Hair Loss After Pregnancy!!

I had this problem really bad! I found that the more I tied up my hair, like in a tight pony tail, the more hair came out. I wasnt as bad if I put it up loosly in a clip though. Other than that, there is nothing you can really do about it. Although, it should stop soon, I think mine only did it for about 6 months.

This happened to me w/ all 3 pregnancies-and a miscarriage. It seams like more than it is. I lost it completely on my temples w/ #3.

It happened to me with my first pregnancy so for the second one I cut my hair really short the week after I gave birth and donated it, it made the loss seem much less traumatic.

Y., Don't worry it will slow down and stop at about 6 months postpartum. I was losing what seemed like ropes in the shower and would end up with large tumble weeds of black hair, it was scary. My hair is thinner but I have so much new growth now and my baby is 7 months old. I experienced this with both my girls, just keep taking your vitamins and don't stress although it seemed to peak and be at it's worth during the 4th and 5th month.

Sadly I'm an expert at this one!! My lil girl was born Nov '07. I had the best hair of my life while pregnant and it lasted til about 4 months after she was born. Then it fell out...and didn't stop for about 6 months.

My nutritionist recommended two things 1) iodine (just go to any health store and follow directions - it's liquid) 2) vitamine D (2000 iu) He said that nursing really depletes these two things in our bodies.

My hair loss stopped and now it's growing back. Funky little bangs and fly away baby hair, but I'll take it! Everyone I spoke to has had this issue (losing hair after pregnancy). I just had really thin fine hair to begin with, so was really hopeful I'd keep my fantastic head of hair after my lil girl arrived. Instead I have a fantastic lil girl!

Jan Marini (revitalizing conditioner) also has a hair product that I'm trying but can't report if it works as I've just started using it.

It is totally normal. I had the same thing after both of my pregnancies. By the time the baby is a year old your hair will feel totally normal again. You get this stage where you feel like you might go bald... then it starts to grow back in and you have a ton of short pieces - but eventually it all evens out and sort of blends in. Don't worry. Maybe try a new style so you don't notice the difference so much.
Many new mothers get the new mommy hair cut... where they pick a style that is super easy for their personal hair type. After my first daughter I got a medium cut and a perm - so I could wash and go. After my twins I got a shorter shag so, again, I could wash and go... this time with less damage to my hair. My twins are now almost two and I have a style that actually does require I either blow dry with a curling brush - or actually get out the curling iron. But it is still lower maintainance than what I used to do before motherhood.

G.

Haven't read all your responses--so I might be repeating something--but I lost hair the whole time I was nursing. After I finished it finally slowed down. Good luck!!

i lost almost 3/4 of my hair after the birth of my second child. it was quite a shock because i lost very little after my first baby. i went to my primary doc and all he could suggest was up the protein, keep taking the prenatals, drink plenty of water, and try to get some sleep. my OB said it would eventually stop, that all women lose some hair after birth, unfortunately some more than others. my girlfriend had a similar experience and resorted to Rogain for women with pretty decent results, but i don't know if you can use it while breastfeeding. wish i had known about it, because i was devastated by the loss!!!! the good news is it does stop eventually, but if you have long hair like i did, it gets really noticeable. talk to both your OB and primary doc's and see what they have to say. in the meantime, don't pull your hair back in ANY style, it accentuates the look of loss (learned that the hard way) and if your hair is curly, wear it down and let the curls go wild, it really helps hide the loss.

Y., it's totally normal and happened to me, too. I lost quite a bit of hair and it was alarming. But soon after I saw little teeny hairs around my hairline and it all started coming back in. I did nothing and it all came back. Don't worry!!!

It happened to me too and I did not know it was normal at the time so it freaked me out! However, my hairdresser soon clued me in that it was totally normal and recommended Nioxin to help stimulate new growth faster (available at ULTA and most salons). It helped after my first and second pregnancy and I definitely noticed a difference in how much thicker my hair seemed after using it. It'll still fall out in clumps but at least it grows back almost as fast to compensate. It is a little pricey though and your hair will stop falling out eventually if you don't use it. Mine only started slowing down on the hair loss a couple of months ago but has not stopped and my current baby is 14 months old. I am currently in the process of weaning and that helped after my first baby too. Don't let it get you down. Get a cute new cut/style and roll with it:)

~J. B

No worries. When you become pregnant, your hair grows in more than ever. But, it never lasts, you think, wow, my hair looks GREAT and so much thicker. Well, as soon as you have the baby, you lose all that "extra" hair. So, you are losing the hair that you gained while pregnant!!! Don't worry, it doesn't last for too long!

This is normal. I lost handfuls at a time. I have had friends that have ended up with bald spots. It will go away in a few months and all of your hair will come back.

I also lost a LOT of hair after I had my daughter in 2006. I would even wake up to it all over my pillow and sheets, as well as the shower and when I brushed. Fortunately, I have enough hair for 5 people so I could spare it! I am pretty sure it lasted around 6 months or so and then it just stopped and it's as thick as before now. I read in a book it's very common to lose hair after you've had your baby so just keep taking those pre-natals!

Dear Y.,

The same thing happened to me, mostly in the front right at my hairline area. Needless to say I was tripping out. Everyone said it was normal mostly due to hormone changes. Are you nursing? I nursed my daughter til she was about 10 months and noticed that when I stopped nursing my hair started coming back in quicker. She is 18 months now & I don't really notice the areas (where I was what I call balding) anymore. So don't worry too much, it will grow back. Just make sure you take care of yourself and that little one and everything else will just fall into place. Good luck, and congrats on your baby girl.

Hi Y.,

Try acupuncture; it can be really helpful for hair loss and other "body-out-of-balance" issues due to pregnancy.

Best of luck!
K.

This happened to me also. About 2 1/2 months post partum, I started losing my hair. It got worse in months 3-5. When I pull my hair back, you can see my scalp around my crown. Anyway, finally I got my hair cut above shoulder length & my hair stylist also suggested Nioxin shampoo & conditioner. It is spendy, but I was desperate. I have noticed that since using it, my hair loss has gone down. Am not sure if it's coincidence or becase my son is now 6 months old & I've just lost as much as possible.

Yes - it's normal! Especially if you are breastfeeding. I only stopped losing my hair a little while after I stopped breastfeeding (when my daughter was 12 months).

Not extreme, but it does feel like it. I had bald spots in the front of my head. I pretty much wore my hair down for months until I saw peach fuzz. My daughter is now 10 months and my hair is still not fully grown. My friend has a two year old and the same thing happened with her. She has bangs now!

Congrats on your baby girl!!!!

Y.,
I had pretty much the same experience with my 2nd daughter, a little hair loss when I was pregnant, but alot more after I had her.
Like you, I'd end up with hadfulls coming out whenever I showered or brushed my hair. My hair seemed to me to have thinned quite a bit, however others said they didn't really notice any difference.
Honestly, I don't really remember when it stopped, ( My little one is 3.5yrs) but eventually everything returned to normal. Now my hair is just as thick as it was before.
I think you're smart to continue to take your prenatals, it can only help!

I lost a lot too. Not only do you lose hair after pregnancy, you also lose hair when you lose a lot of weight! I lost my baby weight pretty quickly and for the first 6 months post-partum I was losing clumps of hair when I'd brush it or shower. Scary amounts.

If you start getting bald spot, you might want to check it out with a doctor, but usually it's just hair that didn't fall out during your 9 months of pregnancy that normally would've come out un-noticed.

Time is the best solution. You could also try Rogaine for Women which is what I did last year when I lost half the hair on my head about 10 weeks after the birth of my son. Most of the hair on the front of my head and especially around the temples just fell out and there was nothing but bald skin there. I really felt embarrassed and went and got bangs cut so that I could pull my hair forward without showing the thinning at the temples and receding hairline.
What you are going through happens to almost ALL women who give birth. It will grow back in about 2-3 months. I continue to use Rogaine for Women in the affected area and my hair has ALL grown back. Not sure if it would have grown back anyway but I didn't see the harm in using it. I should point out that if you want to use Rogaine and you are breastfeeding then you should check first with your doctor since there are hormones in Rogaine that might hurt your baby. My baby is a formula fed baby due to my incapacity to breastfeed from medical issues with my milk ducts (I had breast aug about 7 years ago that unwittingly rendered me incapable of breastfeeding, but that's another story.).

Good luck.

Hi Y.,

This happened to me after the birth of my 11 year old. After a lifetime of incredibly thick, long hair, to lose so much was appalling. It finally stopped, although it was so long ago, I can't remember how long it took...sorry. But, it was never as thick as it was before, even though I was the only one who noticed!

If you're really concerned, chat with your ob/gyn. Otherwise, hang in there!

S.

Y.,
It's totally normal! I lost a good deal of hair too after my delivery and actually up until I stopped breastfeeding. My hairdresser said she saw it a lot and it has to deal with hormones. If you are really concerned talk to your daughter's pediatrician, he/she, will have some good advice!!
M.

Happened to me too! I had been forewarned, but it was still shocking to me. It is still amazing to me that there was any hair left on my head after months of that, but I still have hair! The only cure I know of is to get pregnant again (haha). I was pregnant again when my first baby was only 6 months old, and that put a stop to the hair loss immediately. Wasn't willing to go for that solution after baby #2 was born :) and the extreme hairloss lasted for a good part of the first year after he was born. Don't worry - it will slow down eventually and you will still have hair on your head!

It happened to me - started about 3 or 4 months after my baby was born. It lasted for about 6 weeks to a couple of months (I didn't do anything specific to try to stop it because I was told it was normal and wouldn't last long). As soon as I got my period regularly again, it stopped, My OB says it's the lack of estrogen. My hair is back to normal (regained it's thickness, regrew everything I lost).

it's kind of like a cruel joke....after you have a baby you are left with trying to get your body back and then your hair falls out. needless to say, it happened to me too. A lot! The spot right in front where the part in my hair is got so thin I thought everyone would start thinking that I had cancer. It finally stopped and grew back. I had a lot frustrating rooster tails where some of the worst spots were but it is back to normal now.

Hi Y.! Congratulations on your baby girl! I myself had a baby girl in September and I am dealing with the same thing. It is normal. When you are pregnant you dont shed as much hair as you normally would. on average you shed about 100 hairs a day. Hair dies and falls out.Its part of the hairs life cycle. So when it doesnt fall out for those 9 months(or more) it makes up for it postpartum. However,if you think its more tan usual and you are concerned I would talk to your doctor about since it could also be a hormone imbalance or thyroid problem. Good luck with your baby..and your hair!

It happened after all four of my children were born and lasted about 6 months. My last baby it started and lasted about 8 months and I even got a little bald spot!! The only thing that has ever helped is staying on the pre-natal and using step three Nioxin shampoo and conditioner. It is pricey, but well worth it!! Good luck :)

I went thru the same thing only it happened when my baby was about 5 months old. I thought I was in the clear since it didn't happen right away but I wasn't that lucky. I was concerned with the amount of hair loss too but my hair dresser said that it was normal. Most people lose about 100 hairs a day (I think that was the number he gave me) and while your pregnant you stop losing it. Or at least you don't lose that much of it. That is why most pregnant women claim to have thicker hair. It all catches up when you're done being pregnant. All that hair finally falls out at once. Don't worry, you should get it back. My son is now 10 months and I am getting a ton of regrowth. Unfortunatly it's all at my part line so I have all these little short hairs coming in there. I look silly but what can you do. Don't panic, it happens to most of us, I took a poll! Good luck and try not to stress about.

K. O

The same thing happened to me... my daughter is almost 6 months old and the hair loss is starting to finally slow down. I don't know how many times I asked my husband, "how do I have any hair left!?" If you are truly concerned you are losing too much, you ahould still check with your doctor. Good luck!

OMG!! YES!! After my first daughter was born I lost more hair then I even new I had. Fianlly when she was 14 months old it stopped falling out and started growing back. The only bad part about it growing back was the ugly curly lion main that I had for a couple months. If it makes you feel any better I never had the same problem after my second was born. I think our bodies go through such a huge hormonal shock after our first babies we have these awful things happen to us.

Good Luck and hang in there,
D.

First off.. congrats on the baby! Second what you're experiencing is totally normal..I was the same way as well. What helps a LOT is to get B12 shots. The pills are not as effective. Get one every week or 2 weeks for a month...then once a month.

My hair fell out in huge clumps as well after I had my son. It was a huge mess. I had hair all over me, my house, my baby...every where. And just like you I lots fell out in the shower. It seemed like it would never end, but at about 6 months post baby it began to slow down. I actually had little bald spots on my head. Now where the bald spot were before I have little hairs growing in, so their is light at the end of the tunnel.

The reason your hair falls out so much after you have a baby is because when your pregnant you stop shedding hair. So once your baby is born you make up for the 9 months of not losing any hair. I hope that helped.

A.

NORMAL. The drain hamsters look as though you might be bald in 2 weeks flat. As the hormones change, the hair does fall out, but new ones do grow back. Trust me - with all 3 kids this started at about 3 months post partum.

I had a baby 5 months ago and my hair is still falling out, but I'm not getting bald or anything. I got a hair cut and it helps it to feel healthier and the hairs that fall out are shorter so less noticible. ;) Good luck.