I was brushing my hair one morning, and suddenly the brush was full. Not a few strands — a clump. I looked down at the sink. More hair. I ran my hand through my hair. More came out.
I called my midwife in a panic. She said, "Congratulations, you have postpartum telogen effluvium. It's normal. It'll stop."
She was right. It stopped. But nobody warned me how much it would mess with my head.
I'd had thick, glorious pregnancy hair. I felt like a goddess. Then at four months postpartum, the hormones plummeted, and all those hairs that should have fallen out over nine months fell out over three.
It wasn't just the quantity. It was the timing. Four months postpartum is already a fragile time. You're exhausted. You might be back at work. Your baby might be sleeping worse than ever. And then your hair starts falling out. It feels like your body is falling apart.
Here's what helped me:
- I chopped my hair to shoulder length. The shorter hair looked fuller and felt less traumatic to see in the drain.
- I stopped wearing ponytails. The tension made the shedding worse.
- I bought a silk pillowcase. Less friction, less breakage.
- I stopped analyzing the shower drain. I cleaned it without looking and moved on.
- I got my ferritin checked. It was low — 22. I started iron supplements. Did it stop the shedding? Not immediately. But it probably helped with regrowth.
The shedding peaked at four months and gradually stopped around seven months. By my daughter's first birthday, I had a halo of baby hairs around my forehead. I looked like a startled duck. I didn't care. It was regrowth.
If you're in the thick of it right now: I'm sorry. It sucks. It feels permanent. It's not. Your hair will come back. And when it does, you'll be so relieved that you'll forgive your body for the mess it put you through.
This article reflects personal experience. If your hair loss is severe or accompanied by other symptoms (fatigue, weight changes), ask your provider to check your thyroid and iron levels.
— Emily