That wonderful postpartum time when ALL MY HAIR STARTS TO FALL OUT.
For real.
On average, a person loses 50-100 hairs a day. During pregnancy, the higher estrogen levels result in a longer growing period for hair follicles. With fewer hairs falling out, one of the benefits of pregnancy -other than the baby you get at the end!- is long, thick, luxurious tresses for nine months. Once the baby's out and the estrogen levels take a nose dive, your head decides to catch up on all the hair shedding its been missing out on.
Awesome.
So now I find myself not only constantly picking hair off of myself, but also unraveling hairs from Andrews fingers, toes, arms, legs, neck... I find hair in all this chubby baby creases and cracks. I did a search on google to see if there's ever been a case of a baby strangled by it's mother's hair, but didn't come up with anything.
(Although I did this for kicks, it actually brought up a lot of really disturbing articles about infanticide and murder. Don't do it, m'kay?)
This is usually the point where I decide to cut my hair. The hairs still fall out, but they're short enough to barely be noticed and certainly not long enough to be used as a tourniquet. But since I don't have a Heidi here to cut my hair (although I miss HER much more than her mad scissor skillz), I might actually end up keeping it long this time 'round.
Maybe I'll get the dreads I've always wanted... (Heidi, I can hear you groaning from here!)
I like to refer to this period as the "horns of pregnancy" period. On me, the hair that falls out is right at my temples, so that a month or so later I get these weird little tufts on either side of my head. I look like a recently-escaped-from-hell demon.
ReplyDeleteI've had a heck of a time finding a good hairstylist here in Ottawa, but I have some hope. I recently got a haircut from Veigh (rhymes with Lee) who works at the Spahara in Bell's Corners. On the basis of that one cut I've recommended her to other people and they have all been very happy, too. So she's maybe worth a try!
Oh I hate this! And it happens so many months after having a baby, too... and now I have all these short little bangs in the front and I hate it!
ReplyDeleteThen a few months after this, I'll get a fuzzy ring around my head as all the new little hairs grow. (sigh) A hair cut's looking better and better.
ReplyDeleteI missed this post the other day when I was reading your blog. I can so so so so SO relate!! I have lost hair worse than anyone I know after the births of my children . . . . I swear I had bald spots. Mine came out in chunks - clogged our shower, laid strewn on my pillow each morning. Then last fall I got that crazy new growth around my forehead. Ugghh. I am slowly getting back to normal now - and my baby is FOURTEEN months old. No more babies for me, my hair can't take it :-)
ReplyDelete"On average, a person loses 50-100 hairs a day." I always knew I was above average! (:
ReplyDeleteI shed worse than my dog and have no postpartum reason for doing so. But I feel the pain, girl. You know the kind--the "Did you get a new rug?" "No, that's a hairball" pain.
Thanks for your funny, authentic writing. And for your comment on my blog (they help me feel validated too).