Since life has become too much to think about these days, I just want to ask one simple question, about a simple topic, that doesn't have a life changing outcome!! Ready?? Ok, I want to get my hair highlighted but I'm 7 months pregnant...lol...I've heard to stay away from hair dye during pregnancy. So, should I do it or just wait?
Also, while I'm here, I do not sleep anymore! last night I went to bed at 9 and was up at 12 in pain. My hips feel like they are just going to fall off, and my back is just horrible today. This is my fourth baby, and by far the worst pregnancy! My doctor said its a hormone..imagine that, and gave me ambien to help me sleep, which i can take a couple nights a week, but they don't seem to help. Any suggestions?

I'm not sure about the hair dye thing. I've never heard that you can't.

As for sleeping, I liked a warm bath and a cup of tea with honey. (decaffinated of course - chamomile is the best for calming me down and easing my mind) The warm bath helped to relax my muscles and just made me warm enough to drift off.

Good luck - What color highlights were you going for?

I like the tea and hot bath idea. Always puts me into la la land.
When pregnant I always slept with a million pillows around me, supporting any part of my body that did not seem very strong at the momment. Seems with each pregnancy I needed more and more pillows.
Good luck and God bless.

I didn't sleep, I never found a way to sleep. I tried tea, baths, was even allowed to take a benedryl now and then. I got restless legs, pains, and just insomnia in general. Then, people would tell me, get your sleep now before they are born.. ugh. I'm sorry, I'm not helping am I, just commiserating with you a bit I suppose!

I've heard to stay away from dyes but I dyed my hair at home during my recent pregnancy and my daughter was not effected by it. I would ask your doc about that one.

To sleep...sorry no advice here. I watched so many reruns of fresh prince, Rosanne,ect that the reruns are reruns for me! I had the hip numbness, pain and heartburn. Good luck thou.

SPIRIT

I have heard that you should stay away from ammonia based hair products, like bleaching your hair.

As for sleeping, I pillows were the best thing for me when I was pregnant. I had one behind my back and one between my legs (I'm a side sleeper).

Good luck ~
Meghan

Hair dye and/or highlighting is okay, just don't scrub it into your scalp. And try to use more of a semi-permanent, it is less harsh, especially if your hair has changed due to the hormones. I used to dye my hair 2 different shades of pink, but when I got pregnant, my doctor told me not to since I had to bleach my roots every time I redyed my hair. So, I went back to blue, which she approved of, since it was a semi-permanent with no harsh chemicals.

Kellyjo,
Hairdresser here! Coloring your hair during pregnancy is determined by you and the doctor. There is no evidence either way to suggest a problem but, some doctors still shy away from the unknown. In your 7th month highlighting shouldn't be a problem for any doctor to agree to. The highlighting methods keep the color or lightener from coming in contact with your skin.

Ammonia based products are a necessary evil anytime you lighten your hair. What did our moms clean the floors with AMMONIA (necessary alkali to open the cuticle of the hair). What do you put on your cuts for disinfectant? PEROXIDE (necessary for oxidation of color molecules but, it can't work in 10 -50 minutes without the alkali).... Same stuff that is in hair color. Hair lightener (aka bleach) is peroxide and ammonia and some conditioning agents.. period. Hair color contains a material called para phenolyne diamine.... aka the dye that actually "colors" your hair. This is the stuff that a few people have skin reactions to when they color (not dye ladies and gents) their hair.

As for the sleeping, pillows for support. Ask your doctor about chamomille tea. It really does work. Stay away from the warm baths if you are prone to yeast infections (many women are more susceptable during pregnancy). If you can get your hands on some fresh cherries, they have natural pain relieving ingredients. You do have to consume quite a few though. Another remedy, the new menthol patches for muscle aches and pains. They really work well. Lastly, if it is your joints causing muscle issues, consider pregnancy massage or chiropractic care and use ice rather than heat to skrink the swollen nerves. My siatic nerve killed me during my last months.

Ok, I turned a simple question into something not so simple. I hope it helped.

Oh, one more thing... semi permanent colors can not lighten hair. They are preformed pigments that sit in the cuticle of the hair only... deposit only colors but, no they will not COVER gray. They can add shine that make your hair "appear" to be hilighted.

Colors such as the blue and pink that newmom mentioned are also preformed pigments in the temporary color family. Place Kool-aid on bleached hair and it will absorb the pigment because of the porosity. So these pigments stay longer in bleached hair but, still fade to pastels quickly.

Wow, thanks so much everybody! I go to the doctor monday, I'll ask about the dye, but you pretty much made it pretty clear that highlights would be ok! Maybe it will help me feel better. For the pain, I can't take it! I am learning the hard way that it seems to only get harder with each pregnancy! People think by #4 you should be a pro!I am just a big baby with this one. Of course the circumstances are a little different and it has been very emotionally and physically draining being alone, but I'm livin! I feel for anyone else going through it. I can't watch a baby story on TLC anymore, or special delivery on DHC...HA!, I sit there and cry like a fool while watching the women in pain! I'm scared of what it's going to be like bring the baby home, alone, and taking care of him and the others by myself. As always though I'm sure when it comes time, I won't be sitting around thinking about it all the time, I'll just do what I have to do and it won't be so bad. Look, I turned my simple question in something more! I think I just need to go sit in a salon, get my hair done and then go get a nice massage!
Thanks for all your help!

Kellyjo,
I agree. Get your hair done, get a massage (make sure they know pregnancy massage) and a pedicure too.

You will atleast feel prettier, papmered, and might get a nap on the massage table

Oh and Kellyjo,
We all tend to forget the pain. How the heck do you think you made it to number 4. If you remembered it well you would have stopped half way through number 1. Let the pain management team's (people that think you should be a pro) advice and statements go out the other ear.

I'm getting my hair done saturday and going to a day spa on the 25th! Not only will I get a pregnancy massage, but also a facial, manicure,pedicure, and heated hand therapy! LOL I can't wait!! Something to look forward to for sure. It might be somewhat of a waste of money that I probably shouldn't be spending right now, but OH WELL! I need it, bad!