Hairloss/nursing

[juliajaj]

DD is almost 4 months old. I've noticed that I'm losing some of my hair. It might just be a seasonal thing (It's getting colder, my hair gets dryer in the cold weather which causes it to fall out). I experienced this same problem with DD #1, but it seemed to stop when I weaned her at 1 year. Are any other nursing mothers experiencing the same problem? Do you have any remedies? Thanks.

[andie16]

I lost a lot (at least it felt like a lot) of hair while nursing DD. I don't have any tips for how to stop it-I think it's hormonal and it just takes time, but maybe some others have some ideas. My hair is finally coming back-DD is 13 months and I'm still nursing.

[stillplayswithbarbies]

It's actually hormones from the birth and happens whether you breastfeed or not. (to most women, not all).

Some people see a second wave of hair loss around 8 months I think.

...Karen
DS Jake Feb 91, DD Logan Mar 03
http://members.aol.com/khowe14494/superpower.gif http://members.aol.com/khowe14494/borntobebreastfed2.gif

[sntm]

ITA

(PAK)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif[/img][/url]
Breastfeeding 16 months and counting

[HHCs Mom]

I felt like I lost a *ton* of hair a few months after birth. My hairdresser said it's just hormones from the birth. The worst part is that it's been growing back in around my face and for awhile I looked like a little kid who took the scissors to her hair! The other day, it was rainy and humid and the short hair around my face had curled up. Very cute. :P
Kim
~Harrison~ 04.06.04

[alkagift]

Karen's right, it's not nursing, it's birth. My hair loss slowed down quite a bit after 6 months and began to regrow. Nothing I found did any good except getting a shorter haircut. I used an Aveda product to slick down the "horns" after regrowth got longer.


Allison
Mommy to Matthew Clayton, 5/19/03

[hellosmiletoday]

Yes its normal! During pregnancy your normal hairloss cycle is halted due to the hormones, and resumes post-partum. My hair started falling out when DD was about 3-4 weeks, stopped, then resumed again at 3 months. At 6 months extensive hairloss is beginning to cease. I also have lots of regrowth around my hairline...luckily b/c I sort of have bangs its not noticable. My hair is significantly thinner than when I was pregnant, but really not that much different than prior to my pregnancy ...I MISS my thick hair! In someways I am glad have experienced the hair loss, b/c my hair is lighter (during pregnancy it had become much darker as it thickened), and "smoother".

I hope I dont have another wave at 8 months like PP said :( We already had to use liquid draino once!

No remedies other than regular trims. In addition to the hair loss, my hair is also growing at a faster rate, so I can get haircuts often without loosing much length.

Mommy to baby girl 5.8.04

[missmelis01]

I lost a ton when my DS was 4 months old. It slowed down after about 6 weeks.

Hormones, aren't they lovely?!?!?! :-)

[TahliasMom]

My hair loss started when DD was 4 months and now that DD is 6 months it still hasn't stopped. I have thin, fine hair as is and I lost about 1/2 of it. My hairstylist cut my hair really short and gave me highlights to make it look fuller. On the positive side, I have started to have some regrowth around the hairline so there's hope. But I hope I don't experience another round at 8 months or I'll be bald. :(
Katherine

[iujen94]

I also had hair loss about the same time you did and agree with the prior posts that it's pregnancy/hormones related, rather than BF related. My hairdresser (a man, believe it or not!) suggested that I try Rogaine - yep, "bald men" shampoo! It worked GREAT - I went from losing handfuls of hair every shower to a few strands, and it's kept working. It's even a clarifying shampoo, so it's left my hair feeling super clean and I love it. Another benefit is that you only have to wash your hair once (not twice), so you save a few precious seconds! I just use the regular Rogaine shampoo and my normal conditioner - I don't use the Rogaine conditioner or other products. HTH!

ETA: Oops, it's not Rogaine but Nioxin (another bald man shampoo). Rogaine might work too, but Nioxin is tried and tested (at least by me!) :)

[kijip]

The woes of post-pregnancy! I thought I might have a medical issue but als I realized that the thick hair of pregnancy was not mine to keep!

[Lynnie]

can you use that while nursing ??

i could get a bottle and share it with DH, tee hee

[iujen94]

You know, I never thought of that - I just assumed it was fine. I don't remember the bottle saying anything about checking with your doctor before using if you are nursing or pregnant (that typical language). I'm sure your ped or OB could tell you for sure. (Great, one more way I probably messed up DS! LOL!) :)

[Lynnie]

oh, please, don't start me on couting that kind of thing !! i am sure its no big deal for just the shampoo. for some reason i think the rogaine spray is bad to be around during a certain period of the pregnancy ... ?? (i yelled at my follically challenged DH for spraying it when i was in the bathroom, but it could have been because everything made me sick when i was pregnant) i don't know why i asked, since i've been known to hold the baby nursing in one hand and a cocktail in the other....(although in my defense, the lactation people and my pediatrician said wine and beer help increase milk production) ... and then there's the other day, when my 2 1/2 year old ate dog food while we were dogsitting for a neighbor.... and i use a - gasp - walker with my 6-7 month old....and, well, if the mohel can feed the baby sugar water with wine during the bris, what's the harm of ... ok, i will stop now :-)