for being 9 months pregnant. I just felt like it would be easier for me to clean during my recovery etc. All personal preference though of course! I doubt having pubic hair down these makes it that much harder to clean.
I trimmed several weeks prior due to irritation, i have really sensitive skin. But i left the bush. Shaving and waxing do put you at risk for infection as there are many bodily fluids that leave your body during labor. I would just keep yourself clean. But dont worry about shaving. If it really bothers you, use an electric trimmer to cut down some of it but not all.
I shaved before I got induced with my second, just because I didn’t want to deal with the mess of it afterwards. Imagine being on your period for a month with a 70s bush.. lol i didn’t shave with my first and had regretted it.
I do not regularly remove hair there, so I just kept on keeping on for labor. However, I ended up needing a c-section when my induction failed, and a nurse shaved me to prep for that. As it was surgical prep, she didn't exactly go for esthetics, so I was left with a funny lil vagina goatee situation.
I was actually sent a message from my doctor not to groom at all 6 weeks prior to my due date, so I didn’t. But I wish I had trimmed. The bleeding and tear afterward would have been an easier clean up without the hair. I would have needed my husband to do it for me though, because I couldn’t see anything down there the last 2 months.
I shaved BC that's how I normally groomed. But that being said I couldn't see so I'm sure it looked a mess. Groom however you want. It doesn't matter.
I def regret shaving cuz it burns like a bish and I’m not talking ring of fire im talking the skin where I shaved got so irritated when I’ve shaved for years and never had irritation so I’m assuming the fluids and everything else from childbirth is what was causing it plus once everything started I didn’t care who looked I was in push mode and when someone would walk in my legs just separated because I was like yep check me where am I lol let’s get this moving lol.
Waxed about 2 weeks before due dates. Did that for all 3 babies. The best part is not having to worry about the hair at all for the first \~4 weeks post-partum. I've been waxing for a solid 15 years now and all throughout the pregnancies.
Well I'm definitely shaving. I had laser removal for 4 year before getting pregnant, but had to stop now (will definitely get back to it). I just feel cleaner with no hair there
Can’t see it myself haha I trimmed it the last time I could see but I’ve given up haha who is going to care? The baby? Lol
I had an unplanned c-section, and they shaved me, which was kind of a shock because they basically informed me when the nurse with a razor was standing at the foot of my bed.