Sharing this article is super exciting for us but first let us tell you more about our guest author. We reached out to Andrea after seeing her lovely pro-breastfeeding pictures on her Instagram account: @andreachecketts. She is a cosmetologist turned nursing student with a strong passion for education. She has a long in which she educates mother day moms/women on anything useful to their lives pertaining to her knowledge and skills.  We knew we had to have her share with us some valuable information for all of our readers so we asked her for some: 

Tips and tricks to deal with Post-Partum Hair Loss

That luscious hair you gained while being pregnant was due to the increase in estrogen levels, after the baby is born, your hair begins to shed from the drop in estrogen levels. I’ve seen this time and time again over the past 6 years of doing hair; most girls are shocked by it, as their Doctor’s/nurses didn’t prepare them for this part in their post-partum journey. So, they come to me begging for a quick fix or something to help the post-partum hair loss.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but honesty wins all and post-partum hair loss is a real thing, that doesn’t just go away with a quick fix. Most often it shows up between 6 weeks and 3 months and ends around 8 months post-partum (although I have seen it happen sooner and longer). Once again: it’s caused by the drop in estrogen levels after you’ve had your baby, it is a natural process.

Here are the best ways to hide/help it, but not necessarily any quick fixes:

• Vitamins: Ask your Doctor about your latest blood work to find out what you may be deficient in, and supplement this with a daily dose of whatever was missing. Your Doctor also may prescribe a strong dose depending on how low you might be. Check with your Doctor every time you start taking anything new, of course.
• Do not stop your prenatals: This can lead to deficiencies if you stopped taking it, and it’s recommended to continue prenatals while breastfeeding so keep at it.
• Eat the foods you are deficient in: don’t just rely on your daily dose of pills. An example, if you are low in iron, you would need to eat extra leafy greens, meat, beans, and lentils. Having a balanced diet is super beneficial during your post-partum period.
• Treat your hair right: Do weekly deep conditions (my favorite deep conditioner is by Brazilian Blowout, called the “Acai deep conditioning masque” -find it on Amazon for about $20). Just put it on in the shower, shave and do whatever else while letting it soak and then rinse with cool water. This closes your hair’s cuticle, keeping the conditioner in your hair longer.
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• Along with treating your hair right, avoid heat and coloring your hair if at all possible. I know this one is SO hard but is crucial to letting those baby hairs grow out without disturbing them. It is summer, so braids and grown out roots are in. If you do decide to use heat, always use a heat protectant prior to.
• Stimulate your scalp: Get a hard bristle brush (great ones at Sally’s) and rub it back and forth on your scalp in one-inch sections! This helps to stimulate more hair growth and even though you might only have baby hairs growing back, that is still progress. You can also buy one of those head massagers that will do the trick too (or have a friend/husband rub your head). The hard bristle brush also helps to flake off any dead skin, and therefore also allows new hair growth.
• Think about taking Biotin: I swear by this for hair growth. It is a derivative of a B vitamin and is great for growing out your hair and nails. Take the maximum dose daily (10,000mcg) if possible. Make sure you check with your Doctor first before taking it.
• Take a breather: Time for yourself is SO important during post-partum. By reducing stress, you can help to eliminate excessive post-partum hair loss. So take that bubble bath, get that pedicure, and let family watch over the baby for a couple hours.
• Change the look: If you can’t stand the little baby hairs right around your face, consider bangs! Either side swept or straight across can be a great alternative to hair spraying them every day we all do it!
• Avoid hair spray: This is very drying to your hair and most times doesn’t even help the baby hairs lay down. If they are driving you absolutely nuts, try using clear mascara. Still not the best for your hair, but better than hair spray.

You can reach out to Andrea directly by visiting her blog or dropping her a comment on Instagram @andreachecketts

Disclaimer: We strongly advice you to check in with your doctor before trying out any medication or homemade remedies. It’s always best to be safe than sorry.

We would love to hear from you: How did you cope with Post-Partum Hair Loss?

Be sure to join us in our social media accounts to be up to date with the progress of our project!

And… Don’t forget to share your brelfies using our HT #BreastfeedingWorld 

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A photography project founded in late 2014 by Alexia Garcia, photographer a Alegares Photography. Breastfeeding World aims to promote breastfeeding and encourage new moms to nurse their babies through the art of photography and story telling.