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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Suddenly realised I am less hairy!! Could this mean a girl...?

19 replies

emeraldgirl1 · 11/10/2012 09:50

Have just noticed that my usual levels of hairiness Blush have diminished rather a bit. Mostly on the face - I realise I sound as if I have a full beard; I don't, but I do usually wrestle with moustache hairs and a few but very annoying bristles on the underside of my chin :(

But these have lessened over the past few weeks by about 40-50%...

Is it an old wives tale about this maybe meaning a girl...?

I am 17w so only a couple more weeks to go until we find out but DH and I are both v nervous about it. I know it is wrong to express a preference and honestly we do both just long for a healthy baby but it can be hard not to have a sneaky longing for one or the other (in our case, a blue one)...

I am just very nervous as it really does seem to matter a lot for the shape of our future family IYSWIM. Boy or girl, we would honestly be happy (and lucky!!) with either, but either one does kind of radically affect the way your lifelong family 'feels'... does anyone understand what I am saying here?!

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Flisspaps · 11/10/2012 09:55

It's just normal for pregnancy - I have one of each.

Your hair doesn't fall out at the same rate during pregnancy (I assume growth is slowed as your body is busy elsewhere) so you'll notice your legs aren't as hairy (but your belly might become rug-like!)

Your head hair doesn't fall out so much either, you get to about 4 months post partum and then you'll be losing huge clumps in the shower, when you start losing what you should have lost in pregnancy!

wannabedomesticgoddess · 11/10/2012 09:56

I read that less hairy meant a boy. (My fingers are crossed for blue too as we already have a girl. But really, as long as its healthy we dont mind!)

SuperSesame · 11/10/2012 09:57

I barely needed to shave my legs and underarms when pregnant and I had a boy.

Cherrypieplum · 11/10/2012 10:08

I miss the reduced hairiness! Bang on about belly though
I noticed my thighs were smoother too. Not anymore :( and I wasn't worried about the hair loss from my head as I have tons but the clumps coming out are insane!

I had a girl BTW.

emeraldgirl1 · 11/10/2012 10:21

Ah ok, so it really does look as if this whole less/more hair thing is pretty inconclusive when it comes to working out the gender, then... :)

Honestly,I'm driving myself nuts right now. So much so that i'm even considering banning DH from the 20w scan just because I can't deal with seeing that initial look of disappointment on his face (that he will very quickly cover up, and that tbf to him within a few minutes of the news he won't be feeling anyway) if and when they tell us it's not the kind we/he are really secretly yearning for.

I feel so awful even having a preference, never mind admitting it! But people keep asking if I have a preference and IRL it's very hard to admit to people that you kind of do. I honestly do really want a healthy baby, and I would actually love a girl, as long as I 'knew" I would also one day have a boy IYSWIM...

Very very envious of those lucky people who have one of each!!

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scaevola · 11/10/2012 10:25

No, it means you're having a werewolf as all you hair is being raided to satisfy your cub's needs.

(About as true as any PG symptom being inevitably sex-linked).

NorthWhittering · 11/10/2012 10:26

Last time I was noticeably less hairy, barely needed to shave legs or pits at all. Had a boy. I think it?s just a happy symptom of pregnancy.

Flisspaps · 11/10/2012 11:29

If you think he's going to feel disappointed at the scan, why not not find out until the birth - it's very hard to feel disappointed when you see an actual baby at all ráther than just on the screen!

emeraldgirl1 · 11/10/2012 11:36

That is actually good and sensible advice flisspaps... If I could possibly bring myself to wait another 4 months I would, but I am the kind of person who can't even wait for a bus without tearing my hair out. I even have a habit of blurting out things I've bought people for birthday presents because I can't contain secrets and I'm the same when it comes to keeping secrets from myself...

In all honesty I think if I was worried that DH would take it badly on a long-term basis I would be upset and truly stressed-out; as it is I just have this permanent low-level anxiety. He has the worst poker face in the world (he looks devastated with disappointment if he is given a plate of food he doesn't like the look of in a restaurant) and I am building up the anxiety of that moment as I would just love it to be instant joy rather than getting our heads around the idea...

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Rockchick1984 · 11/10/2012 11:41

Me and DH both had a preference - unfortunately we each wanted a different 'flavour' so to speak Grin so we found out at the scan rather than risk needing time to adjust once baby arrived. FWIW, the only old wives tale that held true for me was regarding cravings - all I wanted was meat, completely went off chocolate and sweets, and had a boy!

Personally I shaved my legs only once during pregnancy and that wasn't really essential, but I've never been very hairy and usually shave them once every couple of months anyway :)

scaevola · 11/10/2012 11:44

At some point, before or after the actual birth, you will find out.

It then becomes a case of either finding out beforehand and processing any feelings that emerge then, or dealing with it on the day (perhaps in the hope that the reality of the actual new baby will mitigate those feelings). There's no right answer, I'm afraid.

minipie · 11/10/2012 14:56

Why not focus on the reasons you want a boy and persuade yourself they are without any basis? For example, if your DH wants a boy to play sport with, point out you could have an unsporty boy, or a sporty girl. If you want a boy as you think they are more active, spend time with some very active girls. Etc.

You say that it affects how your family "feels" - but I think gender has far less of an effect than the child's individual personality. Eg a family with 2 extrovert, noisy girls would feel more similar to a family with 2 extrovert, noisy boys than it would to a family with 2 quiet girls.

lunchbox · 11/10/2012 15:01

I didn't need to shave my legs when pregnant, I have 2 girls.

1stbabyat30 · 11/10/2012 15:13

If it helps - I am hairier than ever - Especially legs. And have even noticed I have a hairy pregnant belly - utter horror! If I wasn't blonde god knows how much waxing Id need - a full body flaying! - and we are having a boy.

Dogsmom · 11/10/2012 15:53

I haven't noticed any difference with hair growth, I'm 18+5 and still shave my legs daily, must admit I hadn't heard that particular old wives tale.

Re gender preference it's nothing to feel guilty about as it's not something you choose to feel, both hubby & I were desperate for a girl so much so I was dreading my face falling if I was told it was a boy at the birth and knew that despite the obvious happiness at having a healthy baby i knew I'd have feelings of disappointment.
This was one of the reasons we had a gender scan at 16 weeks because I wanted to deal with any feelings well in advance, turns out we're having the girl we longed for Smile

Sleepstarved · 11/10/2012 17:31

Was less hairy last time and had a girl, not much difference yet in this one.
Am only 16 weeks so don't know yet

NorthWhittering · 11/10/2012 18:49

I agree with above advice re not finding out till the birth. We had a preference and I knew if we found out at the scan we would be disappointed but that if we found iout at the birth we would not be.

carrielou2007 · 11/10/2012 19:37

I was less hairy with both and I hzve a daughter and a son!! Both pregnancies were exactly the same you, weight all on bump, bump all out front, both anterior placenta (ad this one is) both born face up.

I really really wanted z girl first time and I got an amazing one Grin then I had a boy and amazingly boys are amazing too Grin. Not bothered either way for this one but I do like to know if poss too.

Wuxiapian · 11/10/2012 20:05

Only my arms are less hairy - the rest continues to grow in abundance...

I'm having a boy.

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