OK - kind of a TMI question for you Mamas

[Marisa6826]

Did you, um, bother with your bikini area before delivering?

I"m soooo not up for waxing and I can't see a damn thing at this point to try with a razor. With Sophie's delivery the pre-op nurse just took care of the surgical field. I'm leaning toward doing the same this time, as it's a major event for me to even shave my legs at this point.

At least I have a nice pedicure! :P

What did you do?

-m

[C99]

I'm LOL! I didn't do anything with my nether regions before delivering (and I wouldn't have even if Nate hadn't been 5 weeks early). Are you kidding? I couldn't even put on my own socks at that point!

[Marisa6826]

Girlie-

It's ALLLLL about Danskos at this point! :)

-m

[dowlinal]

Ok girlie I have a TMI answer for ya! I didn't do anything when I had Madeline for the same reasons as you and the damn nurse nicked me. Talk about insult to injury - it wasn't bad enough that I had the damn c-section to recover from and the stupid nick was painful. So I have vowed that next time I'm taking care of things before hand even if it requires making Tommy do it. I figure if he can recover from helping me use the bathroom post surgery then he'll get over this too. :P


Strangly I also felt the need to have a pedicure before giving birth.

A

[JLiebCamm]

I didn't/won't really worry about it. I can't manuever at this point to take care of it myself, and having Italian genes doesn't help the matter. Of course, I didn't have a c-section the first time so I'm not sure how I'd feel having a nurse prep me. My ultimate thought on the matter is that the OB nurses have probably seen it all and relatively speaking, I probably appear pretty "normal".

[C99]

It's all about the Danskos for me, too, and I can still see my feet as of now. :)

[em_jon98]

Well, I put the ultimate trust in my DH. I just had Jon clean it up a bit right before we left for the hospital. He did a pretty good job...I was actually quite impressed. Of course, I couldn't see it until the next day, lol, but I was still impressed.

[Marisa6826]

Oh noooo. That won't work here. Jonathan's goatee isn't even even - and he's had many, many years to practice that!! ;) :P

-m

[jubilee]

I did a little shave and it was all about using a few mirrors to help guide me. I also gave myself a pedicure and the doctor and nurses even commented how cute it was that I went to that effort (the pedicure- not the bikini area) ... so I guess most women don't do that.

[new_mommy25]

I just trimmed.

[mudder17]

Yep, me too. Being that big, it was much safer to stick to trimming. :) But I'm sure the nurses and doctors have seen all sorts of things.


Eileen

Mother of Beautiful Kaya, www.chemicalgraphics.com/kaya
http://www.babysfirstsite.org/newtickers/ticker/16994.birthday.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_amber_9m.gif Breastfed 9 months and counting

[lukkykatt]

My SIL is a labor and delivery nurse and had told me in general conversation about some people - edited for a general audience - whose area was totally unkempt and how gross it is. So, having this in the back of my mind, I stood on a step stool and looked in the mirror and tidied things up.

My gf just went and got waxed, but I wouldn't have the courage for that when so pg.

[Marisa6826]

LOL. I've heard stories from my BIL (he's a ob/gyn fertility doc) and a friend that's a retired ob/gyn nurse too.

I can handle trims, but certainly nothing requiring precision.

Oh THIS is going to be fun. At least I'm not a very furry person :P

-m

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

Maybe too much info...but I ummmmm always bother with my bikini area :)
We had a recent discussion of such things recently in the final hours of wine club...a neighbor shared (wine on board) that she wants to start a business called "crotch works" that professionally takes care of bikini areas :)...she said she'd have a catalog of designs and all!!!!


Neve and Tristan born Feb 25, 2003
* EDD 3/19/05 Baby girl BRONWYN
* Adopting siblings in Ukraine 12-10-04
http://home.nc.rr.com/ourbabytristan

[KBecks]

I didnt, though I had a c/s my bikini area was still in the region.

[Laurelsmom2002]

OMG- Jamie and I were talking about this too- as part of the hospital stay- once you get your epidural what a perfect time for a wax :)

[brubeck]

I trimmed. I usually do that anyway otherwise it gets nasty to clean (especially at that time of month).

At my hospital they do not shave. I asked about it on the tour and they said it was not done anymore, just like enemas aren't done anymore.

[Marisa6826]

There are places like this in NYC.

Not only can you choose a 'design', but you can also, um, dye things.

The show I was watching (Real Sex, maybe??) showed somebody getting a heart shaped cut dyed bright red.

Uh, can somebody say too much time on your hands?!

-m

[egoldber]

Ah, but for a c-section, the incision is actually just above your pubic bone, so they have to shave the pubic area at least a little bit for the surgical incision.

I swear, almost the WORST part of the C-section was when I itched when the hair was growing back. I was on fire and thought it was the incision, then realized it was the fricken hair!

[Marisa6826]

YUP!

That's why I was wondering if I should do it myself. I'm thinking I should just let the nurse do it.

-m

[Kieransmom]

Wow, I can't believe that Amelia will be here this week. That went fast! My SIL's due date is tomorrow so we're waiting for the big day, whenever that may be. Best of luck to you!

And no, I didn't bother with my bikini area because I was so frustrated that I couldn't bend over to do my legs that I just didn't bother. I'd have my DH do my legs every once in a while. Of course I forgot about it on delivery day and must have looked like a blonde ape. Oh well, I'm sure they've seen worse.

And I just threw out all my Danskos last month. I wore them EVERY day of my pregnancy with Kieran. That was sad giving them up. :-)

Michelle
Mommy to Kieran, born 5/9/03

http://lilypie.com/baby2/030509/1/5/0/+10/.png[/img][/url]

[anutalp]

I have to disclose (like one of the previous posters) my DH did a great job :) I started to have contractions, so I decided I have to prepare myself and I asked DH and of course he agreed. Wouldn't anyone of them agree when your wife is having contractions!?
Next day, after I delivered, I was pretty impressed by his job, even though I had a c-section and this portion of my body didn't get enough attention anyway :)

[lizajane]

i am going to nair it. figured a cream would be easier and less dangerous than a razor! and if i take off too much, who cares. and if it doesn't work, i will enlist dh's help! last time, i was able to shave without too much trouble. i dunno what the story is this time. i haven't even shaved my legs in well over a month. why bother??

[Marisa6826]

Michelle-

We only have stall showers here (and a bathtub in an alcove), so you ought to see me wedging one leg up against the wall to shave at a time.

Good thing for all those Cirque du Soleil shows I've seen to give me ideas ;) :P

-m

[psophia17]

I carried really low, so by the time I was 7 months, I already had DH practicing his trimming technique. (TMI alert) He got a little nervous, and decided that he wouldn't trim me until after he practiced on himself, and let's just say thank god he worked out the kinks before he got anywhere near me. I also had to have DH put my socks on me and trim my toenails...my legs were just ignored, I couldn't reach them even with mirrors to guide me.

DS ended up being a C/S b/c he was breech, so all the trimming was superfluous...the nurse shaved my belly and the top of my bikini area and did a pretty good job of it. DH trimmed up enough that it wouldn't be tough for me to clean myself up after using the bathroom, and that was about it.

Like a PP, the worst part was the itching when the hair grew back around the incision, and the ingrowns that I couldn't see to dig out were almost as bad (luckily DH caught most of those before they got too bad - he was very paranoid about my wound being taken care of).

[pritchettzoo]

Have you used Nair before? I burned the bejeesus out of my armpits (using the extra-gentle kind), and I'm guessing nether-regions are even more sensitive. Plus there's a warning not to use it while pregnant, but I'd be more worried about chemical burns!

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03)

[pritchettzoo]

Something about pregnancy makes me grow hair like it's going out of style. DH made the mistake of commenting on the wildness and got himself elected chief trimmer. I didn't even think about shaving for a c/s, so if I knew I would be having one, I'd make sure the area around my scar was clean. The dry razor weilded by the L&D nurse was scary, but I already had the epidural, so she could have waxed me and I wouldn't have noticed. That would be a great service to offer--leg and bikini wax while under epidural. That's the only way I'd ever do it! :)

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03)

[brigmaman]

Lol, I had been showering morning and night by the time my due date came this time. I bought an extra Intuition razor to keep in the downstairs stall shower and would have to raise my leg up to chest height on the wall to shave. I thought for sure that would bring on contractions!
Oh, and I did trim up a bit every few days at that point as well. I could see nothing- but did it from memory so I'm sure it was quite a job! I'd rather save the $ spent on a wax for when I (and dh) can actually see it. ;)

[TraciG]

I usually shave it all off but while pregnant I let it all grow in, just tried to shave the bikini line if I could, funny though I felt like since I couldn't see it it didn't really bother me.

[Tori_s mom]

I didn't bother with the bikini area before delivery. I have a hard enough time with my sensitive skin when I can see what I'm doing. I did shave my legs while have contractions less than 5 minutes apart and dilated 6 cms. The things we put ourselves through... :) But I was SO happy we'd remodeled our shower and have a little corner shelf to prop legs on! And I too had a pedicure.

Best of luck, Marisa! I hope everything goes wonderfully for you.

Tasha

Tori (3/11/04)

[KBecks]

I've used Nair "down there", but only on the outer edges, not too far in. It worked well, but you have to do a little razor clean up anyway for parts that don't totally come off.

[TonFirst]

Sister, heed my cautionary tale:

DO NOT WAX. Oh my god, the pain. I am a habitual waxer - I've been having my bikini area waxed regulartly for about four years, now, and until I was about five months pregnant, I was such a regular waxer that the waxing didn't even hurt anymore. I could be waxed and still carry on a conversation with the aesthetician without flinching.

And then, I between the time I was five months pregnant until I hit 37 weeks, I was too busy to visit the spa, so I was un-waxed.

At 37 weeks, I had some free time and I figured that I'd tidy things up before delivery.

You know how the experts say to never get waxed when you're on your period because your skin Down There is more sensitive and swollen than normal? Multiply that by about 1,087 when you're 37 weeks pregnant, because OH MY GOD. THE PAIN. THE WHITE-HOT, SEARING PAIN.

It was so bad that I had tears running down my cheeks. It was so bad that my longtime aesthetician was seriously freaked out that she was causing me so much pain. It was so bad that I ACTUALLY ASKED FOR A ROLLED WASHCLOTH TO BITE ON because I had just about broken the skin on my thumb from biting down so hard. It was so bad that I had to use cold compresses afterwards.

Please, learn form my foolishness. I went through with the whole wax because I didn't want to be uneven and I hate, hate, hate shaving down there and the itchy aftermath of shaving my bikini area, but I will never, EVER get waxed again without the benefit of three Advil and a glass of wine, my usual pre-waxing ritual.

[marinkitty]

Marisa - you crack me up!

I waxed before DD was born, but a Brazilian was the norm for me back then, so it really wasn't anything out of the ordinary. I went every 5 to 6 weeks all pregnancy. Now this time I stopped about 2 months ago to save money and I have to tell you, the shaving is already too difficult to continue at 24 weeks (not to mention having something down there again other than the "landing strip" is very hard to get used to after almost 4 years without). I cannot imagine trying it at full term!

I suspect I'll do the wax again around week 37 or so, despite the previous posters dire warnings - I just didn't find it any worse than normal preggo.

Good luck!

Holly
Mom to Mia (3.17.03)
Another March baby EDD (3.22.05)

http://lilypie.com/days/050322/0/0/1/-6/.png

[barbarhow]

I shaved my bikini line while contracting-before waking DH to go to the hospital. I suspect I will do the same this go around. If I can still manage to glimpse the netherland. The way I seem to be growing lately-I don't know.
I must say though-this is one of the funniest threads I have read in a very long time!!!!
Barbara-mom to Jack 3/27/03, a Red Sox fan
expecting #2, a Yankee fan, around 5/9/05!

[Marisa6826]

Well, YOU know what happened last time I tried to aimless go where no man has been recently (unless you include my OB) ;) :P

I needed input Girlie!!!!

-m

[Sarah1]

This is the funniest, most informative thread I've read in a while! Of course, any post with "TMI" in the title always gets my attention pretty quickly :)

Funny thing is, I can't remember what I did. I'm a waxer (and I'm pretty overdue right now) but when I was pregnant (and showing) I felt weird about getting waxed down there. As many others have said, I think I recall just doing some basic trimming here and there so as not to appear excessively hairy on the big day.

I have to say, I am *amazed* at all the women whose DHs assisted them in the beautification process...to think I thought my DH and I were super close since I occasionally pluck his nose hairs.