postpartum hair shedding?

[LucyG]

This is a little off-topic, but can anyone tell me when I can expect to stop losing so much hair?? DD is 3 months old now, and it looks like a small animal is on my comb each morning! I have a very balanced diet, so I don't think it's a nutritional deficiency. Did anyone else lose hair after having your baby?

[alleyoop]

My husband said that we were growing a chia-pet in the corner of the shower!

I started loosing my hair at around 3 months and it lasted for about 4 months. Seems to have slowed down now. I read that it is totally normal to shed all that hair that didn't fall out during the PG.

I don't know which is worse, loosing all the hair or the fringe of new hair that I have growing in around my hairline (about and inch and a half long). When I pull my hair back it sticks up around the edges and I look just like the cowardly lion!

-Heather, Mom to Nate (9/28/02)

[blnony]

YES!! About three months PP, it started to come out and even now, when I wash my hair I still have a lot that falls out! It drives me nuts. I've told DH that I'm going to have to get pregnant again just so I don't go bald. :)
My OB told me not to be alarmed that its completely normal, he said even without the shift in hormones, you lose about 100 hairs a day. He said most women notice it more after a baby, because they haven't shed much hair at all during pregnancy, and after baby you shed a lot of the hair you would have during those months.
But, even with that advice, it still really bothers me.

[jojo2324]

LOL, me too!!! Losing your hair about 3 months PP is completely normal. Your body didn't release any during the pregnancy, so it's just working overtime to rid itself of those extra strands. I think it finally calmed down for me about 6-8 months PP.

And I can completely commiserate about the cowardly lion look. I have issues with cowlicks right in FRONT of my hairline, really very annoying. Pre-baby, it was one cowlick. Now it's about 8 wispy ones all over, giving the impression that I have a multitude of horns. :D

[brubeck]

I only just finished (I hope) losing the hair from my pregnancy with Andrew. The hair loss started in March, so I guess that's about 3 months. It was awful because I have long hair and every time I would use the vacuum cleaner there would be TONS of hair wound around the roll..... ugh!

[ddmarsh]

I was just thinking of asking about this because mine is definately much worse than in previous pregnancies. Honestly I could fill the heads of about 1/2 a dozen Barbies every morning with what I lose! I know logically that it's pregnancy related, but it is hard to see all of that hair and not think that you are going to be bald any day now!

Debbie
Mommy to 3 boys, 1 girl

[mamahill]

LOL - I totally hear Heather on the fringe that now surrounds my head. It looks like I tried to cut bangs, but all the way around. On the one hand it looks ridiculous, on the other, I'm just glad it's growing back in. Last summer I had the smallest pony-tail ever. Generally I can wrap an elastic two or three times to hold my hair, last summer it was easily 4 - Ugh!

Anyway, it DOES come back. My hair loss lasted about 4-5 months. My doc said it was a combination of losing the hair I had stocked up over the pregnancy and the body's natural reaction to a traumatic event (my childbirth experience was right up there!). The only time to really start worrying is if it comes out in chunks. As long as it is even, don't worry. Just make sure you take your vitamin supplements, eat right, sleep well (haha), and comfort yourself knowing it will stop. And in the meantime, find those hairstyles that might mask how little hair you have:).

[Marisa6826]

I started at about 2-1/2 or 3 months too. Sophie's 6 months now and things are starting to slow down a little bit.

Fortunately I have A LOT of hair to begin with so it's really only noticable to me.

I think I have been shedding my than my dogs, though!

-m

[heytootsy]

I know I am shedding worse than my dog even!!! I am 3 months postpartum - This is just the beginning, ARG!!! My hair is so darn thin to begin with, I cannot afford to lose too much!

[LucyG]

Well, I feel much better after hearing your stories! Logically, I know I'm not going bald, but it certainly feels that way sometimes! I didn't have a full, thick head of hair to begin with, so this lovely post-pregnancy phenomenon is rather traumatic!

[floridamommy]

Oh thank goodness I did an archive search on this topic. I had my first baby in November and started losing my hair in mass quantities since DD's 3rd month. I have been so freaked out because it is just amazing how much hair I am losing all day throughout the day. It seems to be everywhere. My doctor never forewarned me about this and I was about to write a post wondering if anyone else has ever experienced this or it was just me and I needed to see a doctor.

Once again, I am very thankful this board is here.

[overcome]

Me too! Me too! I am totally amazed at the hair in the shower and on the bathroom floor in general. It is kinda repulsive to me.

My hair was really thick before, so I am probably the only one who notices. BTW I am at just about 6 months post part. I *think* it might be slowing down a little.

Just one of the many sacrifices I'm sure I'll be making for my little sweet pea.

[aliceinwonderland]

I was happy to see posters we haven't seen in a while, but then realised this is an old thread! Debbie, I thought you were pregnant again from your post :)

[cara1]

It's actually called Telogen effluvium.
http://www.emedicine.com/DERM/topic416.htm

It really has nothing to do with "not shedding hair" during pregnancy. Basically, during the physiologic stress of delivery, all (rather than some) the hair enters the "resting" phase rather than the "growing phase". Three months later when the hair resets into the growing phase, the hair is shed.

[khalloc]

I had my DD in November and didn't lose any hair right away. I thought I had escaped the hair-loss. Then around 3 months post partum it started coming out big time!!! Now my DD is almost 5 months old and I am still losing a ton of hair. Its good to know that in a few months it should be back to normal.

[trumansmom]

I was so excited to see old friends again. I miss those guys.

Jeanne
Mom to Truman 11/01 and Eleanor 4/04

[table4three]

I lost tons of hair from month 2 or 3 till around month 7-8. Hang in there!

http://lilypie.com/baby1/060325/3/15/5/-6/.png

[NatalieM]

I starting losing my hair during my pregnancy and I was VERY excited for it to end. Well, it finally stopped when DD was 8 months old! Not to mention, that my hair has a completely different texture now. So weird...

[maestramommy]

Ohhhhhh yeah. I didn't start losing my hair until about 3 month post partum, but it come out in bunches when I washed my hair. Quite freaky esp. because I had very long hair. That along with DD pulling on it finally inspired me to get it cut short. It's still coming out but not as much. During my pregnancy I kept all my hair, which is very unusual when it's long. I never had such thick hair in my life! Guess it's making up for lost time now :-)

[newnana]

also depends on anesthesia. I had a procedure that required anesthesia about 3 months before DD was conceived and had the same problem just after that.

DD is now 10 months old and I have finally gotten my "baby bangs" long enough to grow out what I was using as bangs to now use on the rest of my seemingly bald head. I have really thin hair and loved having extra while I was pregnant.

Great thread, thanks for bringing it back!
Michelle

[floridamommy]

Thanks to everyone who wrote in today. I was seriously going to call a doctor this morning and thought...wait a second, why not see if anyone on the Baby Bargain board has ever experienced this hair loss phenomenon before. It still boggles my DH's mind how I can be shedding so much hair and not be bald, but I printed the prior threads and he was AMAZED at how many others have experienced this same occurrance. Again, I am so grateful this board is around. I learn something new everyday!!! Best to all. Heather