It’s working in unexpected ways for moms in the maternity ward, where flat irons are prepped alongside forceps; and stylists anxiously wait alongside sisters.
In her New York Times piece, “Along With Babies, Hairstylists Are Arriving in Hospitals,” Rachel Felder explores how and why modern moms are preparing for the mother of all close ups by inviting hair stylists and makeup artists into the delivery room:
“I think someone realized, ‘Why should I not look good for that great picture that I’m going to show everybody, the first picture of my child?’ ” said Joel Warren, an owner of the Warren-Tricomi salons.
Ten years ago, the New York Times was reflecting on another delivery room trend in Jodi Kantor’s piece, “Move Over, Doc, the Guests Can’t See the Baby:”
“Just a generation after fathers had to beg or even sue for the right to be present, the door to the delivery room has swung wide open. Even the most traditional hospitals now allow multiple guests during labor, transforming birth from a private affair into one that requires a guest list.”
The bottom line: new mothers have always decided how they want to experience their motherhood (with a blowout, or without!).