Hair Loss & Pregnancy

Archived Q&A and reviews ▼

Archived Q&A and Reviews

Losing clumps of hair - had a baby 4 months ago

July 2007

To all Berkeley Moms, I had my baby about four months ago, and just noticed that I loose a lot of my hair after each hair wash. This is a recent event, as I take my showers in the morning and wash my hair, I notice a large clump of it in the tub. This has never happened to me prior to having my baby. Is this related to the pregancy, and if so does anyone have a recommendation as to what I can do to reduce hair loss?

Hi, Hair loss is normal, I lost tons of hair (to the point that you could see my scalp) after I had my 1st child. It lasted for a few months, but after that it stopped. It took a while for my hair to grow back, but eventually it went back to normal. Good luck and don't worry, it will stop. Martha
Get yourself a blood test for hypothyroidism. Hair falling out is one of the symptoms. Hypothyroidism is very common in women and esp. common after childbirth. Do you have other symptoms such as brittle nails, cold all the time, anxiety, hoarse voice, constipation? There are other symptoms like fatigue and weight gain but having just had a baby you might not be able to tell which is which. This happened to me after my first son was born. I had just about every symptom in the book!! Good luck, anon
Do not worry too much about the hair loss! My hair came out in clumps after both my kids. Eventually it does stop (My hair loss phase lasted about 6 weeks) and I did not end up bald either time. Your hair gets full in pregnancy because it does not progress out of its growing phase. Once those pregnancy hormones are gone, it progresses to the falling out stage. It is annoying but will not keep falling out forever. Full head of hair
Post-partum hair loss is very, very common, and has to do with the fact that, while pregnant, your body was hanging on to all of the hair that it normally would have shed during a normal 'hair cycle'. Once those pregnancy hormones level off after delivery, the hair loss/regeneration cycle is sort of rebooted, and all of that 'extra' pregnancy hair falls away.

When my first child turned 4 months old, my hair started falling out in the shower in such thick ropes that I was sure I'd be bald in two months' time. Even though I knew about post-partum hair loss, I was in such a panic that I wrote in to BPN, and was assured by many veteran moms that all was normal (though I did receive a few suggestions to have my thyroid checked, as thyroid issues after birth are not uncommon, and hair loss can be a symptom). My hair loss leveled out after a few more months, even though it did not return to its old luster until I got pregnant again a few months ago. Stick it out, and it will abate! Just remember to clean out the shower drain... Still Have a Full Head of Hair

Hi there...don't freak out, your hair loss is normal after giving birth. I was warned about it from a friend and lo and behold around 5 or 6 mo, it started to happen. Fortunately, after about 1 - 1 1/2 mo it stopped and all was back to normal. In good company.....

Massive hairloss and dandruff postpartum

June 2006

since i gave birth to my first, and only child, 16 months ago i have lost MASSIVE amounts of hair and developed crazy, massive dandruff. the docs have no suggestions. has this happened to anyone? i'm eating poorly, but taking supplements and vitamins. i've eaten poorly before and have never had anything like this. i have bald patches and the worse, embarrasing dandruff i have ever seen...

I too had some serious hairloss after both my kids. The good news is that it passes. I just cut my hair shorter and didn't let it grow out until it stopped falling out.

I didn't have dandruff, but I did have massive flaking - which I too had never had before. It didn't itch, but if I rubbed my scalp and shook my hair, hundreds of little flakes would descend, and it would get worse and worse in between washings. I thought it was psoriasis, but my derm told me it wasn't (I can't remember what she called it), and prescribed Clobex, a medicinal shampoo. I've been using it for the last couple of weeks, and it's really helped curb the flaking. So if it's not itchy, you might want to ask a dermatologist for a prescription. Almost flake free

I missed the original post, but the respondant with flaky scalp prompted me to write. One thing a growing baby needs in utero are essential fatty acids. The mom's supply is co-opted to make the baby, thereby causing a deficiency, one symptom of which is flaky skin, scalp, and even hair loss. I have previously given a talk at Elephant Pharmacy on hair loss and will send the checklist for hair loss if the poster(s) would like to see other possible causes, which includes dietary, lifestyle, hormonal, and immune issues. Nori Hudson

Excessive postpartum 'shedding'

April 2006

Just how much hair loss is normal during this postpartum 'shedding' period? I know that postpartum hair loss is very common, and I know the hormonal reasons behind this phenomenon, but I'm beginning to suspect that the pace of my 'very common' hair loss is getting a bit out of control. I began to notice the shedding at almost 3 months to the day (I have long hair, so it was hard to miss); the rate of loss has steadily increased since then, and it's become almost alarming now, at 4.5 months. Every morning I collect tumbleweeds of hair from the sheets, continue to leave a trail behind me during the day, and then at night, brace myself for the gruesome shower scene, where I usually am able to pull out sizable ropes of hair after shampooing. This hair loss is not limited to my great pregnancy hair either - I have always had relatively thick hair, but now I am actually developing thinning patches at each temple, and my part seems to be widening exponentially. A friend suggested a haircut (I guess the thinking is that loss of shorter strands is less traumatic), but I'm convinced that the length of my hair is my only saving grace at this point, because I can use it to strategically hide the thinning spots. If I keep losing hair at this rate for another six months (which I hear is average), I won't have any hair to spare!

Has anyone else been in the same boat? Will the hair loss peak and then wind down? In your experience, how long did the shedding last, and how long did it take to reclaim your full head if hair (if you ever did)?

I realize that this preoccupation with my appearance is a little adolescent, but cut me some slack - I still have about 15 pounds to lose (OK, 20), my only accessories these days are sleep-deprived circles under my eyes, and I still romp around in second trimester maternity overalls because I just haven't had time to go clothes shopping, and this hair loss thing just does not make me feel any sexier. (My husband only has reassuring things to say about all this, but I think that's because he's a guy, and is already accustomed to the whole idea of hair loss.)

Thanks for any advice Shedding New Mom

Have your thyroid checked. A common time for hypothyroid to appear is post-partum. One of the symptoms is hair loss. It's an easy blood test and easy medication fix. Hardin
hair loss after pregnancy, or other stressful event is very common. it is called telogen effluvium. i see people for it all the time!!! it often happens 4-6 mos after the event, in your case, pregnancy. with my first 2 children, i actually had a bald spot. the good news is that it is not permanent. it happens because during pregnancy, hair that is in the resting phase is pushed into the growth phase. that is why pregnant women have awesome hair and nails (these grow faster too). when you deliver, 4 mos later, these hairs go back into the rest phase and fall out. so you can lose up to 15% of your hair in a short time, which is hugely stressful! there isn't much you can do to stop or slow it down, other than trying not to stress about it too much. you'll go back to your usual pattern of hair growth once it all works itself out no matter what you do. hair processing probably doesn't have much effect either, so cut and color as you want. taking a multivit and b complex is a good idea though as biotin is supposed to be good for hair and nail growth. good luck! paige
Have you had a bloodtest for hypothyroidism? Hair falling out is one of the symptoms of it and hypothyroidism is VERY common amongst women, especially postpartum and beyond. It's a simple blood test. If you are hypothyroid you would take a thyroid hormone (Armour thyroid is a natural form of the hormone, as opposed to synthroid, levathroid,etc.) and check your thyroid levels now and then. Do you have other symptoms that may be nonspecific? Tired all the time (yeah, it's hard to tell with a new baby), anxiety, hoarse voice, cold, constipation, ''enlarged tongue''(words may come out not quite right), depression, weight gain, inability to lose wt...these are all symptoms of hypothyroidism, and of course could be symptoms of post baby as well as other things, which is why it can be tricky to diagnose. Good luck, hypothyroid at post partum 15 yrs ago
I had to respond to your message because I went through the hair loss experience after the birth of both babies. I have tons of hair, so even though it seemed like I was losing chunks(a handful of hair from my brush every morning), no one noticed except me, my hairdresser, and husband who said he'd be at work picking pieces of my long hair off of his clothes all day long. For me it lasted from 3 months postpartum to 6 months postpartum both times and tapered off after that. The hair did come back as lots of little sprouts that would stick up despite the hair products I used to make them lie down AND many came back grey! Pregnancy sure wreaks havoc on the ole body, huh? Hang in there you'll be back to ''normal'' soon! as ''normal'' as I can be after 2 kids
Well, I have/had the same problem. I have always had long hair, but after I had my baby it began to bail out like mad. Being that was my first baby I was livid & scared. The sides were real bad. I began to condition my hair very frequently. This went on for a year, but I think the conditioner helped it not get any worse. It was still falling out but now not enough to look like I was going bald because that's how it started to look. Now my baby is 19 months old and my hair still sheds. Everytime I wash it and even comb it I get lots of hair on my comb, on the floor, in the shower (everywhere.) So I don't actually know when & if this will stop, but I stopped tripping so much once I began the conditioner. So all I can say is try using some conditioner for awhile & see if the problem eases up any. I used Infusium. Shelly
I absolutely relate to your email. I was horrified by my hair loss after both my kids' births. Your description of the ropes that were shed in the shower just sent shivers down my spine-- yes, it happened to me too. I also had that thinning look at my temples and the front of my part. The good news for me anyway is that the excessive shedding did eventually stop (at about 6 mos. after maybe?). The bad news is while my hair has grown back, it's just not like it was before-- not as thick as it was before, and in the front of my part where it got particularly thin, it just won't grow long anymore, so I have these short frizzy hairs that drive me nuts. And I also have resorted to a shorter haircut to keep my hair looking fuller. Good luck with yours! I SO relate! anon
it can be distressing, and i do think shorter hair does help. mine started falling out about that time but it did stop around 8 months or so. i lost so much i had thin spots around my temples as well. but, with my baby at 10 months, i have sprouts coming back that are so thick it looks like i cut bangs. i am not very superficial either, but it is a little distressing. and i think the hormone changes associated with that period of time are also not as much fun. i got more depressed in general around the same time i had the hairloss. stay positive! it comes back!
I've heard that hair loss following pregnancy is common, but that much??? If you haven't already, you should make an appointment to have your hormone levels checked. anon
I understand your anxiety about the hair loss. I have long black hair that shed uncontrollably starting 2 months after having my baby. There were huge hair bunnies in the corners, under the couch, in our bed, and coiled up in the shower enough to prevent the water from draining. Hair loss was mainly in the forehead and temple area. Similarily, my part got wider, my forehead looked higher, and there were lopsided 'triangles' of scalp showing at my temples. It helped to put my hair in loose ponytails during the day to 'contain' the hair, then gently brush it out at night. Hats help too, but be careful to avoid tight hats that might rub off more hair. Thankfully, the shedding stopped at 7 months and new hairs started to grow back in. However, these baby hairs stuck straight out from my forehead, regardless of how much product I use to try and tame them! It was obvious because I have long hair with no bangs, and then these little spikes of baby hair poking through. I was really self-conscious, but fellow moms at work all recognized it as the ''post-partum hairdo''. It is quite common. It's been 12 months now, and my hair has returned to normal. Please don't let the hair, or weight or sleep deprivation get you down -- remember you are an amazing woman who's body has nurtured and brought forth a beautiful little baby. Trust that your body will adapt. Just be sure to take a few hours each week just to take care of yourself. It's amazing what a nap, a new outfit or a pedicure can do for the tired soul : ) Good luck!
I read your posting and I have to tell you, I know exactly what you're going through. The hair shedding is definitely one of the most bothersome side effects I had months after delivery (besides the stretch marks, weight issues, etc etc) for some reason the hair loss really got to me. My baby is 7 months now and I'm still shedding quite a bit of hair, but it is not as bad as it was while he was between 3-6 months. I decided to cut my hair a few inches shorter than usual and had long side sweeped bangs that helped cover the temple area and sides. That seemed to work for me, but don't worry, it will get better with time. Hang in there :) mama that shed hair too
Oh yeah! I went through, and am still kind of going through, the same thing. I have (had?) really thick, curly hair- after my first pregnancy I lost SO much hair- my friend who cuts my hair still talks about it-she had never and still to this day has never seen anything so drastic. I had patches-it was weird. I kept my hair long and it started to grow back by the time my daughter was 10 months old or so- but I was still losing alot. and then I had all this weird whispy short new hair. SO then I got pregnant again when my first daughter was 15 months old- that stopped the hair loss for awhile, but after my second daughter, same thing, only not as bad this time- but then again I think I came into it with less hair than the first time. Anyway-probably too much detail-when the second one was about a year I finally got about 7 inches cut off my hair- then 6 months later I had about 5 more cut off because it was growing long again, but I had really stringy hair at the bottem, which used to be the top-so now, 2.5 years after the second one, and 3 drastic haircuts to get rid of all the patch stuff- my hair is finally full again- not as full as it was before, but I am also 36 now and still nursing- if that has anything to do with it. I hope this helps- I feel you
WOW! I'm with ya sista'! My hair just came out and out and out. To the point that I too was extremely distressed and was convinced that I would go bald. I'd say it started around 3 1/2 months post-partum and peaked around 5 to 5 1/2 months post-pasrtum. I'm now 6 months and one week post-partum and have noticed a significant decrease in the loss (it's almost back to it's normal amount of shedding). But for a while there I was clogging the drain with every shower. I also didn't want to cut my hair for vain reasons. We'd find hair EVERYWHERE!! But hang in there, I swear it'll get better. Although we'll be thinned out (why our hair and not our bodies darn it?), it DOES end. Although I do have to wash my thinner hair more often and wear it in different ways than I used too. I'd say just bush it often, and wait. Time will take care of it. Good luck! I think most of us are or were with you on this one. Merry
My understanding is that during the postpartum hair loss stage, you're shedding hairs that ordinarily would have fallen out earlier but didn't because you were pregnant. As far as I know, you should not notice any thinning at all compared to pre-pregnancy. Tell your doctor, and ask to have your thyroid checked! That was the cause of my excessive post-partum hair loss. Other symptoms of hypothyroidism can include fatigue (but my doctor and nurse practitioners were dismissive of that, saying it comes with the territory post), difficulty losing weight, dry skin, sleep problems, irritability, depression. You're more at risk to develop this postpartum. hypothyroid mom
I had the same exact problem. But I have had problems with hair loss for many years before giving birth and I still have them. Months after my child was born, I was almost bald. But the hair came back and everything is as it was pre-pregnancy. I still have daily, heavy hair loss. anon
Just one thing to add. Last night, a friend gave me a photo from her wedding, taken when I was 5 mos postpartum. It was a side view. I couldn't believe how little hair I had! It was all gone at the temples, making me look about 20 years older. Now, with a 17 month old, I've forgotten how bad it was, thankfully. It grows back quicker than you think. good luck

Bald spot, in the first trimester

Oct 2004

I just discovered a fairly large bald spot on the top of my head (about 1.5 inches diameter) and am semi freaking out. I am in the first trimester of pregnancy and wonder if that has something to do with it (going to my Dr. next week so that may shed some light)? During my first pregnancy I got the regular thicker hair. Now of course my hair seems to be falling out. Would love to hear from anyone who has had a similar experience. Thanks. Worried about bald spot

I believe it's just the hormones during pregnancy. I have a 21 month year old girl. My hair shedded like mad while I was pregnant with her. After she was born, my hair fell out in handfulls. I had hair everywhere. What helped for me was to keep my hair in a ponytail with some conditioner in it. Now with my son, who is just 7 weeks old, my hair grew long & beautiful. So I can say that the breakage is temporary. Good Luck! Shelly
I lost a LOT after pregnancy and it was due to fluctuating hormones, so it may be the same hormones during pregnancy. However, my doctor just said it was normal (some/ noteable amounts are normal, but then even if your hormones are the cause there is a point when it is excessive, mine was a small balding area and endless handfuls falling a day.) I ended up going to an acupuncturist who did a lot of work in building my blood levels up and it stopped falling, though the lost hair took a year or more to (mostly) come back. There may be some treatments you can do that also support the pregnancy, and some might have to wait until after. Chris

Losing a lot of hair while breastfeeding

Feb. 2004

Hi, I am a breastfeeding mom of a four and a half month old boy. In the last two weeks I have started loosing a lot of my hair. I am taking vitamins, but stop for a week and this is when it all started. I am wondering if anybody else have experienced the same? Any advice on what I can do to stop this? Any Help. Thanks, Elena

Post partum hair loss is totally normal. All that great thick lustrious hair you got while pregnant is going away. In fact, after my first baby, I went to a new hairdresser, and the first thing she said was, ''you must have a new baby at home'' because so much of my hair was coming out. good luck
As all the archived posts point out - it's not the breastfeeding. It's simply that you're no longer pregnant! R.K.
Did you have the usual major shedding at about 3 months post partum? If not, sounds like you're just going through the entirely normal process a bit later than average. (Ordinarily, you always shed a certain percentage of your hair, every day. During pregnancy, however, you shed less. As your hormones begin to return to normal at about 3 months, you lose, all at once, all the hair you would otherwise have lost over the previous year. So while it seems like you're losing your hair, you're really just returning to pre-pregnancy normal.) But if your hair is truly thinning, it could signal a thyroid problem, which you should talk to your doctor about. Some thyroid problems and some thyroid medications do interfere with breastfeeding, but get a diagnosis and evaluate the severity of your own symptoms before worrying about it. Holly
I don't know of anyone who didn't loose a lot of hair postpartum. I don't think it has to do with breastfeeding. It has to do with the fact that you don't loose hair when you are pregnant and then after the baby is born you loose all the hair you would have lost the previous 9 months. It is pretty unbelievable at first, but it does wind down and you won't be bald. anon
What you are experiencing is perfectly normal! At about 4 months after birth your body loses all its pregnancy hormones and gets! back into its pre-pregancy balance. All that hair you did not lose during your pregnancy, you get to lose now (I know, it sucks!) You may also notice that your milk supply may go down, that your gums are more sensitive and stuff like that. Just part of the course. anon
It's hard to see all that hair on the floor, isn't it -- especially after having beautiful hair during the pregnancy! Don't worry, it's a totally normal post-partum hormone thing. I was in 2 mom's groups after my baby was born -- we all had kids around the same age and the hair loss think happened to ALL of us around the same time, as well as all of our friends w/ babies (in other words, I'm talking about a lot of women). Don't worry, it'll stop soon. In the meantime, I suggest getting a short hair cut if you have long hair, it will help hide the loss. anon
What you're going through sounds very familiar to me. When my son was about 4 months old my hair starting falling out everywhere! I heard that when you're pregnant you don't lose much hair so when your hormones change after the baby it starts falling out.! Just wait - pretty soon you'll get all this new hair growth and you'll have little baby hairs all over your head that stick up. Good luck! Stephanie
Your hair loss has nothing to do with breastfeeding. That beautiful lush head of hair you had during your pregnancy happened because your hair's natural cycle stalls. It resumes once you're about 4 months post-partum and makes up for lost time by shedding all of the hair that otherwise would have gradually and subtly fallen out anyways. It will continue to fall out for several more months. The best advice is to weather the hair loss by getting a short and kicky spring ''do''. A hairstyle that doesn't involve any rough styling will help too. Don't worry, your hair will stop falling out in due time. Keep up the breastfeeding MEG

My hair is different post-pregnancy

March 2003

Dear moms, Did your hair change after pregnancy too? I'm almost ready to give up on mine. Ever since having children I can't seem to get the same look as before. My hair seems different now, not as silky, unpredictable, doesn't seem to lay right or grow out well. I've gone to 4 or 5 different stylists, one of which is a master sylist at Yosh for Hair in SF. I've finally just gone back to her, resigning that it is not a sylist issue but just my 'new hair' that I do not quite understand yet. I figured that if she can't make me look 'right' again then no one can (sniff). Any suggestions? Thanks al

My hair had lots of curly new growth sprouting straight up, when my son was 15 months old. It may have continued for a few months beyond that, I can't remember now. I was breastfeeding him at the time. Now, a year after weaning, my hair is back to usual. jennifer
I have the same problem with my hair. It seemed like it all wanted to fall out after my son was born, and now my previously very straight hair has gone all wiry and wavy in one spot in the back of my head. I have no advice, since I haven't been able to fix it, just sympathy. Now I pretty much have to wear my hair long and tie it back. I'm pregnant again and kind of hoping that it will go wavy all over, might be a nice change. Another with crazy hair
You didn't mention how old your baby was? It took a full year for everything to return to normal after both my babies were born. Including hair, skin, and body. If it's just been a few months don't give up hope! When friends told me it would take a full year to recover I didn't believe them, but yes they were right. Almost exactly 1 year later my skin and hair were back to normal. D
You probably don't want to hear this, but 9 years later my prepregnant straight bangs are still curly. Adapt and perform! good luck

Tremendous hairloss and constant dandruff since baby

May 2003

I have had tremendous hairloss and constant dandruff since my baby was 4 months old, over 4 years ago. I have seen a couple of dermatologists, had my thyroid test, everything seems normal. When I use the prescription strength dandruff shampoos, my dandruff goes away, as soon as I try to switch to something less drastic, it comes back. The hairloss has never stopped. The docs say they don't see any bald patches so they don't really have an answer. But the sheer volume of hair I lose every time I wash/comb/brush my hair scares me. I always have hair on my back, even when I haven't combed my hair all day. Could I be balding already? I recently turned 30. I am looking for any recommendations for herbal remedies/alternative medicines (and where I can obtain them) that may help my condition. Thank you, RJ

Chinese Medicine is often very good for hair loss. You don't say whether you are a man or a woman, but in either case, their are numerous syndromes in Chinese medicine where hair loss is a sign or symptom. Especially for women, it is common after pregnancy and birth, often due to Blood deficiency. Stress can also be a big factor, and the stress of having a baby is a big one. Herbal supplementation can help correct the problem over time. There is not one remedy I can tell you to go and buy. Chinese Medicine takes the whole person into consideration, and an herbal formula is prescribed of anywhere from 2- 20 herbs in a combination that is just right for you. If you don't already have/know a Licensed Acupuncturist/herbalist, I would be happy to help you. You can see more about me in the database at Acupuncture.com. Rhoda Climenhaga, L.Ac. , network mom of a 9 year old rhoda

Extreme hair loss - I have a 4-month-old

April 2001

I have a four-month-old baby. About a month ago I started experiencing extreme hair loss. Everyone tells me this is normal, and will eventually stop. My guess is that it's related to hormones. I'm wondering if there's anything i can do; anything i can take such as vitamins, etc....; and whether there's some sort of pill that helps, maybe even birth control pill. I'm getting pretty freaked out about losing all my hair (or lots of it anyway). Does anyone have any advice???

I too experienced massive hair loss after the birth of my child. I read in The Pregnancy Book by Sears that it was caused by hormones which during pregnancy hold onto hair that would normally shed every day in a non-pregnant person. Now your hair is playing catch up by shedding what isn't really yours to keep anymore.

However, there is a shampoo/conditioner line that is supposed to help stop hair loss. It used to be sold at the beauty store on Lakeshore (next to Peet's). I don't remember the name, but it was on the same shelf as the other specialty shampoos. Don't worry about your hair loss too much. Your hair should grow back to normal before you know it! angela

You may have pregnancy-induced hypothyroidism. Go see your doctor and request a blood test for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). This will show how your thyroid is functioning. A low-functioning thyroid can be responsible for a cluster of vague discomforts, including hair loss, dry skin, constipation, feeling low energy/depressed, feeling cold all the time, etc. I have it too. It's easy to treat, once diagnosed, and is very common in women, and especially post-partum. Ann
You will get a lot of advice on this topic that is much more informed than mine - all I know is that it is hormone related. Mine occurred at exactly the same time yours did or maybe a little later on, three to four months after I gave birth. It coincided with our annual visit to my husband's mother. She is a very sweet person, but an excellent housekeeper, and I know she wondered why she was finding large tumbleweeds of my hair EVERYWHERE. (She had six children herself but claims this never happened to her - I think because by the time she reached the 3-month mark, she was pregnant again...) I spent more time trying to collect my hair from her furniture and bathroom (even the walls!) than doing anything else. I was so happy to get home and be able to shed in peace. But what you really want to know is this - it did grow back, without me doing anything special. I would say the shedding process lasted quite a while - 6 to 8 weeks? and my hair actually became thinner than it was pre-pregnancy (in other words, the hair I lost wasn't restricted to my new great pregnant hair - it was old hair too) but then it rebounded to normal. If you want really great hair again you'll probably have to get pregnant again but for normal hair, just wait it out. Fran
I have read in Parenting magazines, books etc. that while pregnant, your hair gets much thicker and fuller and you actually have more hair than you did before you were pregnant. I think I've read that the reason is, your body stores up and saves ALL of it's resources (hair, calcium and nutrients, fat stores, etc.) and doesn't discard anything in case the baby might need extra of something that you have. In any case, as far as I understand, all the hair that you lose after birth (and I can vouch for the fact that it is a LOT -- I lost a whole row at my hairline with my first baby and I looked like a 7 yr-old for about six months while it was growing back because they looked like short bangs) is just the extra amount of hair that you gained while pregnant. So they say not to worry, your body's just getting itself back to normal. Congratulations on your new baby! April
That hair loss 4 months after childbirth is very normal. I'm sure it's hormone related. I was freaking out when I saw my hair thin so severely, but eventually it grew back within a few months. And this happened in all three of my births. So don't despair; wear it as a badge of motherhood.
I too had a large amount of hair loss. It was quite scary! My best advice is to get a haircatcher for shower drain so you don't have to call in a plumber (we did!). I lost a noticible patch right at my hairline above my left eye. It was worse while it grew out because it stuck out so much. I also had alfalfas all over my part line and my hair sylist noticed patches above my ears and at my neck line. My sister had a baby three weeks before me, and she had hair loss in almost the exact same places. The good news is that my daughter is now almost 14 months old and my hair is completely back to normal. If you are very worried, talk to your doctor. If you are breastfeeding, you do have to be very careful with any remedies. Lisa
I had thicker than normal (for me) hair during both of my pregnancies. When my daughters were each 3 months old I began to lose handfuls of it when I showered and brushed my hair. The hair loss was annoying and somewhat disgusting. My long hair was everywhere around the house and on my clothes. I sometimes found it wound around my daughters' wrists, fingers and toes or in that cheesy neck fold (yuck). Several (but not all) of my friends who had young babies had a similar experience. Lots of new hair soon began to grow in. My hair definitely felt thinner, but it wasn't noticeably thinner to others. Now that my youngest is 14 months old, most of my new hair is about 3 inches long. I just got my hair cut to about 3 inches below the nape of my neck to get it all a bit more even. Every one says it looks great! So I figure it was just my hair getting back into normal thickness after an overly thick stage during my pregnancy

My advice is to eat a healthy diet (which you probably are anyway) so that your new hair will be healthy. I take prenatal vitamins as long as I nurse and that may have helped with my new hair's robustness - I don't know enough about supplements to give advice on them. If you are having a bad don't-feel-good-about-my-hair day wear a hat, or put it up some how so that the volume is of less concern.

If the part freaking you out is how much ends up in your shower or on your brush, perhaps a tolerant partner could do the hair disposal jobs for a while.

It is definitely important to check your baby for hair wound around toes and fingers (circulation impairment), and hidden in fat folds (irritation and abrasion). Yes, hair loss is annoying and somewhat alarming, and soon your new hair will probably begin to grow in and you'll look great! Good luck. Suzanne