The Royal College of Midwives will tell you that no midwife would tell or expect a pregnant woman to shave or wax her pubic hair before turning up in the labour ward. If you want to, that's fine; if you don't, that's also fine. But, they added, there's no reason to tidy up down there just for them.
Never mind that the Royal College of Midwives has repeatedly stated that there is no need to do so, that no health professional will even notice and that pubic hair will have absolutely no effect on your baby's health. If you need a C-section, they will shave whatever needs to be shaved.
Midwives don't care if you have shaved or not. In fact, the majority of midwives prefer it if you don't shave in the presence of a midwife. Hair is seen as a natural part of the body and midwives are comfortable with whatever decisions an expecting mother makes when it comes to her body.
In previous years, traditional childbirth recommended hair removal on the pubic area before delivery. However, modern childbirth finds that it's not necessary to shave your pubic hair before delivery. Clinical research shows that shaving or not shaving pubic hair doesn't necessarily affect birth.
In fact, hospitals used to shave your pubic hair for you—and in some areas, they still do. “Shaving before labour was once thought to reduce infection rates,” says Toronto OB/GYN Dayna Freedman. But medical advice advances with research.
“Routine perineal/pubic shaving prior to giving vaginal birth is not recommended,” they say, the concern being for nicks and scrapes potentially being a trigger for infection. They also make it clear that whilst the situation for C-sections is different, it's ultimately a woman's choice.
Is It Safe to Get a Brazilian While Pregnant? It is generally considered to be safe to get a Brazilian wax while pregnant. While your skin may be more sensitive, and you should always tell your technician that you are pregnant, even if you think it's obvious, there is no medical reason to avoid a Brazilian.
Pubic or perineal shaving is a procedure performed before birth in order to lessen the risk of infection if there is a spontaneous perineal tear or if an episiotomy is performed.
A professional salon wax or sugar wax may be the better hair removal option for your bikini line during pregnancy. Make sure the salon you choose is clean; the technician should wear gloves and use a new spatula between applications to prevent sharing germs.
Shaving pubic hair in the early stages of labour is a standard procedure in most hospitals in India. It is done for both normal deliveries and c-sections. It is thought that shaving the pubic hair makes birth more hygienic and reduces the chances of infection.
Shaving tips when pregnant
Always use a sharp, clean razor blade. Sign up for a razor subscription service, so you always have new razors to hand for shaving during pregnancy (even more important if you're experiencing 'baby brain'!) 2. Use pregnancy-friendly products.
During labour and birth touch is a powerful tool to aid birthers in working with functional pain. Pain and pleasure run along the same neural pathways so it makes sense to utilize pleasurable input, such as touch, to block pain messages from reaching the central nervous system during labour and birth.
Midwives take care of all the clean up before they leave, including the house, the birthing person, baby and laundry.
It's no longer standard procedure to shave pubic hair, because it could permit unwanted bacteria into the body. (Nor should you shave or wax your own bikini area or abdomen right before a scheduled C-section, also due to the infection risk.)
We've heard that some OBGYNs will advise against shaving or waxing down there for at least 30 days before your due date to avoid the risk of infection. Others have no issue with it, kind of like the whole solids vs. clear liquids during labor debacle. It all depends on your doctor.
Verdict: Safe
It's safe, but because you have more blood flowing to your skin during pregnancy—especially in your pubic area— you'll probably be more sensitive to tugging on your skin. Apply a soothing antiseptic lotion before and after waxing to help prevent stinging.
If you're looking for safe hair-removal methods, waxing is fine during pregnancy. There are some things you'll want to keep in mind, though. Because of an increase in blood flow to your skin – and your pubic area – your skin may be more sensitive and waxing may be more painful than usual during pregnancy.
Some people wonder if you can get your nails done during pregnancy since polishes and polish removers contain many chemicals. Most experts agree that manicures and pedicures are safe during pregnancy. If you go to a professional salon with good safety standards, you can enjoy some pampering while you're expecting.
Shaving is a safe method of removing unwanted body hair if it is impossible for you to hold yourself back for a couple of months. Remember to use moisturizing creams and lotions once you are done with shaving, especially if you have a sensitive skin.
You after the birth. The maternity staff caring for you will check you're recovering well after the birth. They will take your temperature, pulse and blood pressure. They'll also feel your tummy (abdomen) to make sure your womb is shrinking back to its normal size.
Delivering the placenta
This helps the placenta to come away. At this stage, you may be able to push the placenta out. But it's more likely your midwife will help deliver it by putting a hand on your tummy to protect your womb and keeping the cord pulled tight. This is called cord traction.
A midwife will look over your baby immediately after they're born to assess their wellbeing, and a full top-to-toe check of your baby will take place later on, usually within 72 hours of the birth.
There is no reason that you can't have an orgasm as soon as you feel healed and comfortable enough after birth. For most women, this will generally be about a week, but if you have any medical problems, you will need to check with your doctor.
Pushing Can Feel Like Relief
Some even say it feels good, similar to orgasm. Pushing is often described as relief from active labor contractions because it's a natural urge you can give in to. For many, it feels more active than passive.