where is my hair going??

[lizajane]

is anyone else suddenly losing all that "extra pregnancy hair?" in the shower today, i thought it was ALL going to fall out in that 5 minutes! handful after handful... yikes!!!

[beckyr88]

I lost SO much last month (just about where you are now...) It was just DISCUSTING!! And I don't have that much to begin with, so it was scary, too.

I think it has tapered off now--tho still losing some...

[Momof3Labs]

That happened to me around 3-4 months and started up again at about 8 months. It is finally tapering off again, but that might be because I just don't have much hair left to lose!!

[heytootsy]

I am shedding worse than my dog!!! It gets everywhere. Maya always has some stuck in her fat rolls. So gross. My hair is so thin to begin with, I cannot afford to lose too much. When will it stop!

[KimberleyDawn]

I THOUGHT I WAS ALONE!!! Nobody else was saying anything so I thought it was just me. When is it suppose to stop?????
Kim

[Marisa6826]

OH YEAH! I felt like I was moulting!!

It's finally slowing down now. Sophie's almost eight months old.

I figure - it didn't fall out at all for ten months, so I can't really expect it to stop until then :)

You will be able to proudly wear the Mommy minibangs like the rest of us when it starts to grow back in!

Patience!!!


-m

[MartiesMom2B]

Mine hasn't started yet but I'm probably in the minority but I want it to fall out. I had really thick hair in the first place and pregnancy made it twice as thick. I can't do anything with my hair. Looks like I may have a few weeks to go. I want my old hair back. It does go back to before doesn't it? Do you lose even more hair than you started out with??

Sonia
Proud Mommy to Martie 4/6/03

[LD92599]

Same thing happening here...i thought it was just me but blame hormones just the same! Every morning I end up cleaning out the shower drain!

Laura
mom to William 3.5.2003

[jd11365]

My doctor said it's from breastfeeding...he is pro breastfeeding, so it wasn't a slam at breastfeeding, just a fact he said no one tells you...

[JMarie]

My hair is coming out by the handful! DH cleans out the drain (it's just a little too icky for me - I can handle blow-outs, but not gobs of wet hair...) and he swears it looks like a dead animal after I shower! I can't help it - I have long hair (not as long as before...) and I REFUSE to cut it off!

Jennifer
Mom to Aidan Christopher 01/28/03

[blnony]

AHHHH...balding. yes, my hair is STILL falling out and Audrey is 11 mo. today. I've talked with my hair lady and my doctor, and they both agree that I'm not going bald, but I swear I am. It bothers me to no end. My doctor said to keep taking my Prenatal vitamins because the iron in them will help. I haven't actually witnessed that yet. Sorry I don't have an answer, just thought I would add my horror story too.

[mamahill]

My doctor said it was a result of the build-up while pregnant, and the trauma of childbirth. I lost a TON of hair (though I had lots to lose) and it was disgusting. I swear, tumbleweeds of hair were blowing through my family room. The good news? It DOES taper off. My doctor assured me that only in extremely RARE cases does it actually result in balding (though I was convinced I was rare).

Things you can do? Eat healthy and take vitamins. I can't stress that enough. Also, try not to get too tense about it - that can lead to more hair loss. Go to your doctor if it starts coming out in chunks, rather than evenly.

Things to look forward to: The nice 3-inch long halo of hair that is now growing in. I swear it looks like I tried to cut bangs. Add to that, that the short hairs curl and, well, it just isn't pretty. Oh well, I didn't need any self-esteem anyway, right?!:) At least my drains and vacuum aren't clogged any more!

[alleyoop]

Oh yes! I replied to this once before! I am sporting the "Cowardly Lion" look, as it sticks up straight when I pull my hair back into a ponytail... which is every day. My DH referred to it as the growing Chia-pet in the shower.

You can add this to the list of fun bodily changes post partum. My favorites include:
-Hair loss
-Suddenly sweating on my top lip (oh man, that is gross)
-Can't feel the 4 inches of flabby tummy right above my C-section scar
-Old deodorant is completely ineffective (what is up with that!)

But it is worth it. :)

[brubeck]

I had the same thing with both kids. The hair loss nightmare lasted from when my baby was 3 months to 6 months of age in both cases. I would walk on the carpet and feel the hair balling under my feet. Ugh! Andrew would manage to get his hands on the carpet no matter where we put him down and grab handfuls of hair and try to eat it. I am ashamed to say that on one or two occasions I saw my hair in his poop!

Now of course that I am not shedding anymore (but he has taken a liking to it) my hair is not safe. He is constantly grabbing it and trying to pull what little is left out of my head. Whee.

[kss611]

My hair started falling out 3 months after dd was born and continued for a 3 long months and it seemed mostly to fall out right along my hairline. I assume that no one really seemed to notice until my hair started to grow back and I had little spikes of hair all across my forehead. However, I am happy to report that it seems to have all grown back and yeah - it's not gray!!

Karen

Mom to Meredith 6/11/02

[lizajane]

heather- you are my NEW BEST FRIEND! i was too scared to post "deoderant failure" because i thought it had to just be me!! i went walking today and flowers wilted, dogs howled and small children fainted as i walked by... "mommy smells" are going to be my son's first words...

and as for my continued hair loss, i am now accepting custom orders for handknit hair sweaters.

[mamahill]

LOL - the cowardly lion! We must be sisters! I've considered cutting off all my hair so it's 3 inches all around, but methinks that would be an even greater disaster. And yes, it is worth it. I think most people are distracted by Ainsleigh and really couldn't care less what I look like (PHEW!).

[MartiesMom2B]

Heather:

A light just went on! I've been walking around lately, thinking I know I put my deodorant on and going to apply more. Hmmm, I have mommy stink. Aaaahh.

Sonia
Proud Mommy to Martie 4/6/03

[brubeck]

No no no! How can you be so selfish? There are cancer boutiques out there that need human hair to make wigs. Just gather it up and send it off. You'll feel better about yourself. :-)

[peanut4us]

my dd was born just 2 days after yours and in the last week,
i've seriously considered opening my own wig shop... inventory would be cheap because i could make dozens of wigs with all of my own hair that has fallen out!

[lizajane]

that is so funny that you said that- i have been growing out my hair for locks of love. i felt so great about it, especially because i have super thick hair. now, i keep thinking, WAIT! STOP FALLING OUT! a child needs that hair!!