Personal care routines can get more difficult as pregnancy progresses. As the baby gets bigger, so does you belly, and reaching certain places becomes increasingly difficult.
Some people think they need to be free of pubic hair to give birth, either because they think it's medically necessary, or because they're worried about what their birthing team will think. But a midwife, who's Reddit username is u/lozza2442, wants everyone to know that your pubes are the farthest thing from their mind when helping you give birth.
In a recent Reddit post to the subreddit r/BabyBumps, lozza2442 urges those expecting to not worry about their pubic hair.
"Please don't worry about pubic hair. We don't even notice as long as you have showered in the last week."
"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. I don't even notice any more. It doesn't affect stitches or anything to do with our work. If you have a csection we can shave the important part for you with a sterile razor."
"Please don't get yourself into an uncomfortable position trying to do something for us, cause we won't even notice. It's like getting your hair done and your husband/friends not even noticing."
from BabyBumps
This sentiment was echoed by many other birthing specialists and medical professionals in the comments.
"As an ob/gyn - 100% agreed. And it's not only pubic hair... hemorrhoids, interesting tattoos and piercings in your nether areas... anyone who's been delivering babies for a few years has seen it all. Aside from safety and some basic hygiene, it really doesn't bother us." -cherryliquer
"Np in gyn here - I don't care about shaving but clean socks are always appreciated" -minnj
"So I had to have a lit of fertility treatments done for my kids. At the end of my first pregnancy after almost three years if everyone being up in my hoohaa, I was over all of it. I didn't care who was looking. Interns? Bring them in! Residents? Take a peek! Your best friend's neighbor? Who cares? I think, also, women after having a baby feel some degree of the same way. Someone saw your guts or the inside of your vajay, it is what it is."
"With that said, as a lactation consultant, this post goes for boobs too. We've seen and felt and examined all sorts of boobs. Don't be ashamed of yours!" -suhayma
"As a Massage Therapist working in a Physical Therapist office who sees all sorts of naked parts - we don't care, either! I see bald, bush, tattooed, pierced, clean, sweaty, and everything else. I've also been farted on and had people leak onto the table and have had people vomit."
"You know what? I don't care at all. At. All. All that matters is that my clients feel good, so although I worry when someone gets sick, that's about the extent of it. I clean up fecal matter monthly, so I really really doubt that people who see it daily during delivery are fazed at all."
"On a side note - prenatal massage is great for your comfort and health, so if you have the money, treat yourself! :D" -RudyChristina7
Many of those expecting were happy to hear this.
"As someone whose starting to lose sight of my nether regions without some serious contortions, this is mildly reliving haha..." -NerdyBird23
"I was literally just in the shower wondering if this would affect stitching. Thank you for your post!!! :)" -bec-k
Even those who had already given birth were glad for the information.
"Thanks for letting us know it doesn't impact stitching! I did not do anything special before giving birth (trimmed a week prior) and was not at all concerned about it but a week or so after birth (I tore) I asked my husband to check on the stitches to see if he could see how it was healing and he said he couldn't see anything because of the hair and I was worried it was difficult to stitch me up because of that." -jungleymion
"Thank you! I was sent to the hospital to be induced from my 37 week appointment and was NOT prepared lol. OBGYN's, midwives and maternity ward nurses are saints." -kettyma8215
Some still want to shave, and that's okay too.
"I'm keeping it trimmed short just because a friend of mine warned me that longer hair can get a bit matted with all the various fluids down there, so I'd like to keep it short just for my own ease. My poor SO has to do it with his beard trimmer as I can't reach now!" -kattermole
"I'm pretty sure my bush might trap the baby coming out at this point lol. I keep asking hubs to help but he "wants to see how long it'll get" 🤣🤣🙄" -apostasism
"I think a full bush looks great in birth photos, too. Preserves a little bit of modesty, which is nice if you're like me and want to show them to everyone who will agree to look. That said, I was all about the post-partum trim - bleeding with all that hair got old. But by then I could see what I was doing!" -totorioto
Your midwife truly doesn't care because they've already seen it all, so when it comes down to it: you do you.
@thesinkingcanoe/Instagram
