Enema and shaving

Breast milk is the best possible nutrition for your baby. Close contact with your baby – skin-to-skin bonding – not just in the first few hours of life, is the first step towards successful breastfeeding.

We do not require an enema, but we do recommend it – warm water helps to relax the pelvic floor muscles, and emptying the bowels creates more space in the pelvis for the baby; moreover, it ensures the baby is delivered into a clean environment. We also do not require the perineum to be shaved before the birth, but we do recommend it. This is an area that is often injured during childbirth and requires stitches. For hygiene reasons, not shaving can complicate the healing process.