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What? My hair is going to fall out?

By Catherine Toth Fox • August 1, 2016 • #BabyFox, Musings, The Daily Dish

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The other day my girlfriend, who has two boys and no plans to ever get pregnant again, told me that my hair was going to fall out.

Really? Seriously? As if I needed anything else weird to happen to me!

I just hit my fifth-month mark and, while we’re elated that this pregnancy has lasted so long, I’ve been weirded out about the strange things happening to my body — and beyond.

Why didn’t anyone tell me that morning sickness could be all-day sickness? Or that I would have strange dreams so vivid, I wake up at 3 a.m. — and after peeing for the third time that night — can’t go back to sleep?

Being pregnant is a strange thing. Your body is changing, your moods are all over the place, you’re craving foods you’ve never liked before.

No one told me that you could be so sick with nausea and vomiting that you could actually lose weight in the first trimester (a condition I now know as hyperemesis gravidarum) and have to get fluid and nutrition through an intravenous line every week.

Or that you would have to take a cocktail of medication to keep the nausea at bay for at least an hour so you could get work done.

Or that the medication may not even work and you’d be sick, anyway.

Or that you could feel the equivalent of motion sickness throughout the day, the worst being at night while you’re lying in bed. Like you’re on a small 18-foot Whaler in the middle of a very angry ocean and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Or that you can’t take any kind of motion sickness medication — or Advil and Pepto-Bismol, for that matter.

Or that you’d want to brush your teeth 17 times a day just to get the taste of whatever you could actually eat out of your mouth because it starts to make you sick. (I did have a stellar dental check-up, though, thanks to all that teeth-brushing. Bonus!)

Or that you’d cringe at eating some of your favorite foods, including pizza, fried chicken and plain white rice. How random.

Or that that only foods you can keep down are breads, crackers, bananas, cereal, milkshakes and Slurpees.

Or that even prenatal vitamins can make you queasy. Even the gummy ones. And you didn’t even know there were such things.

Or that your body gets so hot and sweaty, even on the rainiest, coldest nights, all you want to do is lie in front of a fan, on full blast, totally naked.

Or that, despite eating just carbs all day long, you still can’t fit that pair of jeans you keep around for your bloated days.

Or that feeling bloated is now a way of life.

Or that you forget the names of your pets, your dentist, your cousins, the person you just met.

Or that you pee ALL.THE.TIME.

Or that your husband would suddenly start purging everything in your house, including your bookshelves (with books), clothing, camping gear and your entire dining room table set.

Or that walking up the stairs to your front door would feel like hiking to the top of Kuli‘ou‘ou.

Or that people will want to rub your uterus — and you actually don’t mind it.

Or that you start dreaming about your child wanting to get a tattoo (this happened last night) and you start explaining that he should wait until he’s 30 because if you had gotten a tattoo when you had wanted one, you would still have Fido Dido on your ass with the phrase, “Nobody On Board,” next to it.

Or that you could close your eyes for a second during a commercial break and wake up the next morning. Naked in front of a fan.

Or that people can’t quite tell you’re pregnant yet and assume you’ve just gained a ton of weight.

Or that you find out your friends have kept all of their baby stuff — and their kids are in grade school already — cleaned and in tact, almost as if they were just waiting for you to get pregnant.

Or that cribs and strollers and car seats are expensive and that websites only make you more confused about them.

Or that your boobs are so big, you actually wish they were smaller.

Or that you’ll never sleep on your stomach again.

Or that being pregnant makes other people happy, like they’ve been rooting for you this whole time.

Or that a twinge of pain in your abdomen could actually make your smile.

Or that you realize how awesome your husband is because he suddenly wants to rub your back or fetch you another Slurpee and then he starts talking to your belly and you just die.

Or that your priorities start to suddenly change and things that mattered before don’t matter that much anymore.

Or that life will be different and interesting and better.

I’m just not looking forward to my hair falling out.

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About the Author

Catherine Toth Fox

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21 Comments

  • Reply Shari August 1, 2016 at 12:40 pm

    Don’t worry your hair prob won’t fall out till like 4 months after giving birth…. And then when it grows back you have these babies hair sprouting up like you just cut your own bangs lol! Mine are still growing back!! Don’t even get me started on your nipples…. TMI but they never go back to cute pink nipples…

  • Reply islandgirl33 August 1, 2016 at 12:41 pm

    Or that you are happy not to have your period for several months but after you give birth, it all catches up and you have your period for several weeks! 🙂

  • Reply Dorcie August 1, 2016 at 12:42 pm

    Despite all the travails of being pregnant, when you see that baby, it will all be worth it. I lost 23 lbs. during the first trimester of my second pregnancy, and couldn’t eat anything. In those days, you just wait it out, no IVs or anything special. But, my daughter came out healthy, perfect Apgar score, and has grown up to be a smart, (Northwestern grad like you) successful and great mom.

  • Reply FreeRangeNan August 1, 2016 at 12:50 pm

    Wishing you all the best!

    Have you tried ginger for the nausea? There is actually some clinical evidence for it, an in any case it’s harmless. If it works you could pick up a bottle of PacifiKool ginger syrup. Use with water or seltzer, or just take a spoonful when you need it.

  • Reply Ynaku August 1, 2016 at 12:59 pm

    My hair didn’t fall out. I started pulling it when my kids were teenagers 😆

    Hang in there momma. It’s all worth it.

  • Reply BabyCat August 1, 2016 at 1:19 pm

    …and when your hair grows back it’ll look like a chia pet (my current state of affair)!

    Congratulations to a much deserving couple!!!

  • Reply David Jackson August 1, 2016 at 1:22 pm

    After your child is born you might want to stop sleeping naked in front of the fan unless two kids are on the agenda…

  • Reply Kyle Watanabe August 1, 2016 at 1:35 pm

    Try the Rainbow light prenatals! I am usually very sensitive to vitamins, they used to make me nauseous too but these are awesome! Also, somehow they disguised the fish oils with orange oil so when you burp, it’s like you drank orange juice. LOL. I found them at whole foods but I have been ordering them on Amazon.

  • Reply Melissa K. August 1, 2016 at 2:19 pm

    Wow, I haven’t been pregnant for almost 25 years and you brought it all back again! Great post. Pregnancy is a really special time even if right now you think you are a hot mess. It beats menopause by many miles…trust me on this one. And your hair should be the glossiest and thickest it’s ever been with all the added hormones. You’re on your way to the most joyful adventure that you’ve ever had. Hope you feel better very soon!

  • Reply Jodie August 1, 2016 at 2:41 pm

    I never heard of women losing their hair during pregnancy. I found (this is kinda embarrassing) that after trying REALLY hard to breastfeed two kids, my breasts are still really sensitive and my kids are teens! Hang in there, you’ll get through it! We love this Fox kid already!

  • Reply Malika Dudley LifesSwell.com August 1, 2016 at 3:02 pm

    Hey girl!
    Ah… the joys of pregnancy! Super happy for you and your growing ohana 🙂 Bummer about your extreme nausea… that really sucks. BUT, from what I’ve been told… that means your body is just recognizing the foreign object within you. When I was pregnant with Jackson, I was super worried because I had no nausea and I thought it was a terrible sign! lol So, silver lining… it’s a GOOD sign! Love you. Can’t wait to share preggo, mommy, playdate experiences with you! xoxo (Come visit us on Maui!) Maliks

  • Reply Angela Keen August 1, 2016 at 3:26 pm

    This is awesome. I loved reading it! Rooting for you!

  • Reply Leisha August 2, 2016 at 12:58 am

    So happy for you . Pregnant with my first son and having non stop nausea I saw a sigh advertising hamburgers. Just the word hamburger was enough to make me sick . Weird stuff happens that’s for sure !

  • Reply M August 2, 2016 at 6:37 am

    Hello Cat,
    Don’t worry and get all stressed out. It will be all worth it!

  • Reply Nelbe Fabro August 2, 2016 at 7:25 am

    You will forget everything! The real adventure will begin soon. Losing your hair won’t happen until baby is about 2 or 3 months old. By then you will be concentrating (or at least TRYING to) on other things. Like remembering to shave your legs and pits or if you left the keys hanging in the front door. Mommy brain is going to last a while. My youngest is 3 and I can’t shake it. Just kick in your heels, stop listening to everyone’s bad experiences. Hold onto your hat and enjoy the ride!

  • Reply Alan August 3, 2016 at 3:16 am

    Hang in there Cat. Before long you won’t remember what it was like to not have a kid.

  • Reply Annoddah Dave August 3, 2016 at 8:09 am

    CAT: Not having ever been pregnant, your post cracked me up!

  • Reply jaydee11 August 4, 2016 at 11:10 am

    “Or that people will want to rub your uterus — and you actually don’t mind it.”

    Lmao! Now that is a clever line Cat.

    Don’t worry, You get ’em Cat. One day you’ll look back on this post and a nostalgic smile will crease your face.

  • Reply Annoddah Dave August 5, 2016 at 8:55 am

    CAT: Your next post should include what your Mom and Mother in law have to say about their pregnancies. Am certain they will say it was “a piece of cake” compared to you and that you are making this all up! LOL

  • Reply mows August 10, 2016 at 1:41 pm

    Special, magical times you must cherish them for it is all a part of the blessing. My wife would eat a whole loaf of bread and a half a gallon on milk in one day.

  • Reply mows August 10, 2016 at 1:42 pm

    I always thought that the baby is pulling the hair out.

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About Me

About Me
Born and raised on O‘ahu, Hawaiʻi, Catherine Toth Fox has been chronicling her adventures in her blog, The Cat Dish, for more than a decade. She worked as a newspaper reporter in Hawai‘i for 10 years and continues to freelance—in between teaching journalism, hitting the surf and eating everything in sight—for national and local print and online publications. She’s currently the editor of HAWAIʻI Magazine.

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