# a shaven haven?????



## melntnp

I dont really know how to approach this subject so here goes...

Im starting to stress, worry, think about (how ever you want to put it) about shaving before giving birth.

At present im finding it really hard to shave down below and keep trying to make a joke about it with the OH. (hes nnot bothered by it)

My point is ladies, whos really going to be shaving before they give birth and "how much"?
The last thing i want to think about when i go into labour is do i have a shaven haven??!!

(Its annoying me that im thinking like this but these damn hormones are making me think some rather strange thoughts!!!)

Thanks Ladies :flower:


----------



## tristansmum

I did as that's normal for me. Totally up to you. They won't care


----------



## bunnyg82

I did, but I do regularly and hate it being hairy. I just feel my way around to make sure I've got it all. If you keep on top of it then it won't be that difficult to sort out when you feel labour is starting. But it's up to you, if you're not bothered don't worry about it


----------



## tinkerbelle93

Lol I found shaving difficult due to bump so didn't do it much when pregnant. Don't worry about it though, the midwives see thousands of women so they've seen it all, they're really not going to be taking notice of how well waxed you are! xx


----------



## lozzy21

I just kept on top if it through out my pregnancy. Not for them but I just feel cleaner with out hair there and it's also cleaner with the pads after baby is born.


----------



## mommy247

I make sure its shaved. I don't want a hairy hooha during delivery...


----------



## girlnboots

I'll probably take a bath when contractions start to relax and shave then, just in case. It's not recommended to bathe after your water breaks due to the risk of infection (water births aside) so I wanna make sure I don't wait too long, haha. I try to keep on top of mine too, but it doesn't go very well in my favor and my OH refuses to help.


----------



## missjennakate

I have been wondering this too! Ha ha. I was thinking of shaving it but the thought of being sore down there probably with stitches and then the hair growing back demand itching just put me off. They will just have to deal with my wookie look lol.


----------



## Dream.dream

I didn't with my first because I couldn't reach down there or see it at the end

It's not like the doctors or nurses really care and honestly when your in labour a hairy downstairs is the last thing on your mind


----------



## SIEGAL

You don't have to shave. You're not making a porno you're having a baby. 
If you like it that way it's up to you.
It's not 1950 where the hospital shaves you bc "vaginas are dirty"


----------



## LDC

I always kept on top of it, plus with bleeding and gunk that comes out I thought it would be more hygienic without everything getting stuck and matted haha gross thought there! Like others say though, they're really not bothered what you do xx


----------



## MindUtopia

Don't even waste a moment stressing about it. You WON'T care! I didn't even realise I was naked and wandering around my house in between contractions and squatting to push. I didn't shave a darn thing and I don' especially like being naked in front of people, but I honestly didn't even think about it. Midwives have seen EVERYTHING and your full bush is the least strange of those things. So don't worry about it. And it's in no way any less hygienic to shave than to have pubic hair. Actually, it's _less _hygienic if you _do_ shave! It's been studied, since it used to be standard practice to shave all women in labour, and the research has found that shaving actually introduces bacteria, especially to the microabrasions that shaving creates on your skin, making it more of a haven for germs if you shave.


----------



## Meggo24

I think its entirely up to you! I am a woman who likes to stay on top of keeping it clean shaven down there, but even before I was pregnant I had a hard time keeping up with it. I just never want to take the time and effort haha. It wont make a difference to the doctors or the midwives though. I imagine it might be nice afterwards to have no hair down there, because I am sure you are not going to want to shave afterwards for a while. So start off with a "clean slate" so to say.


----------



## Mrs Doddy

I didn't get a chance as she was 4 weeks early .. Will learn my lesson for this baby !!!!


----------



## Midnight_Fairy

I had a quick tidy up but tbh it wont bother you at the time x


----------



## Mummy Bean

I worried about this with my son and had a grand plan that i would shave when i went into labour...but can safely say that was the last thing on my mind.

Also i get quite sensitive down there so was worried if i did shave(and didnt do it properly) i would be 
sore down there at a time when really could do with out it.


----------



## Squiggy

I've been worried about this for months as I normally shave/trim that area once per month and have been having trouble since month 6 and now, at month 9, it's just about impossible. So I just grab the trimmer and do it blindly! 

I'm sure the doctors and nurses, etc. know and understand that birthing isn't a cosmetic thing and that we can't possible keep ourselves tidy in that area at the end of pregnancy. So, I'm sure they don't care about that. 

But, yes, I worry about it. 
TMI: For one thing, the whole mucus/discharge thing really stinks badly. I don't know if it's like that for others, but for me I can't stand the smell. And keeping my hair trimmed down gives it less to hold on to!


----------



## Srrme

I always shave, completely. :lol:


----------



## Eleanor ace

I did both times and was glad I did. Not for the actual birth and what the midwives would see- they don't care what it looks like. But because I knew it would help me feel better with the lochia and all the...gunk that comes out after birth. Also with stitches. After DS I had a tonne of stitches. I'd missed a bit whilst shaving (I was just waving the razor around and hoping for the best as I couldn't see a darn thing :haha:) and the hair pulled my stitches- owwie :cry:. With DD I made sure to do a really good job whilst shaving- not a hair left :haha:.


----------



## CosplayMummy

I can't even see down there now, let alone in ten weeks time. As long as it's at least "neat and tidy" down there, I'll feel okay about it. Even though it's an embarrassing though (to me anyway), they are going to be looking at and doing other things.


----------



## Co_Cowgirl

We did our hospital tour last night and the nurse that was leading our tour said they would actually prefer if we stopped shaving at 36 weeks? They said they don't care how it looks but they don't want to have any open sores that could lead to infection so they actually asked that we stop shaving?


----------



## Bevziibubble

I was quite paranoid about this! When my contractions started in the morning, they stopped later on, so I shaved my bits and legs in preparation in case I went into hospital. And I straightened my hair :rofl: I don't know why I put so much effort in, I'm sure the midwife couldn't have cared less! :haha:


----------



## mizza1987

I read this this morning and then had to go and shave!!!! Managed to cut myself though - maybe doing it blindly wasn't the best idea I've ever had!! :0) I feel better though - still got 6 weeks to EDD so might try again with a mirror closer to the time!! I'm sure the midwife and doctor won't notice but it'll be one less thing for me to stress about!! X


----------



## Evansangel

Omg, I did mine last night and I cut myself! I usually am quite skilled in the 'feel and shave' technique.
There was blood everywhere and it wouldn't stop. My husband was concerned it was something wrong with the baby.

I had a tidy up in the bath earlier to get the bits I missed, but I might have to leave it whilst the cut heals for a bit which I will hate.


----------



## bubbles123

As previous posters have said, shaving damages the skin and can actually be less hygienic than hair as you basically have loads of very small open wounds that bacteria can get into. That's why they stopped routinely shaving women as research showed it did more harm than good. I don't shave anyway I just trim and that's what I did for both my births. Just tried to keep it looking neat.


----------



## bamm

I used a clipper to trim it all up - but otherwise, I don't care, an extra cm of hair is certainly not the grossest thing they'll see in labor! I do remember though, as soon as my MW told me to get ready to go to hospital with DD I ran in and shaved my legs! To be fair, they were loooooong. I'd care more about them than downstairs.


----------



## lavenderbrown

omg, the idea of trying to shave myself down there makes me want to cry! you ladies have guts. i'll probably attempt to trim it a bit before im due. otherwise they can just enjoy the fact im bringing the 70's look back.


----------



## AC1987

I shaved my legs, armpits and ermm down below before heading to the hospital, actually I was in labour when I did it but it just seemed very important to me :haha:


----------



## Bambola

lol - love this thread! Something I think about often! I will be shaving down south and attempting to make myself look 'half decent' - NOT for the midwife or anyone else, but just for MYSELF! I want the doctors and midwives to be able to differentiate between my son's full head of hair and my own... hehe


----------



## Perplexed

Lol I am so glad this thread was written. I was actually pretty worried!!

But then, last time I went to the doctor I had just shaved the day before (blindly) and had a swab done... and later on I realized that when I shaved I wasn't all & completely clear. And I don't feel at all embarrassed!


----------



## HBGirl

Now you have me considering my first bikini wax.


----------



## sue_88

I had a nice shower & 'tidy up' downstairs (trim not shave....sore vag & stubble - NO THANKS!) when I went in the hospital to be induced.....she didn't arrive until 4 days later so probably looked like a mess again....but yeah, you don't care in the moment!


----------



## elizah1980

I had trouble keeping up with mine, I'd had a wax in second tri.....anyway when I went in labor it wasnt too bad , but I ended up with an EMCS and the shaved me in the OR


----------



## Expecting1

I shaved just over a week before and I wish I had have done a touch up when I could! The healing process gets itchy and damn that hair!!! Made me look like I had crabs :rofl: I shaved as soon as my stitches healed!!!! 
I didn't care in the moment, it's not an issue, but after.... :growlmad: lol


----------



## Geekylora

It's been to uncomfortable for me to shave lately. I can't bend over or anything and to be honest?... I haven't seen my vagina in like 3 months, and my husband and I stopped having sex about a month ago. I just don't care anymore~! I just want this to be over. 

With my first I found that it was more uncomfortable to heal ontop of having hair growing back in too.

So, no thank you. My kitty-cat can stay fluffy for a while. :(


----------



## broodymrs

I had a wax the other day as I had a very 70's look going on due to not being able to see what I was doing down there so I'd left it! She showed me in the mirror afterwards and I now do look like I'm going to be making a porno! There's hardly anything left!! I do feel better for it though although hoping it grows back a bit as I think it might raise more eyebrows like this than a full on bush would have, lol!


----------



## spacegirl

I worried abt this too...but trust me when you are in pain you will not give a sh*t!

I can't remember now whether it was in a good state at the time or not. So it didn't matter to me after the birth either!

The midwife will see more than a bushy bush -I was worried abt pooping more!. But again you are so focused on getting through the pain you just don't care abt anything like that!!!

Cxxx


----------



## zanDark

In Greece they have the midwives shave you once you're admitted to the hospital :blush: and as if that isn't bad enough they also give you an enema to clear you out :dohh: not really looking forward to it, so I'm hoping I'll be able to shave on my own like I do now with the help of a mirror and a lot of huffing and puffing :haha:


----------



## Princess Lou

Shaving? Nope. Waxing? Yup. I had a wax at 34 weeks and will be getting another at 38 weeks. And if I'm still pregnant, another at 42 weeks. :haha: 

I have been worried/concerned about this all through out the pregnancy. I also keep it clean and hair free so not being able to see it is a huge deal for me. If I can't get a wax before I go in to labour, hubby is going to help me get cleaned up. I really hate having hair anywhere but my head and eyebrows.


----------



## Mrs Jellybean

I have also been thinking about this. I really considered going in to get a wax done but when I read about _some_ other mumma's having waxes done when pregnant they ended up only part done or in a lot of pain because of the increased blood flow and swelling to the area they ended up with bruising, more swelling and even bleeding from the pores where the hair root was pulled out.

I am not so worried what the midwives and Dr's will think but more for the hygiene afterwards. I also think the regrowth from shaving will just irritate me more and cause me to be more uncomfortable with recovery. I have just decided on trimming so it's all short and neat instead and will deal with it when it's all back 'open for business' hahaha


----------



## MoldyVoldy

i had the biggest forest you could imagine...and i was surprisingly not embarrassed at all lol.

lemme just say no one gave it a second glance, either. and when i had my last doctor's appt i even mentioned it. i said, "i'm sorry it's so...um..." and he and the nurse giggled and said they've seen "worse". so yeah they don't care at all!!

i would have kept it more manageable but i couldn't reach :/


----------

