There is no way around it. No way to sugar coat it, or look on the bright side.
I am a glass half full kind of girl and even I can’t see the purpose of this. The hair I worked so hard to grow, after transitioning from chemically straightened hair to naturally curly, was leaving my head in clumps. All the gains you make during pregnancy, only to go bald after the baby comes.
I said goodbye to cute up do’s, ponytails, and really anything that involved showing the front of my hair.
I know it doesn’t affect every mama, but for me, pushing my hair back and throwing on a adorable headband is a thing of the full haired past, for now. Edges are a big deal over here and when my hair line started to reseed, around 2 months postpartum, I rolled my eyes and headed for the drug store. Only to find that most remedies for hair loss are not compatible with breastfeeding.
I experienced hair loss the first time around and honestly it was all a fog. I was more concerned about the anxiety and panic attacks I was experiencing, and didn’t have the energy to confront my hair loss. Thanks to the Lord, anxiety has not been a part of my postpartum journey this time around.
But I can see clearly now, my hair is gone!
A huge positive in this (I can’t help it) is that my hair is long enough to cover up my bald spots.
So, there are many ways to fight postpartum hair loss, but many of these are not recommended for breastfeeding mothers. I’ll give you a break down of the best ways to regrow your hair after baby, for both breastfeeding moms and non-breastfeeding moms. Note that ANYTHING you put in your body while breastfeeding should be cleared by your Pediatrician or Physician before use.
First, for the moms who do not breastfeed, the possibilities are endless.
There are less expensive options, and some others that can carry quite the price tag. Depending on the severity, or how fast you want to solve the problem, there’s Rogaine, hair growth programs like Viviscal, laser treatments, and even platelet rich plasma procedures.
For those mamas who are breastfeeding, you may have to work a little harder. Biotin supplements are great for growing back those beautiful tresses and probably the most popular option. According to many sources, including my personal pediatrician’s office, 35 mcg per day is safe for breastfeeding women. Supplements, including your prenatal vitamins, are one of the easier, more effective ways to deal with this pesky problem, but not the only…
There are foods that are high in vitamins, biotin, and antioxidants that can help stimulate hair growth. Some of these foods include sweet potatoes, blueberries, eggs, beans, carrots, walnuts, asparagus, sunflower seeds, and spinach.
Besides eating your way back to great hair, there are essential oils that can also be used to aid in this hairy effort. A concoctions of rosemary, lavender, cedar wood, thyme, and emu oil will make a human hair root stimulator. Remember when using essential oils for use on skin, you have to dilute in an oil as a carrier. You should do lots of research before attempting to make this on your own. There are hair root stimulators available at beauty supply stores that come in shampoo form, as well as oils.
At home hair masks, and even soaking your hair in beer have been attributed to helping with hair loss, but I’ve got bad news. There is a chance that none of these things will work for you. A lot of physicians believe the best thing you can do is just wait for your hair to grow back. I know, you don’t wanna hear this, but treating your hair with care while your hormones are raging just may be what you need until your molecules get it together. Not tying your hair in tight rubber bands, avoiding bobby pins, and harsh chemicals like perms or dyes are key.
