Postpartum Hair Loss

Pregnancy happens and a lot of women experience that glorious pregnancy hair that comes with it. It grows thicker and longer, and seems as shiny as ever. You have the baby and you’re so in love. Six months later when the baby is asleep and you’re brushing your hair after a shower and half of it seems to fall to the floor. Now, ten months after baby I feel like I’m finally on the up and up. Let’s talk postpartum hair loss, y’all.

Interestingly enough, I actually experienced some hair loss during my second trimester. I remember brushing my hair and wondering why the heck I was pulling so much out of my brush each day. I thought it wasn’t supposed to fall out while you were pregnant. I brought it up in a doctor’s appointment and they had me go in for additional blood work…as if they weren’t sticking me enough already. They checked my thyroid and it came back normal. During my third trimester I was put on iron supplements (as a lot of women are) and the hair loss slowed. At that point I wouldn’t say I had amazing pregnancy hair, but it was a step up from my usual hair.

When It Started

For the first three months postpartum I didn’t see any change. I was pleased that my hair was sticking around and attributed it to breastfeeding. Five months postpartum was a different story. That’s when I noticed a lot more hair in my brush than normal. I was starting to wean from breastfeeding (very slowly because I wasn’t sure if I was ready to let go yet). By six months pp it was full on falling out.

At that point I felt desperate. I didn’t realize just how bad it was until Milton took a picture of me holding Caroline and I was sitting profile to him. I noticed a HUGE bald spot in my hairline and was shocked.

To get a few things straight…I avoid just about all things that can cause your hair to break or fall out. I haven’t colored it in about three years. I only use heat about twice a week (perks of SAHM-ing I suppose), and even though I wear it in a pony a lot I use silk scrunchies or invisibobbles. Yes, I’m aware that I’m using a regular hair tie in the above photo. Oh well. I did stop taking my prenatal vitamin for maybe three weeks (lazy bones) but I’ve been back on them for over six months now.

Taking Action

At this point I was willing to do anything to save my hair. To make it easier I’m going to list out all of my desperate attempts:

• Continue taking prenatal vitamin daily
• Washing hair more frequently (I was going quite a few days in between and my scalp was itching here and there. I’m not washing it every other day)
• Massaging scalp with this handy shampoo brush. It might not be making a difference but it feels nice
• Continue to refrain from applying heat
• Continue to wear soft scrunchies
• Silk pillow case (probs does nothing)
• Telling Caroline to stop pulling my hair
• At one point I even looked up fermented rice water…but that was just too silly

With ALL OF THIS being said, I am now 10+ months postpartum and that probably has the most to do with my hair getting (a little) back to normal. Postpartum hair loss stinks and it is mostly a waiting game, but a little pampering along the way can’t hurt.