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.
In a video that has more than 3.7 million views on TikTok, Grant Buechner, who is also a registered nurse and lactation consultant, explains that grooming is not recommended beyond 36 weeks gestation. “Shaving pubic hair can INCREASE risk of infection at the time of birth, even with Cesarean birth,” she wrote.
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.
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.
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.
As long as the baby can come out, we don't care if you're full bush, bald as a baby, or something exciting like a lightening bolt/vajazzled." The midwife wrote that she doesn't "even notice" what women's pubic hair looks like anymore, and "it doesn't affect stitches or anything to do with our work."
Shaving down there before delivery can actually increase the risk of infection at the time of birth. This is because shaving causes micro abrasions which opens up the skin, allowing for possible infection. Some women prefer to keep things smooth down there, whereas others keep it natural.
An electric shaver will make work easy for you and can be used throughout the pregnancy. Make sure to clean and disinfect the blades before shaving to avoid any infection. Shaving is safe and can be done at any time, even a few hours to delivery.
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.
Our endogenous oxytocin floods our brain, infusing our pleasure and reward center, providing pain relief, helping us to do the work required in labour, and intensifies labour sensations so that it is efficient. One of the main ways to support oxytocin release is with touch – loving, non-clinical touch is optimal.
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.
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.) Any hair that might get in the way of the incision is clipped.
The best foods for labor are easy to eat and digest, filling, and energizing. That also means avoiding foods that are high in fat, greasy, or spicy, since these can be more difficult to digest.
Warm water hydrates and softens your pubic hair and skin for an easier cut. So, shower for a few minutes before you dive into shaving down there. In the meantime, you can wash the rest of your body…or practice your karaoke faves. Lubrication is essential for shaving, especially when you're shaving pubic hair.
Nope! You do not need to shave before a gynecologist appointment (or any doctor's appointment!). Your doctor doesn't care how you care for your pubic hair, because it isn't a health or hygiene concern. They've seen it all, and how you style (or don't style) your pubic hair probably won't even register.
Some women feel pressure to ensure that everything is perfect before they go. The truth is that your doctor and their staff do not care if you are clean-shaven or not. They are medical professionals. They know that hair growth is natural and normal.
Many OB/GYNs will tell you not to wax close to your due date because of the risk of infection, and some hospitals, mine included, prefer to do a clean shave themselves.
For some women, they say there's actually a huge sense of relief when they finally push their baby out, while others describe the sensation of pushing a baby out as the most excruciating pain they've ever experienced (again, we really don't want to scare anyone!
Tell your health care provider if you feel the urge to push. If you want to push but you're not fully dilated, your health care provider will ask you to hold back. Pushing too soon could make you tired and cause your cervix to swell, which might delay delivery.
There may come a time when you may be asked not to push with a contraction. This is for reasons such as the cervix is not fully dilated or the baby is crowning and the perineum needs to stretch gradually. Usually these situations require you to stop pushing for a short time.
Overall, the better choice of the two methods is totally up to you and your personal preference. For some, the pain of waxing is enough to put up with all the tedious parts of shaving. For others, the idea of shaving every day is much too high-maintenance. There is no better or worse process—only what's right for you.