post-natal hair loss?

[Peevish]

This should possibly be in Style and Beauty, but I never venture over there, and wanted to ask other people who have been pregnant... My baby is five months old and for the last six or eight weeks, horrific amounts of my hair has been coming out, to the point where I'm afraid to wash or comb it, so much comes out in the comb or brush.

I know this is supposed to be normal, and that it's only that the 'drop' stage of the hair follicles which stopped during pregnancy because of hormones has kicked in again, so all the hair that didn't fall out during the 9 months is doing so now - but I have actual bald patches on my temples, and it's really noticeable. And not helped by the fact that my baby is a hair-grabber! Even my hairdresser, who warned me it would happen, was shocked yesterday when he cut it, and it's getting me down.

Help, anyone? Did this happen to you? How long does it last, and is there anything that works to minimise the effects?

I had this too. It seemed like I was loosing handfuls and would wake to find it all over my pillow! It stopped after about a month and seems to have thickened out again just fine. Don't worry about it

Happened to me too.
Only with child no2 Didn't happen with the other 3
I took imedeen supplements for hair and nails, and used the men's regain shampoo.
After a few months my hair did grow back.

I had this too and had quite large bald patches at the front-I got a heavy fringe cut in which did a decent job of covering them until it grew back a few months later.

I'm still a bit thinnish at the temples, but it isn't something others would notice IYSWIM. My DS is now 2 and I didn't notice the problem the first time round.

My DM says that I pull my hair back too tightly, I did dismiss her comments initially, but as I have my hair pulled back 24/7 I'm beginning to think she has a point!

The initial fallout was dramatic and worryingly, but regrowth was swift.

I've had this after all 3, my doc got me tested for hpyothyroid which can be triggered by pregnancy, it came back negative for me but could be worth looking into?
I've had new growth all over my head - DS2 is one this week, and the re-growth is about 2inches to give you an idea. I've had my hair cut short and get it trimmed every 6 weeks so that what is there is healthy and the new growth can catch up, and I've been taking 'hair skin and nails' vitamins which have made a real difference.
If we have another DC I'll take more vitamins that just folic acid, as each time my body has ended up in a worse and worse state a few months after the birth!

I posted the exact same thing over in S&B so I feel your pain!

Thanks, everyone - that's reassuring. Did using Regaine shampoo make any difference, chickydoo? Will certainly look into the hair and nails vitamins. If anyone else has any insights, I'd be glad to hear them.

Those of you who are pregnant, enjoy the fabulous hair!

I don't think anything will make a differernce - it happens because the normal cycle your hair follows is stopped by pregnancy, so you are just losing what you would naturally have lost over a six month period, in one month (IYSWIM). You can't 'stop' it as the hair needs to come out, as it has reached the end of its life, as it were. This happened to me too, and I had an impressive mane of regrowth, with it sticking out all over the place for a while!

Try Nioxin - it is a hair shampoo range that is supposed to help with hair thinning/loss. I am pregnant at the mo but my hairdresser told me not to panic if my hair starts falling out after the baby as it is normal and using Nioxin would help? x

You could ask your GP to check your ferritin. Mine was really low after childbirth and may have been the cause of my postnatal hair loss. I wasn't actually anaemic, it was just the ferritin which was low which wouldn't have been checked for without me asking for it. Am now on iron indefinitely.

Happened to me with both pregnancies.
In fact the twins will be 4 in dec and I am still thin around my hairline.