Hair removal for childbirth

I'm starting this thread because I overheard this conversation a few years ago between my mother and my cousin, discussing the birth of my mother's cousin's daughter. They said she hadn't been shaved for childbirth, whereas in their day, "we were completely shaved." After this conversation, I wondered if it might have been humiliating for so many millions of women to be shaved for childbirth, when until the 1980s, it wasn't customary to shave completely, and for many women, it was the first time in their lives. What level of embarrassment did they experience during childbirth and then at postpartum visits? Does anyone have any experience with this?

Very true. I have 3 boys. I had my first in 1982. I was poor as a churchmouse when I did so I was in the charity wing, which was very, let's say 'traditional'.

I was fully shaved and given an enema before my first. Neither action was particularly pleasant.

My 2nd 2 were born at a different hospital with my own OB after my financial situation had started to improve. I was neither shaved nor given an enema.

Was being shaved embarrassing? Yes actually, especially as I was still a teenager. Post partum? Honestly after going through childbirth, any shyness you have about a doctor seeing your vulva is gone. Like burned away.

My wife was not shaved for childbirths in the 2010s. No enema either but a request to take a glycerin suppository and defecate before leaving home for the maternity ward.

My kids were born in the 1980s. My wife was not subjected to what had previously been the standard protocol: enema and shave.

Was being shaved embarrassing? Yes actually, especially as I was still a teenager. Post partum? Honestly after going through childbirth, any shyness you have about a doctor seeing your vulva is gone. Like burned away.

It's true, even my wife changed her attitude towards nudity after giving birth.

Our oldest child was born in 1967, and my wife was completely shaved and given an enema. Our second child was born four years later in 1971, and again, she was completely shaved and received an enema prior to delivery. However, by the time our next child was born in the later 1970s, only a partial shave was done. I will admit that she elected to be completely shaved long before “it was fashionable” and early childbirth experiences may have influenced this decision, which she still prefers today as opposed to any public hair.

My wife was shaved and given an enema when birthing both of our children.

The funny thing with our second child, the nurse was having trouble holding a full enema bag and inserting the colon tube nozzle that she was using. Being the responsible caregiver that i was, i took the bag from the nurse and reached down spreading my wife’s hip so the nurse could see my wife’s anus.

Now the nurse easily inserted the colon tube about six inches by my estimation. As i held the slowly deflating bag a couple of feet above my wife.

The nurse said, “Your husband is giving you this enema, not me.”

Funny thing, my wife has told this story many times. Ive never talked about it.

I posted this before.

When my wife went into labor in 1986 she had heard that she may be shaved before delivery. She asked me to shave her pubic hair at home, since she preferred that I do it. I thought I died and went to heaven. I also suggested she may get an enema, but she declined my offer to help.

I was with her when she next saw the Ob/Gyn. He asked, "Did someone prep you?" She replied, "My husband." He looked over at me and commented, "Nice job."

She never got the enema and when she was pregnant in 1988 with our second child there was no repeat request for me to shave her.

Im not a mom, but what’s interesting to me is the inconsistent approaches. Shaved vs unshaven, enema vs no enema. Does it depend on the doctor’s personal preference?

Ex/ I’ve never had a temperature measured in a clinic or hospital except by mouth or ear (to my recollection) but there are Zity members who still have theirs measured rectally.

Odd.

I feel as if the environment of childbirth has changed drastically over the past 100 years. In the past home births were common, and I understand that a shave and an enema was common for home births in most parts of the western world. I guess this was as a way to assist controlling the hygiene of the home setting. When births started moving to clinical settings as a majority, the shave and the enema were habit, and did continue. As the medical environment has advanced technically, and procedurally, the need for both was reduced.

Does it depend on the doctor’s personal preference?

I guess so @GraceT. In lots of professions that have seen technological advancement, including medicine, the humans working in that field often prefer things to be done one way or another based on their beliefs, their learning and their experience.

I was never shaved or given an enema for childbirth with my three (2010’s and 2020’s), and as far as I’m aware my mother was not shaved but was given an enema with my sister (1989) but neither shaved or enema with my brother or I (1990’s).

Both of my grandmothers were shaved and given an enema before childbirth of my parents and their siblings (1960’s & 1970’s).

We had a child last year. My wife was in labor for ~25 hours and then they moved us to a C-Section due to no progress being made. My wife likes to keep it pretty bushy up top. They did shave her so that it didnt interfer with the incisoin of the C-Section

Im not a mom, but what’s interesting to me is the inconsistent approaches. Shaved vs unshaven, enema vs no enema. Does it depend on the doctor’s personal preference?

@GraceT It may be a decision they make based on the circumstances. My wife was always a small woman (averaged around 110 pounds) her entire adult life. Our first born son had a large head and even with an episiotomy, she tore pretty bad and the OBGYN had her moved immediately after delivery into another room with a huge light suspended from the ceiling, so he could suture her up.

Our second born daughter was smaller and the delivery was much easier. Almost too easy, she barely got to the hospital in time. I don't think she was shaved, there probably was not enough time. It was a different Doctor and hospital.

I only have one child. When I gave birth I was on a Naval base in the early '80s. I was completely shaven and given an enema. It's the only time is my life that my mons Venus has been shaven. The shave part didn't bother me much but I sure as hell didn't like the feel of the hair growing back.

I was fully shaved and given an enema before my first. Neither action was particularly pleasant.

Was being shaved embarrassing? Yes actually, especially as I was still a teenager. Post partum? Honestly after going through childbirth, any shyness you have about a doctor seeing your vulva is gone. Like burned away.

Thanks for sharing your experience! if you had to compare the enema administration and shaving of your pubic hair, which one would you say was more embarrassing? at the time did you feel more shy about your anus being examined and penetrated or your vulva? cheers...

When my wife gave birth to her daughter (during her first marriage) she was shaved and given a very painful soapy enema, this was 1981 in Texas. When my cousin had her child she was given an enema (did not mention any shaving) this was in the same hospital it was about 1999.

I think they should return to shaving ladies prior to childbirth again. Should be shaving from bellybutton to knees. Make it as humiliating as possible and in front of family members present. Show off the family goods as much as possible.

I have an addition to make. During one of the births the fetal monitor started beeping and the nurse started to freak out, talking about emergency Caesarean section, having to shave my wife and she started to fetch the equipment; another staff, an obstetrician or midwife, calmed her. The baby was delivered in a hurry through the vagina.

I am just amazed that in a topic specifically about women's experiences majority of posts are from men... 13 out o 17, over 3/4... well done guys.

@gauguin who report factually on the experiences of their wives don’t they?