Welcome out of the fourth trimester! Although there are still fun hormonal shifts happening in your body, the majority of the major ones are done.
Mother Nature has a funny way of helping you celebrate surviving those first three months of your adorably squishy little person’s life.
You may have noticed that your body has gone through pretty significant changes, and some of those changes may still be healing.
How about your hair? That glorious, thick, full, shiny hair- your crowning glory.
Does it seem to be dropping off your head like the leaves in the fall?
Yeah, I know, it’s shocking!
You know what though? It’s all normal!
Pregnancy Hormones (namely estrogen and progesterone) are responsible for slowing down a lot of the normal processes we go through on a daily basis, like losing our hair. On a typical non-pregnant day, we lose 80 to 100 strands of hair. While pregnant, we hang on to all of those hairs. The first three months or so post birth
(the fourth trimester)- those hormones drop drastically causing all the hair our body has been holding on to, to let go. We are likely to lose about 400 strands a day in this stage. It’s most noticeable in the shower, or on pillows.
Is postpartum hair loss a concern?
If you feel that your hair loss is not slowing down or hasn’t stopped between 6 and 12 months postpartum, it might be a good idea to speak with your care provider. There are some instances when the thyroid can be causing hair loss. It’s never a bad idea to get a blood panel to check it out.
Some people believe that breastfeeding depletes your nutrition and therefore think that increasing vitamins and supplements like a prenatal, or Biotin ( a B vitamin) will stop or slow the process. It definitely won’t hurt to try this approach.
How to deal with it….
Reinvent your “look”! Some parents choose to change their hairstyle at this point. A great haircut can do wonders for your self esteem, and ease your day to day
routine. (Less hair care= more baby snuggles)
Not up for a haircut? Try out some new accessories. A cute hat, parting it differently, using scarves and headbands can all make you feel better about something that you have no control over- plus, you might find something that you love!
Most importantly, try to limit additional stresses and be kind to your hair. Use products and tools that are gentle and don’t cause more trauma to the hair that is hanging on. Before you know it, you’ll be back to normal rocking your new look (with a cute baby as an adorable accessory!)
