Why You Should Not Wax Or Shave Your Pubic Hair Before Birth

It’s a bit of a hairy topic but if you’re planning on giving birth any time soon, midwives have advised not to groom your pubic hair in preparation for labour.

It’s quite a trend these days to have a bit of a style ‘down there’, whether it’s achieved through shaving, waxing or plucking. But a midwife has advised readers on BabyCentre UK that women shouldn’t shave or wax before giving birth. And she shares the reason why.

A practising midwife in Sussex in the UK, Dr Cate Bell, said: “Our current advice is that you don’t shave or wax your pubic area just prior to giving birth

“This increases your risk of an infection especially if you have an operative procedure like a Caesarean section”.

Infections

As reported in the Mirror, shaving and waxing can cause micro-abrasions on the skin’s surface which can then become infected. And this is certainly not something you want to worry about with a new born bub to look after.

A popular topic on parenting groups is around pubic hair etiquette when giving birth. Mums assume being hairless will make labour easier and cleaner.

However, the truth is, is that the birthing team don’t really care either way – they’re more focused on getting your baby out safely rather than whether you had a Brazilian a few days before.

A study published in the Journal of Hospital Infection, concluded that significantly fewer infections occur with going natural than with shaving.

So there you have it! One less thing to worry about before birth.

Do you have any strong feelings about waxing or shaving your pubic hair before birth? Tell us in the comments below.

37 Comments

- - meedee said
  - 03 Nov 2023
    12:31 pm
Never worried about doing anything. Who cares?

- - mom19782016 said
  - 21 Oct 2020
    8:30 pm
Makes a lot of sense not doing anything down there

- - Frankiielot said
  - 05 Oct 2020
    10:06 pm
I honestly had no clue!
I thought it would be the other way around to be honest.
Some women have hair that grows up higher so wouldn’t this get in the way if you have a c- section?

- - ~Loui~ said
  - 19 Aug 2020
    2:43 pm
I never even thought about it.

- - mom321515 said
  - 19 Aug 2020
    10:57 am
I just had a twin but didn’t really care as I couldn’t see down there haha

- - tessie said
  - 14 Aug 2020
    5:30 pm
I’ve never thought about it at any time.

- - sars_angelchik said
  - 14 Aug 2020
    1:35 pm
I used to get Brazilians done in younger years but would end up getting rashes and chafing- natural is best.

- - rovermum said
  - 13 Aug 2020
    9:31 am
Wow! Who knew? I was too sick the entire pregnancy to even consider any form of hair removal, but know many that do. Interesting to know, but would think a Midwife would know best.

- - shanika said
  - 12 Aug 2020
    10:24 pm
I shave every time before i went for a birth.

- - mom468218 said
  - 12 Aug 2020
    10:18 pm
Wish i was told this before I gave birth, but i didn’t have any complications- thankfully. I think giving a bit of tidy up down there is more about personal gratification rather than others “satisfaction” or appeasement. I wanted to Be as comfortable as I could be, in the most vulnerably “open” I’ll ever be,

- - mom266099 said
  - 12 Aug 2020
    9:12 pm
Gosh, you leave your dignity at the front door when you walk in anyway. No one cares or is going to comment on your bush or smooth moosh!
- Ellen replied
  
  13 Aug 2020 , 7:53 am
  Haha, lol
- - littlehandsofmine said
  - 12 Aug 2020
    9:10 pm
I haven’t really thought about it

- - ashna9 said
  - 12 Aug 2020
    8:11 pm
But if you have a caesar they shave you a bit anyway so why not do it before?

- - celebrity said
  - 12 Aug 2020
    9:53 am
Back in the seventies the nurse would shave all pubic hair off before giving birth. How times have changed.

- - Sal said
  - 11 Aug 2020
    1:16 pm
So interesting! Thanks for sharing.

- - Ellen said
  - 11 Aug 2020
    7:41 am
Strange, when I had an emergency section I was shaved by the hospital staff

- - Jbuttxx said
  - 11 Aug 2020
    6:15 am
Very interesting to know. Will keep this in mind but very much like to feel clean with all the bleeding

- - Jess said
  - 11 Aug 2020
    1:09 am
I shaved before my daughter because that’s what I would usually do and I was due to do it and I didn’t get time before my son unfortunately..

4-6 weeks of not being able to do it afterwards killed me because I feel like it’s more hygienic and less messy when you have blood coming out for weeks and you’re bald to very little hair rather than a bush. No different to a period, I always try and time that right.

- - mom265671 said
  - 10 Aug 2020
    10:40 pm
How interesting! Makes sense though. But some just prefer to feel cleaner, especially with the 6 weeks worth of bleeding and care afterward

- - Mumma'sLittleHelpers said
  - 10 Aug 2020
    9:42 pm
This will be my fourth, and I laugh because as much as it has been something I have pondered I figure, if you can’t see it then leave it