Hair care when there's a baby on board

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While women can be quick to point out the myriad uncomfortable things that happen in your body when you’re pregnant, there are some silver linings (apart from the beautiful baby you’re expecting!).

And one of these is sitting right on your head: when you’re got a baby on board, a rather cool side effect of all the hormones that help bub grow is that your hair can also grow faster, thicker and shinier than usual. Isn’t that great?

But it can still mean some adjustments to your normal hair care routine.

In the shower

If your hair is thicker and shinier you might not need the mousses and serums you usually have on rotation. However along with this extra growth can come dryness for some and more oil for others. Suss out which way your hair looks like its going and invest in products accordingly.

For dry hair, a weekly moisture mask can keep everything silky.

Babyliss Pro Argan Oil Hydrating Mask $22.45

If your hair is oilier than usual, try an oil control shampoo or dry shampoo.

Batiste dry shampoo $8.50 (We’ve posted before on our love of Bastiste’s cult product!)

De Lorenzo Control Shampoo $25

At the hairdresser

Your changing hair may also mean making some changes when you visit the salon. Ask your hairdresser about cuts that will grow out gracefully if your hair is growing faster than usual, or if you’re worried about not making it to the salon as regularly once baby arrives. And while your bump is growing daily, you may find you have some extra roundness in other areas too, such as your face and jawline. Long layers, texture and sweeping fringes, rather than blunt shapes, will help balance out a face that is rounder than usual.

Take inspiration from some of these round-faced dames:

Ginnifer Goodwin

The height in Ginnifer Goodwin’s textured pixie cut elongates her face.

Mandy Moore

A long, sweeping fringe works on Mandy Moore.

Pregnancy bob

A bob can work on a round face — just avoid blunt edges and go for texture.

Wait, I have less hair, not more!

Some mums find their hair goes in the other direction and falls out more quickly when they are pregnant. Most women also lose a lot of hair once their baby is born. For those with thick, hard-to-manage hair, this can seem like a blessing! But if your hair is on the finer side, don’t tear the rest of it out — once your hormones balance out in the weeks and months after birth, your hair should return to normal. In the meantime, try volumising products such as L’Oreal Volume Expand shampoo ($22) and good ol’ dry shampoo for a bit of texture. You might find these hair tutorials, written by a fine-haired maiden, useful, or if all else fails, try this trick.

Colouring, perming and chemical straightening

Some mums-to-be are wary of how chemical treatments such as dyes and perms, but research has shown the risk of chemicals affecting the baby is very low. According to the Organization for Tetrology Information Specialists, the levels of chemicals you’re exposed to in the hairdressers’ chair are almost certainly too low to cause harm. However, if you’re concerned, skip the colour for a few months or have a chat to your hairdresser about treatments that don’t come into contact with the scalp, such as balayage or ombre, where colour is applied to the midlengths and ends but avoids the roots of the hair.

Additionally, if you’re finding your sense of smell is heightened while you’re up the duff, or if nausea is an issue, then it might be worth skipping the colour until after the morning sickness ends (thankfully around 14-18 weeks for most mums) or ask your hairdresser if there are low-odour versions of the treatment you’re after.