4 Months Postpartum and Loosing My hair..Help!

Hi W.,
I'm a proud stay at home Marine wife of 6 years. (My husband is sitting next to me and he said I need to put that!:) The same thing happened to me after both of my pregnancies. I was warned that it would happen before it began after my first baby was born, so I knew it was normal, but it was still surprising how much hair I could lose! I think it was worse after the second baby, but I can't remember real clearly. That memory loss! I know after a while I could see a lot more scalp than I was used to on the top of my head, but after several months I could see some new growth along the hairline. I think my hair is now thinner than it ever was before, and I think I still lose more now than I used to (and baby #2 is almost 2 years old), but I still have sufficient hair so I try not to think about it or worry about it. I have curly hair too, and it is pretty frizzy. If the frizz continues and bothers you, I will tell you my technique, right after I get out of the shower, I brush it then put mousse (Herbal Essences is my favorite) on my hair while it is wet. Then I let the hair dry and I don't brush it again (until after I wash it again). The hair loss may continue for several months and I think it is completely normal, but if it's getting so thin that it concerns you, it couldn't hurt to ask your doctor about it. One way I know to stop it immediately is to get pregnant again!:) My first baby was 6 months old and I was losing tons of hair, when I got pregnant with #2. Not only did the hair loss stop, but I got tons of new growth - most noticeable right around the hairline around my face (I rarely lost any hair at all during both of my pregnancies, but made up for it afterward!)

1 mom found this helpful

Hi W. -

Have you looked into having your thyroid checked?
When my thyroid went out, I was losing hair, got brittle and frizzy - a little like bozo the clown. Not a lovely picture, I know....

Healing to you!
S.

Hi there!

Don't worry too much. This happened to me as well. Over time it will come back. I know it isn't pleasant, but be patient!

I remember this happening to me and, yes, it went on for a few weeks or months. Perhaps you should go to the health food
store and see if they have "hair supplements" that you could add to your daily vitamin routine. Try finding someone knowledgeable to talk to about your choices. I think even Trader Joe's has or had a hair and nails supplement. Also, reading your "about me" where you mention your little one's minor (but still a worry) surgery, perhaps the added stress of his ordeal is why you are losing hair this time and not last time. AND remember that you are now a mommy of two so that is more on your plate anyway. Also, are you still taking your pre-natal vitamins?

If you are concerned, I would say research online before going to the doctor (unless there are other symptoms along with the hair loss). Perhaps you'll just have to wait it out but I would say adding some dietary supplements and perhaps some relaxation exercises and scalp massage couldn't hurt. Good luck! L.

Hi W.,

I went through the same thing with my first but not my second. My hair dresser recomended a vitamin called Biotin. It is supposed to help with hair and nail growth. It seemed to help. You can get it at GNC or any other store that has vitamins. I also would make sure you are getting all your required vitamins too. It's easy to stop taking care of ourselves when our lives get busy.

Go talk to your doctor, by all means.

Please go your doctor and have some blood work done ASAP. You could have a thyroid problem and not know it. Good luck. Patti

Good morning W.,

I have a 6 month old baby and I have been experiencing the same thing. I shed all the time. According to my mother, it's normal. She is no doctor but says during the pregnancy you dont lose much hair and after you will lose alot.

You will be back to normal soon.

E.

W.,
Please don't worry. I have a 2 year old & went through the same thing after I had her. I felt like my hair was coming out in bunches!
Eventually it will stop - I promise!
Best wishes.
A.

This is normal. It happened to me and a couple of my friends. In our child birth class they said this would happen especially if you breast feed.

Hair loss is normal postpartum. I lost quite a bit after each pregnancy and had funny bangs for a while as it grew back. It does grow back though!

Losing hair after pregnancy is normal because you don't lose any when you're pregnant. However, if it's large amounts, I'd ask your doctor to check your thyroid just to be on the safe side. Good luck!

In my case this problem got worse with each baby. I have 3 a 10, 7, and my baby is 14 months this time is the worst by far. When I wash and brush my hair it is horrible, the amount that comes out floors me. After my second baby I think it lasted about a year, this time it hasn't stopped I am going to try the Nioxin shampoo and conditioner. I had super thick curly hair and at first it did not bother me but I am seeing my hair thinning in the front now (never this bad before). So good luck try shampoo, let me know if you find something that works. Good luck and God Bless. H.

I too lost patches of hair after having my little girl. They were right in the front of my head. I had two bald spots to the left and right of my forehead. My doctor told me it was the horomones that were exiting my body and changing me that was making me lose my hair. Especially since I did not lose any hair at all when I was pregnant. As far as I know and from what my doctor told me, this is completely normal!!!

I am in the same situation. (curly hair too). I had my son 6 months ago and I am still losing more hair than normal. However, the hair loss has slowed down a bit. I asked my hairdresser and she said it's a normal thing to lose your hair. It will grow back in soon. You might not notice the regrowth until you get the little hairs along your hairline, but it will grow back. I know this isn't really advice of what to do. But I hope it helps to know you're not the only one. Good luck!

Hello W.,

Yes, I just got through this myself. Two daughters, hair was fine, but 23 mos. ago got the son I always wanted and lost my hair along the hair line in the front. I did nothing and it is as thick as it was before his birth. Navy wife of 20 years.

It is normal to lose hair after pregnancy. But it should stop after a few months or so.

But if it is getting brittle and you don't feel normal, could be your thyroid is a little out of whack.

I would have your OB run your TSH, T3 and T4 levels. The "normal" medical range is from .5 to 5. I was at 1.75 and I couldn't crawl out of bed to save my life. For me being at 3 is healthy and normal.

I know many women with kids whose Thyroid gets out of whack from lack of sleep, stress, etc. Especially post partem.

You know your body best, so if you feel the need to be seen, go in and get it checked out.

Good Luck!

Hi W., I think loosing hair after giving birth is normal for a lot of women, I myself lost chunks of hair while I was breast feeding both of my boys, and I got it all back after I was done breast feeding, it took a while though to look like before, but it will grow back.

You probably should see a doctor. Sometimes pregnancy and not the first pregnancy can bring on thyroid disease and a symptom of it is hair loss. It's probably nothing but it's worth getting checked out.

This happened to me with both, but noticeably more with my second. I was told by my hairdresser that when you are pregnant your hair is in the constant growing cycle. That is why your hair gets thicker and the nails get stronger and grow longer. But after the baby is born, the constant growing cycle stops and the hair starts to shed. You lose a lot of that extra hair that grew while you were pregnant, plus the normal amount that everyone loses regularly. And depending on what kind of birth you had, like if you had some kind of anesthesia, that has an affect on the hair, making it more brittle and causing it to fall out. But in either case, it should return to normal about a year after if you keep yourself healthy. Hope this information helps!

Mine did the same at 4 months pp. It goes away after a couple of months. And the shedding will get less and less. Don't worry at all. Take your multi vitamin (or pre natal) and get plenty of calcium (I drink 3 glasses of milk a day, or take pills). Also, I started only brushing my hair when dry. I lost so much less hair after that.

After my first child, a boy, I lost a lot of hair too (I too have curly hair and was vacuuming the floor everyday!). After my second child, a girl, I didn't have quite the same hair loss. I'm about to have my third child, a boy, so we'll see if it has something to do with the gender of the child.

Because I have a lot of thick hair, I actually didn't mind the hair loss.
During pregnancy, the body doesn't "shed" the normal amount of hair. Perhaps you just became used to the "extra" hair and forgot what your "normal" amount was.
I wouldn't worry about it. Give yourself a year post-partum before considering a medical consultation.
Good luck

Dear W.,
Try CVS' brand of "Rogaine". It is less expensive than brand name and although it will take a little while for your hair to re-grow...It will! But-Most of all-Your hair will quit falling out !! And almost right away.
I know this because I had a similar problem.
Now, I only use it about 1-2 times a week.
Best of Luck to You!
C. S.

Hi W., I would recommend that you go to an endocrinologist or have your doctor test your thyroid function. After my son was born, I had similar symptoms and I already had a thyroid function, so I had it checked and needed my medication adjusted. It is possible that your thyroid is having trouble adjusting after having been higher functioning during your pregnancy. Best wishes to you!

My son is getting closer to 17 months old and my hair is still trying to grow back. It is normal to lose your hair afterwards, unfortunately. I have pretty thin hair, so I had pretty obvious bald spots and couldn't wear my hair pulled back for a long time. Now I have these terrible short wing things that like to curl up in weird fashions if I don't blow dry my hair, and sometimes even if I do. I don't know for sure if my hair loss was related or not or just a coincidence, but right after I started a mild birth control pill that I could take while nursing is when I started losing my hair. It did say it was a possible side effect of the pill. After a month or two when the thinning hair actually became bald spots, I decided to stop taking the pill, just in case, even though my OB told me it was unrelated. Within a couple of weeks of stopping the pill, the bald spots had new growth and I stopped losing hair (aside from the normal amount).