Hair Maintenance

JustineDD · February 2011

I've always worn my hair long, (easy to throw in a pony tail) its pin straight, and I'm so bored with it...

I made an appointment to have it chopped off on Monday, but after telling my hubby, friends, etc... they are telling me I'm making a huge mistake, that it'll be easier when baby#2 gets here to just throw it up, if I cut it short I'll have to style it...

Any suggestions? I wasn't going to go crazy short, maybe just one of those bobs everyone seems to have!

shaynesmoyer · February 2011

I would keep it long enough to do a pony tail. You will have your hair in that a lot after baby is here.

pandi02a · February 2011

NOOOOOOO!!!!! Don't cut it! I am a hairstylist and I try everything I can to talk people out of cutting their hair during or right after their pregnancy. You think it will be easier but your friends are right, it won't be. Long hair requires much less maintenance than short hair.

00tedsgirl · February 2011

I cut my hair to shoulder length just before I had DS. I haven't cut it again since. Trims? Yes. But now it is nice and long again and much easier to take care of. I got a perm so I wouldn' thave to dry it, too. Best hair decision ever.

trixie2003 · February 2011

If you want to try something different, maybe some new highlights, layers, or bangs ( but those require daily maintenance too...at least I always did when I had mine.)

I chopped my hair at 5 months (well the stylish chopped it 7 inches, I wanted about 5) and I am super regretting it because of the maintenance and had a minor victory last night when I was FINALLY able to get it into a pony tail. Miss my long hair...learn from my mistakes!

mrbear83 · February 2011

Completely dissagree with your DH and friends. I have a "lob" that's about 2 inches below my chin, but not reaching my shoulders. I NEVER have to do a thing to it besides blow dry. I have it cut into a little shape with a razor, and it's maintenance free, and photo ready! When I had longer hair, there were ponytails, and rubber band lines, etc. I'm getting mine touched up again just before LO is born.

I think you should go go go for it!

trixie2003 · February 2011

Well, its true though. We all have different hair. Me, I've never being able to blow dry my hair into a hairstyle without a curling iron or flat iron (I have the not-so-pretty wavy hair).

So, go with what you want bottom line.

EFIRDAL · February 2011

I don't know how long your hair is but maybe you should just get a little cut off and just get it shaped up. I got mine cut the other day, I have always had short hair but, I have been letting it grow. It is finally to my shoulders now and I can get it in a ponytail. My stylist shaped it up so that is cute down (and super easy to fix if i blow dry it with a round bruch) but it's still long enough to put in a pony tail if i want. She also put some color on it and it mady a HUGE difference. I wouldn't do anything drastic at this point but maybe just trim it up a little.

darmca · February 2011

I have to disagree that short hair is more work- mind you mine is really short but it takes me about 30 seconds to part it and throw some goop in it in the morning or 'style it' as your husband calls it. When I had long hair I'd spend that long running a brush through it and throwing it into a pony-tail and I always felt the pony-tail didn't look as polished as my hair does now with my 30 second style.

Callidryas · February 2011

I have a ton of super fine, super straight hair down to my bra strap and was thinking about chopping it, but I am afraid of the emotional baggage that the chop will unleash. I haven't cut it for over a year, except for trims. I am thinking of getting it shaped into something like below, I will never look like Carmen Electra, but I like the style.

pandi02a · February 2011

mrbear83:
Completely dissagree with your DH and friends. I have a "lob" that's about 2 inches below my chin, but not reaching my shoulders. I NEVER have to do a thing to it besides blow dry. I have it cut into a little shape with a razor, and it's maintenance free, and photo ready! When I had longer hair, there were ponytails, and rubber band lines, etc. I'm getting mine touched up again just before LO is born.
I think you should go go go for it!

I have had that cut. Yeah, all you have to do is blow dry it, BUT you have to blow dry it everyday or at least flat iron it to reshape it. I would wake up with my hair all over the place. Now that it's long I can go days without having to do anything except for brush it.

darmca:
I have to disagree that short hair is more work- mind you mine is really short but it takes me about 30 seconds to part it and throw some goop in it in the morning or 'style it' as your husband calls it. When I had long hair I'd spend that long running a brush through it and throwing it into a pony-tail and I always felt the pony-tail didn't look as polished as my hair does now with my 30 second style.

Super short hair is easier than any other type of hair. I didn't like it though. Most people who are used to long hair, when they say they are going to chop their hair off, they don't mean a pixie, they mean a bob. I wouldn't ever recommend someone going from a long cut to a pixie either. Huge changes like that are hard to adjust to. Especially when you're going through hormonal changes/body changes after giving birth.

Just don't do it, OP.

Bakes4u · February 2011

I just cut my hair and did the whole bob thing. I did it about a month ago and wish I never had. I just want my long hair back. It's so much more work to keep it short. I wear a lot of hats now since I don't have time to style it while chasing DS around.

andigurl · February 2011

I always had long, thick "bombshell" hair as my stylist called it. About a year and a half ago it started falling out and breaking off due to some health stuff I had going on so I got brave and chopped it off. As much as I loved my long hair I'd always had, I love my short hair equally as much, if not more. I love the time it saves me, I can still get it in a pony tail when I don't feel like doing it, or for working out. It takes much less time to look "polished" then it did when I had the long hair. I'm also kind of to the point where I'd rather have it short and easy to do (which my cut totally is) then long and always up in a pony tail. Here are a couple pics right after I got mine cut off. Maybe you could find something shorter, but still long enough to pull back when you need to? I use those elastic headbands that go all the way around your head to hold the short hairs back off my face when it's back in a pony tail at this length.

So yeah, I say DO IT!

AshBow171 · February 2011

My Aunt went off the deep end after she had her second baby. She shaved her head! Indifferent She didn't want to be bothered by having to do her own hair. So she looked like a boy for quite a while.

I say just get a trim and go with the ponytail thing. You might get stressed out if you cut it too short and find it's more difficult to maintain. I had a bob and in order for it to look halfway decent I had to blow it out everyday with a round brush. It was a PITA! I am wash and go kind of girl.

EJensify · February 2011

I loved my short hair that I cut in a frenzy right before DD was born, but what I wished I had done was gone in and asked for a more manageable style that I could pull up in a pony tail. Girl, I had bangs and I can't tell you how annoying those were about two hours after DD was here.

So I say go for it either way, but you might want to check styles that have more layers that you could still tie back or shove under a hat in a pinch.

tokenhoser · February 2011

I got sick of my long hair and cut it long-ish pixie (so pretty short). I love it. It's way less work and takes zero styling time - towel dry, add some mousse, comb and I'm done.

I think the key is it suits my hair type. I'll likely never have long hair again, and I am so happy with that.

kacelle · February 2011

I had ten or so inches cut off my hair a few months ago, and had my hair styled into a longer bob. I cannot wait for it to grow back out! I can't wear my hair curly or wavy because the layers poof out and make me look like a poodle (although my hair isn't thick). I can't put my hair in a ponytail because the shortest layers won't fit. The humidity is killing me!

If my hair were naturally very straight, it probably wouldn't be a problem. But my hair is more damaged now that I've been straightening it every day, and I miss the ease of a ponytail or curly hair.

Stephcara · February 2011

I agree with most of the ladies on here. Don't cut! I chopped off all of my hair when I was pg with my first, worst mistake. My hair took more effort and pain. Also, wait until after the baby, your face may change.

mzbrittany87 · February 2011

I'm going through the exact same thing. I have had long hair my whole life and honestly I hate hair so I just keep it in a ponytail or balled up. I got it cut in a bob last year and I like it but now it have grown back out and I'm getting bored with my hair again so I'm seriously thinking about cutting it in a bob again...

meghanchrisaz · February 2011

I have no advice, I'm with you, I want to do something to my hair. But, I don't think it has anything to do with pregnancy. My hair gets to a certain length and I just can't stand it anymore and want to chop it all off. My long hair requires a lot of maintenance because its really thick and curly (not in a good way). When its shorter it's a lot easier for me to wash and go. My hair is currently about 2 inches past my bra strap and I want to chop it around chin length. Oh and my hair DOES fall out and I really don't want to clog my shower with all of that long hair, its so gross.

tokenhoser · February 2011

I went straight from long hair (well past my shoulders) to pixie. I didn't miss it AT ALL for a moment.

When you're ready, you know it. Don't rush it, but you don't lose the right to drastic change just because you're knocked up.

Long hair:

Short hair:

JustineDD · February 2011

Well my appointment is at 12 today, & after reading all the advice... I'm going to just have a trim, no drastic cut... I'll wait and see how I make out after baby it born.

Thanks everyone... its always nice to hear some others comments/experiences, when you are pregnant, hormonal and can't make up your mind! Smile

pandi02a · February 2011

tokenhoser:
When you're ready, you know it. Don't rush it, but you don't lose the right to drastic change just because you're knocked up.

LOL. Of course you don't lose the right to cut your hair. I would say a good 90% of people who chop their hair off, especially at a time of change regret it. It's good to keep in mind that hair does grow and that you don't know that you do or don't like something on you until you try it. I would just wait a few months after the baby comes, to settle into the changes that you are having in your life. A lot of women go through a period, during pregnancy and right after birth where they don't feel good about the way they look. Why throw in a drastic change to the mix, when self esteem can already be a little shaky. Plus the fact that when the baby comes, more often than not, shorter hair is actually more maintenance.

If someone comes to me wanting to chop their hair off, I don't refuse them the service, but I do try to talk them into waiting for the reasons I mentioned above.

OP, I think you are making a good choice. Reevaluate in a few months.

tokenhoser · February 2011

I've cut off my long hair about 3 times so far. I never mean to grow it out, but I'm lazy about going for cuts.

My hairdresser always looks like she expects me to cry, but I never do. Stick out tongue

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