Did you shave? tmi alert

kelfeen · September 2011

I have a c/s planned in 2 weeks (due to past med issues plus one baby is transverse so far) Anywayi was wondering what kind of prepwork you did? I feel like I would rather shave myself? Or should I go for a wax? Do you remove all of it? I have never waxed it all off and personally I hate it when .. umm the top part is shaved and grows back in. I always get razor burn really bad. Sorry if this is a gross question!

kcvasquez · September 2011

You can shave but more than likely they will still do it anyway because they have to make sure everything is "clean" as in freshly shaven! Plus it's hard to see what you're doing under a big belly so more than likely you'll miss spots! You don't have to have everything shaved but the top part and down about an inch or two is usually where they will stop. You could always wax and then let them know you have it waxed but there's still no guarantee they won't do it anyway! Don't worry, they do this right before while you're already numbed up and you probably won't have any clue they're doing it!

biblionerd · September 2011

I was semi-mortified before my c/s.

I always just shave and leave a strip. I just did my normal "blind" shaving not thinking anything about them having to shave anyway. I just like being tidied up when someone's going to be down there lol. I wasn't numbed up or in the OR or anything, just chilling in the room and after the nurse asked a lot of questions said she had to shave me. I wasn't even expecting it and said something stupid like "uh, I shave blind now obviously so don't judge me". She laughed and said "well I'm impressed. You did a good job and I don't have much left to do." Pretty embarrassing discussing your pubic hair with someone you just met.

capulet · September 2011

Well, my c/s was unplanned and I had given up shaving a couple months earlier just because I didn't want to bother with it when I was big and awkward and I wanted time to get used to the feel of not being shaven. And they didn't shave me in the hospital, either. So you might want to find out if they will want you shaven. I don't think it's routine everywhere even for planned c-sections, but I haven't had a planned one yet so I could be wrong.

manda26 · September 2011

I couldn't see a thing down there so no I didn't. A nurse did it for me and it was only a little bit from the top.

l_elizabeth · September 2011

I wouldn't shave myself, wax might be considered (although the pain with that, I probably wouldn't personally!), but honestly it's just one of a million mortifying things that goes on during the entire hospital stay. It wasn't bad at all-- I kept it trimmed and the lady was so nice and just said they had to shave it down a tad bit and not to worry, they do it to everyone. I was nervous before my surgery, so it was one of the least painful things I had to go through

Now, removing my bandage, going to the bathroom for the first time-- basically being naked in front of my "helper" right after (when I looked and felt disgusting)-- that was much more mortifying!

magdalina.h · September 2011

I shaved my legs and they shaved the incision area.

ChiTown Bridget · September 2011

kcvasquez:
You can shave but more than likely they will still do it anyway because they have to make sure everything is "clean" as in freshly shaven! Plus it's hard to see what you're doing under a big belly so more than likely you'll miss spots! You don't have to have everything shaved but the top part and down about an inch or two is usually where they will stop. You could always wax and then let them know you have it waxed but there's still no guarantee they won't do it anyway! Don't worry, they do this right before while you're already numbed up and you probably won't have any clue they're doing it!

This! I shaved and I must've not done a good enough job because they still shaved me anyway! LOL

shibby00 · September 2011

I am a weirdo and still shaved everyday when I was pregnant, I cannot stand bush! My c/s was unplanned after labor and pushing, and I must have done a good job because they didn't shave me.

Mama Jan · September 2011

They'll just clean up a bit at the top. The certainly don't go lower than your pubic bone. It's not really a big deal, I wouldn't worry about taking care of it yourself. With my first, they "cleaned up" down there (like I said, just along the top) and with my second they took a quick peek and said they didn't need to do anything (i shave to below my scar to avoid ingrown hairs so I guess I had shaved enough).

juliane2004 · September 2011

I don't know if it's a Canadian thing, but they never shaved me for either c/s, and I don't (and have never) done it to myself either.

RayRay007 · September 2011

juliane2004:
I don't know if it's a Canadian thing, but they never shaved me for either c/s, and I don't (and have never) done it to myself either.

Ya, they didn't shave me. And I hadn't shaved for a long time. I had trimmed it up as best as I could a week or two earlier. I really didn't care.

beautifulstr13 · September 2011

They told me not to. I did about three days before my surger and when the nurse did it it caused horrible razor burn.

penguinem · September 2011

I did for my C/S with my first child.... well, my DH took one for the team and did it for me the night before, which I think is true devotion.

The nurse got out a razor to shave in prep, looked at it, and said, "Oh good, you already did it! Nice job!" Weird compliment, I guess. We didn't tell her DH did it because again, TMI. I think the razor burn is bad no matter what!

tinkerfly81 · September 2011

my first c/s they did not shave nor did I.

This last one they just shaved a lil off the top. No big deal. They used eletric trimmers and no problems with razor burn or ingrowns. The only bothersome thing was taking the steri-streps off (they put them on a week pp and I took them off 2 wks later)

kcisthebombdotcom · September 2011

I did shave! I did miss a few spots being huge that the nurse had to go over. The nurse who prepped for surgery even commented on what a good job I did for having such a big belly. LOL

luvbeingmom · September 2011

I shaved with my last two, but only along the top where they would be cutting.

My first was unplanned, my second was 8yrs later and I forgot all about the shaving so they did it. Right above the pubic line.

I don't think they care either way if you do it or not. Some docs caution against it because of a possible risk of infection (very small chances though).

Here's my advice though... if you want to shave, go for it because the tape they put over the scar hurts like a biitch when they peel it off the next day... hurts even worse if you have hair

Second, I just always felt "cleaner" during the pp bleeding if there's no hair down there.

indy_chic · September 2011

I got my first wax a few days before surgery. I was mortified. I heard that it would be so painful...and it was

. It was still sore and pink going in to surgery. But it gave me peace of mind

And yes...the nurse did have a look before surgery to find out if I needed to be shaved. Don't forget, they still insert a catheter..... so as awkward as it is to shave, I tried my best to be "pretty" lol but it was so damn challenging to shave.

webMistress0609 · September 2011

I had a scheduled c/s on Monday & had a wax on Sat. I had her take off a little extra, & they didn't shave me. The nurse got the razor out & I mentioned I had just waxed. She looked & said that she wouldn't need to shave me again.

Just a warning though, waxing is more painful late in pregnancy & for first timers, so if you aren't used to it, it may be hurt pretty bad & you may still be red & sore.

nic5606 · September 2011

I shaved, using hand held mirror. They checked and i did a good job, no more shaving required.

indika236 · September 2011

I shaved myself

salsa_wifey · September 2011

I always shave it all so I just made sure I did it before I went in so it was freshly shaven.

If you shave "with the grain" instead of against it, it helps tremendously with razor burn. (Another words, shave downwords and not upwards.) I'll even put a little lotion on after.