Major Hair Loss Since Baby

Mine lasted from about 4-6 mo post partum, and then went back to normal. I've heard that in most cases you end up with about the same amount of hair that you had before pregnancy, since you usually grow extra hair then. It's no fun...hang in there.

HI... I had it, too.. and my daughter is 7 months now and it has stopped now that I am back on tracj w/ menstral cycle.. It was all of a sudden that it cleared up. have faith... you will not go bald! :)

Ask Dr to check your thyroid. This can be a red flag. Delivering a child and other (stressful) events can trigger hypothyroidism/hyperthyroidism. I went towards hyper and appreciated them catching it before it became a problem. If you are around Walnut Creek, check out Dr. Norman Rosen.

Poor thing!~ I know how urgh it feels. With my first pregnancy it fell out right at the hairline when bebe turned about five mos...grew back in at about nine.
It will return, I promise.
(Maybe stay away for the pony tail, if you can..how about a headband instead?)

Seems my feet grew a whole size with this second pregnancy....yikes. Anybody out there know if they'll ever go back??

R.
mum of two girls; (three years old and four mos)

I don't remember how long my hair loss lasted, but I do remember being shocked by it! What is important to remember is that your hair thickened during pregnancy, and probably more than you realized. The current loss is part of your hair returning to "normal."

This is the reason for the "mommy cut" short hair doesn't stop the hair loss but less hair to clog everything up ;0)

I think mine lasted until about 9 months. Make sure you are getting appropriate vitamins, and unless you are getting actual baldspots I would say to wait it out. this too shall pass ;0)

M

Hi M.,
All women go through this at different stages post partum. When it happened to me it lasted about a month. I would recommend taking a vitamin related to hair and nails, and using a shampoo rich in vitamin E. Also if you are really worried call your doc, she may be able to help!
Regards,
C.

Have you tried to take the hair nail vitamin, those work awesome. Mine did the same thing until after I was done breast feeding and I still get that way when the weather changes, never had it before the kids so my doc suggested that vitamin and it has worked for me

I lost a ton of hair starting about the time I stopped breastfeeding (last May) and only stopping, or slowing down, in the past couple of months. For a while, I really thought I might go bald, but I now seem to be back to pre-pregancy hair loss status. You should check with your doctor, but don't be too alarmed; apparently some of us lose a lot more than others!

I dont know if there is anything that can be done but I also dont think you have to worry. I lost a TON of hair with both of my babies. The interesting part is when it all starts growing back in, about 1 year after. I had a halo of small baby hair sticking up all the way around my head for some time. Fun to style. It will probably start to slow down soon.

I don't know anything that can help, but I can tell you that I went through the same thing! Mine did ease right around the 6 month mark--so an end may be in sight. I even brought a sample to the doctor to show her how much I was losing eachday and she said it was normal!

I've been having the same problem. I am breastfeeding and was told by my lactation consultant that once I stop breastfeeding I won't loose so much hair. She also said that my hair will thicken again. Are you breastfeeding? I hope this helps.

A little about me. I'm a firstt time mom with a 4 month old son. I've been happily married for 3 years.I live in Lincoln and am looking for friends.

Have your doctor check your thyroid. My numbers were really high. The meds fixed the hair loss, dry skin, being tired all of the time...it worked for me. Good luck.
S.

When my son was 9 months old i finally gave up fighting the clogged drains. Bf, had his cousin (our landlord), come over with a snake to unclog the tub and i went to the salon (without telling BF and donated 12 inches to Locks of Love. At that point i had it! Taking 12 inches off left me with hair right above the shoulder. I still lost hair but it didn't seem like as much because it wasn't so long.

Not that i'm telling you to run out and chop your hair all off :o) thats just what i choose and was happier afterwards. My other suggestion would be to brush your hair before taking a shower to try to get most of the loose hair out first. I don't know when it stops. By the time my son was 12 months i was pregnant, i'm not looking forward to the hair loss again.

Have you had your thyroid checked? You may have something else going on besides normal post-baby hair loss. I lost lots of hair when I had thryoid problems.

I think it's different for everyone. Me for instance, I lost hair for about two months. You can always research about post part-um hair lost, to get peace of mind. What you're experiencing might be normal.

I went through the same thing and I also thought something was really wrong with me. It happened around 5 months post-partum and lasted for about 3-4 months. I lost chunks and hair was everywhere...I didn't think I could lose any more! I even asked the doctor and hair dresser, but they said it was normal. To this day (my son is 15 months), my hair is growing back to and it's very annoying. I have hair sticking straight up and even a little bit of bangs now! But it does go away and things will get back to normal soon. Try not to stress and enjoy your baby! Congrats!!!

Have you had your thyroid levels checked out? After having a baby, you thyroid levels can change. One sign of something a miss with your thyroid is hair loss. Ask your doctor to check your levels. It is a simple blood test and they can get the results pretty fast too!

I started losing my hair when my baby was 4 months, and it just fell out for what seemed like forever! You don't realize how much hair you grew until it all starts falling out! So, yes, it is very normal.
As to the lady with the bigger feet? Yes, my feet grew a size and my daughter is now 17 months, and they never went back down. I finally got rid of my shoes, 16 pair to be exact!! But, hey! I got to go shopping!!

I also had a substantial loss of hair after delivering and it did last several months. My doctor also said that stress could be a major factor also! Try suppliments and as much relaxation as you can have with a six month old baby! Good luck to you, N.

It seems like it lasted for about six months or so but it is very normal, and what a pain the drain and vacuum do really take a toll.

My second son is almost 11 months old. My hair loss has just recently slowed down. I was losing a lot of hair daily. Hang in there.

I know it sucks but it is normal. Some days I swear I think I'm going to go bald so much comes out. I didn't want to cut my hair any shorter so this is what I've started to do to keep from shedding all over the place. During the day I keep my hair in a braid or pony tail with barrettes holding back the front (I have layers around my face.)

Before I get in the shower I brush my hair a lot. Then when I have the conditioner in my hair I run a fine tooth comb through it. The person who talked about seeing a dermatologist is right it's just a cycle you have to go through (from what I've read this process usually takes 6-12 months once it starts and it usually starts 3 months after giving birth.)

Several people mentioned possible thyroid problems, and yes hair loss is a symptom of hyperthyroidism. But unless you have some other symptoms your probably fine.

Good luck and congratulations on the new baby.

Hi there,
I am the same way, I literally have bald spots on the top of my head for a while, and now that it's growing back, little spikes in places, so ugly. Anyway, it's normal as you know, for me, I start growing back instead of loosing around 7 months, I'm sure it's different for every one, but I'm sure your through the worst of it. Good luck!

I'm curious if you had a girl?! When I had my son I lost a lot of hair post-partum, but not chunks, but with my daughter two years later, I lost large amounts! It peaked for me around 9 months post-partum, but didn't really go back to "normal" until she was about a year old. What helped me a little was using conditioner and combing my hair (with the conditioner in it) while in the shower. I caught the hair and threw it away right away rather than collecting it out of the drain. Then I would shampoo my hair again to rinse the slimy feeling of the conditioner away. You could wear a hairnet (ha ha ha) while you're at home! I actually did that to cook because no matter how careful I was, my husband always found a hair in his dinner--- so appetizing!
Now my hair feels different- thinner and coarser- but not thin. I am sure you are normal! However, if you're really worried call your OB or midwife.