From BB-"Women during pregnancy will also frequently experience a high grow rate (and reduced shed rate). "

I would agree with you on this statement, in the last 6 years I have given birth to two girls, and my hair grew quite a bit. Then again it was also in the time frame of ages 20 through 26.

But now that my baby is almost 5 months old and my hormones  have settled I am shedding more than my cat going from winter to summer.

I have always heard that it is the new growth (from being pregnant) that comes out (after giving birth). Does anyone know if there is in facts in that? Also, is there anything do to about all the shedding? It is very annoying and disappointing. I feel like I will be bald in another year at this rate.

Maybe I'm just be paranoid (sp?)! Maybe it just seems like I'm losing more now, but I'm just losing the same amount before I got pregnant**does that make sense**.

Input anyone? Eveyone?

There are some vitamins that reduce shedding for some people but I'm not sure what they are.  I'm sure someone will chime in with them.

Sometimes when I feel like my shedding is out of control, I count the individual hairs.  I figure that since my hair is long, even 10 extra hairs per day is going to seem like a ton.  It doesn't always make me feel better, but it does distract me for a little bit.  

Don't worry- you won't go bald.  I have two sons.  With each pregnancy and for a little while postpartum- I had the best, fasted growing hair of my life.  It was probably twice the volume it is now.  The higher estrogen levels cause the hairs that would have been scheduled to shed -not to, then, after you give birth, the changing hormone levels cause those hairs to shed.
After my first son, especially, I shed tons- but my pregnancy book warned that was a possibilty. But I didn't go bald! And it did come back.
Unfortunatley, after my second son, I chopped off all my hair to a near pixie- which I now  hear is common, in women in late pregnancy or right after giving birth.

Yes, the post-partum shedding can make you feel like you are going bald, but as it has already been said, the shedding is just losing the hair that you didn't shed during the pregnancy.  

Supplements that can help reduce shedding are silica and biotin.  I've used both to help minimize my shedding due to menopause.  Of course a good multi-vitamin and generally eating healthy will help.  (I'd also say to reduce your stress and get plenty of sleep, but as a mother, I know that isn't necessarily possible with little ones!)

i don't know a lot about the whole pregnancy thing :-/, but i knoe that basil, prsley, nettle, rosemary, and sage help with hair loss and/or thinning. i think you can either use them as a rinse or as oils (especially parsley)

HTH :)

Thanks everyone, that makes sense about losing what wasn't lost during the pregnancy.
I am taking the biotin, have been for about a month now. Hopfuly will see some results soon.
Thanks Beesan for the info. on the herbs. Good to know.

I've never had kids so my hormonal changes have been of a different nature but I certainly am one of those people whose follicals react strongly to any hormonal change.

Usually it just runs it's course and then you deal with new growth.  This can however, take up to a year - some people even longer.

My personal experience is that good scalp massage to stimulate and get rid of the hairs that are ready to come out is a very good thing (Helloooooo Martha*snork*).

Most boards and product lines that address hairloss usually believe that more frequent washing helps to keep any DHT (the trouble maker if you are sensitive to it) off your scalp, loosens dead hair and keeps oils and dead skin cells moving out rather than cementing (for lack of a better word) and hindering the free flow and exchange in your follicales.

I know many are trying to wash less and I'm certainly not criticizing whatever works.  In issues of hair loss I have personally found that working that dead hair out, although scary at first is more beneficial in the long term.

Don't any body smack me please *ducking under desk*...g

It's ok gabi I won't hit you.
That's a different approach I'll have to keep it in mind.
Right now though I think I am gonna see if things work out.
**fingers crossed**
washing more sounds to much of a bother.

Gabi - you can come out from under the desk - we won't hit you!

You are right, if you have too much build up on the scalp, it can cause hair loss and thinning.  Whether you should wash more frequently or less frequently probably depends on your scalp.  I have dry skin and scalp, so washing less often works well for me.  A person with oilier scalp probably should wash more frequently. So, both methods have their place.  

(How's that for being diplomatic?  8)  :-*)

BB - you are a talented woman and the epitomy of diplomacy  ;D

I do, however, feel obligated to add that my scalp is definitely not oily, even if I don't wsh it for several days ... and it is not dry either.  

To me the biggest problem with washing daily/frequently might be being wet at times when I want to lie down.  For those times I blow dry (mild heat, diffused for a short time) the scalp only.

Going back under my desk now  ::) ...g

Come on, Gabi, you can stay out here - you might miss out on a party if you stay under there!

I guess I could add that the types of shampoos and conditioners (i.e. the ingredients) probably has a lot to do with the build up on the scalp/hair as well as the frequency.

**fingers are still crossed** I really beleive that it is from the pregnancy. It seems that with my other two it was the same way, but my hair wasn't as long then. So now that my hair is longer it seems like sssoooo much more loss.

But lately my scalp does feel more dry and itchy, and I have been trying my hand at CO (and for the record the dryness and itchys were beforehand). Any suggestions?

I have been scritchiing some too and getting some gunk off. I'm figureing that is were the itching is coming from. After you scritch and get all the stuff in your hair it doesn't seem to want to come out with one washing or rinsing. So it kind of makes me not want to scritch on the account of having flakes in my hair. Any suggestions on that?

LOL - when you shed with hair as long as yours is, one hair can look like a handful!  I wouldn't worry about the shedding, I'm sure it will get back to normal soon enough.

As for the scritching, I'll leave that to some of the other experts around here since I don't seem to have the need to scritch.

Since my hair has been color treated, when I shed alot I'm like 'YESSSS.....Go away bad hairs!'  (I even look at some of them with a magnifying glass!)

One of my friends had a shedding phenomena.  He was SO WORRIED that he was losing more hair, his stress caused more to fall out.  Premature balding ran in his family, so I can understand how he must have felt.  But when he calmed down from it, less hair came out :)

Your hair is also incredibly long and beautiful.  One long hair from your head is the equivalent to 5 hairs from my head.  Postpartum definately effects hair loss. <hug>