There’s certainly a debate (not to mention a bunch of memes) about whether women should be shaving and/or waxing at all, but let’s save that for a different post.
Some crazy people believe that they have to keep up their appearances during pregnancy. Don’t! Let it go! And that includes your pubic hair. If you’re a person who shaves down there, maybe hold off while you’re pregnant—apparently, it’s not the best idea if you are expecting.
Angela Grant Buechner, BA, BScN, RN, IBCLC is a registered nurse, international board-certified lactation consultant, doula, and educator. She is the owner of Nutmeg Consulting in Toronto, Canada. And she recently made a TikTok explaining why you should leave your bush alone during pregnancy.
“Did you know that it’s actually not recommended to shave pubic hair after 36 weeks of pregnancy?” she asks in the beginning of the video. “Shaving pubic hair can INCREASE the risk of infection at the time of birth, even with Cesarean birth!”
Angela spoke to BuzzFeed about her viral video and her mission to educate.
“My whole mission on TikTok is to share unbiased, non-judgmental information so people can learn something new,” she said.
“I shared the TikTok because I know that in some places (especially the US), it may still be common for women/birthers to be shaved or told to remove their pubic hair before birth, even though current research shows that it’s not necessary and even increases the risk of infection. I’m in Canada, where it hasn’t been standard practice for MANY years.”
Folks said that they experienced being shaved before birth, but Angela clarified and said that isn’t the best practice anymore: “So, in the field of medicine…there are a lot of things that people get confused that just because it’s done, doesn’t mean it’s actually the best practice.”
Furthermore, it might be worth asking yourself why you feel it’s necessary to shave your pubic hair. Angela explained that vaginas are meant to give birth, so you don’t have to prepare them. Also, “just like vaginas are ‘self-cleaning’ and don’t need extra products or cleaning, they don’t need preparation to give birth. People who don’t feel ‘clean’ unless they remove their normal pubic hair may be experiencing internalized misogyny.”
Buzzfeed also spoke with OBGYN Dr. Erica Montes, who supported Angela’s assertions about shaving: “Some risks with shaving can include folliculitis or infection of the hair follicle. It can also lead to ingrown hairs, which can cause pain and infection of the surrounding skin. Shaving can also lead to cuts in the skin, which can become infected, leading to multiple other infections, especially during sex.”
Pregnancy is hard enough. Don’t put your vagina through any more pain!
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Featured Image: TikTok, Shutterstock