During pregnancy, women usually are in love with their newfound thick, luxurious head of hair. Then, once you give birth, you can be shocked when it seems as if your hair is falling out at a rapid pace. Don’t be alarmed; this is all normal, temporary, and you are not going bald!
With the normal cycle of hair growth, some hair is lost every day. When you are pregnant, estrogen levels increase which freezes hair in the growing, or resting, phase of the cycle. The hair that would normally fall out stays in place, giving you thicker hair.
However, once you give birth, your estrogen levels begin to decline and all of that hair that was stuck in the growing phase begins to fall out. The hair will come out in the shower or as you brush it. This usually starts a few months after giving birth but ends when your baby is about 6 months old. The temporary hair loss is just hormonal and doesn’t mean you are deficient in any vitamins or nutrients. You should return to your typical head of hair by the time your child turns one year old.
If the hair loss is bothersome, there are some things you can do until your hair returns to its natural fullness. Sometimes a new haircut will do the trick. Adding layers or bangs might be just what you need. You may also try using a volumizing mousse. This can help give the illusion of fullness and body. Adding some color can also help to camouflage any thinning spots. Lastly, you could add some curl to your hair or change your part. Curls will add some body and texture to your hair while changing your part can help hide thinning hair at the temples.
As a side note to new moms, if your baby is crying and you can’t seem to figure out why, make sure they don’t have a piece of hair wrapped around their tiny little fingers, toes, wrists, or any other appendages. This is called a hair tourniquet and can happen easily. It is quite painful for your little one so you’ll want to make sure to remove it.
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