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A UK Pregnancy, Parenting and Lifestyle Blog
August 21, 2014

Topic Thursday: Hair loss post pregnancy

Well well well, I was wondering when another delightful post pregnancy body change would join the party and it appears hair loss is the next guest to arrive!


Yuuuuuck!!

How cruel. It’s not as if I have enough hair to lose anyway, I’m practically bald! I’ve always had very fine, straight blonde hair and have envied anyone with thicker hair than me i.e. everyone! I am all over hair extensions (when I can be bothered these days – think I’ve only worn them once since Isla was born!) and any product that gives me a glimmer of hope of achieving the bouncy volume rocked by the likes of Blake Lively…


When I was pregnant I wouldn’t say my hair got particularly thicker, it just grew faster which was amazing. The problem is I didn’t take advantage and get it cut as much as I should have so I had to get over 2 inches cut off it after pregnancy. Doh!

I must admit I got a bit cocky and totally thought I’d escaped the post pregnancy hair loss when 3 months postpartum came around and I was still holding onto as many hairs on my head as possible. Alas, as of the past few weeks it has been falling out with a vengeance. Clumps come out in my hand, stack up in the plug hole, fill up a whole brush in one go – it’s awful.

I panicked a decided to do a late night google (as you do) to get to the bottom of postpartum hair loss.

Basically, when you’re not pregnant up to 95% of your hair is growing and the other 5-15% is in a resting stage. Once the resting stage is over, the hair falls out. On average we lose 100 hairs a day.

When you are pregnant though, the increased levels of oestrogen prolong your hair’s growing stage and stops it going into the resting stage and falling out. Result – you have thicker, more lustrous hair!

Post birth your oestrogen levels plummet again and more hairs enter the resting stage and fall out. Waah. Cue baldness!

In my case a lot of it appears to be from the front of my hairline. This photo shows the lovely regrowth I’m having at the moment. It looks like I’ve been on the Regaine!!

What comes as a relief is that this increased shedding will start to decrease over time and your hair should be back to normal by the time your baby is one (scary thought!).


As always everyone’s different and you might even be lucky enough not to have to deal with it.


Top tips for dealing with postpartum hair loss… 

1. Get a new cut – this will help keep the ends in good condition. Last thing you want is a bunch of new wispy hair growing in whilst the rest if your hair is splitting left, right and centre. Not a good look!

2. Avoid pulling it into tight buns or ponytails – this will put more strain on the roots of your hair which can never be a good thing when your hair is falling out.

3. When hair is wet, avoid brushing it harshly because this will cause additional, unnecessary hair loss. I have a tangle teaser which does the job perfectly!

4. Avoid overusing heat stylers and hair driers as much as possible. Definitely easier said than done! I’ve started trying to naturally dry my hair till it’s about 80% dry then blow drying it. Otherwise it looks ridiculous!

5. Use coconut or other hair oils overnight to add in some extra nourishment. Leaves hair lovely and soft.

6. Take supplements. I know that my diet is lacking in some nutrients (due to being in the go 24/7!) so taking some vitamins to top up levels and suppy hair with all it needs to grow back healthily will always be a old option!

A few things I do anyway, due to being eternally cursed with thin hair, that might help trick people into thinking your hair is still as thick and lovely as it was during pregnancy are:

– Pin your fringe up, creates immediate volume – see photo:

– If your hair is straight, curl it!

– Use dry shampoo and only wash your hair every other day. On the second day there is always much more volume going on.

– You can buy pin on buns or the spongey hair pieces to create bigger buns. Definitely a winner in motherhood with little fingers trying to pull what little hair is left out!

Have you experienced post pregnancy hair loss? What have you done to try and counteract it?
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Kisses and cuddles with my faves 💖💫 Kisses and cuddles with my faves 💖💫
‘Each of us as citizens, has a role to play in c ‘Each of us as citizens, has a role to play in creating a better world for our children.’ - Nelson Mandela ❤️
It’s not enough though, is it? We’ve always h It’s not enough though, is it?

We’ve always had diverse toys in our house (not enough, but I’m working on it ❤️), but when questioned ‘why do you buy your kids Black dolls?’, I’ve faltered and answered incorrectly. I would respond saying ‘because that’s the doll Isla liked the best. What does it matter? We’re all human’, rather than questioning why that person is questioning it in the first place.

In a massive learning curve this week, where I am actively trying to become an anti-racist ally, not just anti-racist/non racist in general, I have found so many shortcomings in my effort to educate my kids and in my own attitudes towards race. But this isn’t about me. So here are some resources I’d like to share on top of the ones shared in my stories.

Some books to read:
Me and White Supremacy - Layla F. Saad.
Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race - Reni Eddo-Lodge.
How to argue with a racist - Adam Rutherford.
Brit(ish) - Afua Hirsch.
White Fragility - Robin Diangelo.
I Am Not Your Baby Mother - Candice Brathwaite.
So You Want to Talk About Race - Ijeoma Oluo.

Diverse kids books:
Anti Racist Baby - X. Kendi.
Riley Can Be Anything -Davina Hamilton.
Look Up - Nathan Bryon.
Mae Among The Stars - Roda Ahmed.
The Mega Magic Hair Swap - Rochelle Humes.
Let’s Talk About Race - Julius Lester.
Welcome To Our World - Moira Butterfield and Harriet Lynas.
This Book Is Antiracist - Tiffany Jewell.
The Extraordinary Gardener - Sam Boughton.
Let The Children March - Monica Clark-Robinson.
Ruby’s Worry - Tom Percival.
A Kids Book About Racism - Jelani Memory.

Some things to watch:
When They See Us.
13th.
Who Killed Malcom X.
Time: The Kalief Browder Story.
Explained: The Racial Wealth Gap.
Dear White People.
I am Not Your Negro.

My to do list:
- Sign more petitions.
- Donate to more causes.
- Listen to podcasts and share.
- Encourage changes in the school curriculum so that my children, and their classmates, get a better, much more rounded and diverse education.
- Call things out.
- Have honest/open conversations.
- Share content.
- To keep educating myself, whilst never expecting others to do it for me.

It’s just a starting point.

Thanks for listening x
Black Lives Matter. I can never pretend to unders Black Lives Matter.

I can never pretend to understand, but I will always stand.

I’ve been on a huge learning curve this week and have, shamefully, come to the realisation, which I should have a long time ago, that it’s not enough to just not be racist. We must also be actively anti-racist and do everything in our power to ensure our children are too.

Today is a day to stop, listen, support, educate ourselves, donate, sign petitions, take action in any way we can, big and small, to make sure that everyone knows we stand with our fellow humans, family and friends. But we can’t just do this today. We must do it each and every day going forward ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼✊🏻
And breathe! First day without both my babies for And breathe! First day without both my babies for the first time in 10 weeks today and it couldn’t have gone better. Both had wonderful days and were full of stories when they got home. I said over on stories last night, which got an incredible response so thank you to everyone who reached out, that I am completely comfortable with my choice to send the kids back to school and nursery but would never, ever judge anyone who felt different. We are all in different boats in this storm we’ve found ourselves in and what works for my family, might not work for yours. I have deliberately stayed out of the ‘are you sending your kids back or not?’ debate as it started to feel like another toxic discussion, in the media and on social media, that was resulting in yet another parenting divide.
I could have had the kids in this whole time, under key worker provision, but tried my best to hang on till the phased reopenings that I hoped would happen when they did. They were what I was aiming towards. Don’t get me wrong, I have LOVED having the kids at home together for such a sustained period, we have made lots of memories and learnt so much more about each other, but mixed in with the nature of my job and the fact that @thisdadalife is deployed and so I’m on my own with minimal support, I couldn’t have gone on much longer.
When I got in from dropping them off today, and as I went upstairs to work at my desk, I literally collapsed on the stairs and almost cried in relief. Relief that we made it through, as dramatic as that sounds. I don’t think I realised the toll it was taking mentally as I was constantly running on adrenaline.
I am so happy to get a bit more balance back and to, most importantly, feel like a better mum again. Not a snappy trying to juggle it all 24/7 with no break mum.
If you sent your kids back today, whether you wanted to or not, I’m with you and support you.
If you have kept them home in your bubble for longer, I’m with you and support you.
If you’re still unsure what to do and are undecided, I am with you and support you.
Nobody knows the full extent of someone else’s circumstances and we have to stop and realise that before we judge anyone else ❤️
Ibiza vibes in Puerto Gardeno today 😂☀️😅 Ibiza vibes in Puerto Gardeno today 😂☀️😅
This is the first year in YEARS that I have felt ok wearing a bikini. And I feel like it’s more down to how strong I feel, rather than how I look. Whatever it is, I hope it continues ❤️
On another note, how tanned does the @filterbymollymae fake tan make you look! 🙌🏻
(Both bikini and cover up are from last year).
#losingmyboobstho #youwinsomeyoulosesomehaha
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