What worked for you - what didn't?

I was at Panorama in 2001 and it was like it was run by the Gestapo.

It was seriously "streng" - but 2005 I was at Cape Town Medi-Clinic and it was like "all peace and love brother" very strange.
I was back at Panorama in 2009 and it was defintiely more "client" focussed.

I also realised the power of saying "no" to things that I did not agree with, or which I thought were being enforced to make the nurses life easier, but with no regard for my comfort or how I felt.

Rm that is probably the case. that thing on your finger monitors the oxygen but they still ask that polish is removed. I guess they are not too strict now. They can also check toenails.

charnenay - that is what I thought too, the hospital did it when I had my 1st c-section in 2001. The hospital had it on thier list of things to do.

But the 2nd one (2005) and the last one (2009), the doctors/nurse did not ask me to remove my nail stuff, and no one looked at my fingers.

I thought the 2nd time was because it was a bit of a rush job, but the 3rd time it was all planned, and still nothing. 3rd time was same hospital as 2001.

I think - and I could be wrong - that now they have monitors that monitor the oxygen levels in your blood, so they do not need to look at your finger nails.

Again I am not sure what the hospital would do and they have never asked about my nails and I have had many ops but they always insist on removing nail varnish. I also don't know what birth Joyous is hoping for.

Joyous - far as I know, Julz is right. Doctors check the color underneath your fingernails during surgery to monitor bloodflow, etc.

That's why you will find that the nurses remove your nailpolish before you go into theatre. With acrylics or overlays, they won't be able to see your finger beds.

Joyous_L - I have really long nails, and have been doing acrylic overlays for about two years as I was tired of breaking one, and then having to cut the other nine down to match and wait for them all to grow.

Now may nails are about 7mm long from the tip of my finger, but they are often in the region of 10 - 13mm which is ridiculously long.

I did the overlays during my last pregnancy and beyond and did not have any problem, and mentioned it to my OBGYN.

I would imagine that sitting in the salon all day with that stuff around you is not great, but exposure for a limited period every 2/3 weeks for an hour is not going to be harmful.

I did however find the smell of the acrylic and the salon very strong while pregnant and I did have to try to stop myself up-chucking, but other wise fine.

People often comment as to how I can handle a baby with long nails, but it is fine.

I must confess though that with a newborn and the cream and wiping bums and the like, it is easier if you cut them right down, as you are always digging kunk out from under your nails - and some days the bum cream and the poop looks deceivingly similiar as it sits under my nail.

Joyous I think if, like me, You'd always had super short nails and then you got extensions just before baby was born it would be a problem cos you'd be poking him left right and centre cos you're not used to them.

But since you've had them for 3 years i'm pretty sure you're used to having long nails and know how to do things with them without "poking" or damaging so i reckon if you get shortish ones it shouldn't be a problem at all.