supplements and post pregnancy shedding

[LILBERT]

Okies, this is a while away yet as im only about half way through my pregnancy. But after my last baby, as per the norm postnatally, i went through a huge shed. Im still growing back lots of little patches of hair where it all fell out and have a long way to go.

My question is, does anyone have any experience taking supplements to try and stop the postnatal shed being so drastic? obviously it cant be stopped, its natural. But i seem to recall a few women mentioning that when they started taking hair vitamins their shedding was reduced significantly. Just wondered if anyone had any experiences.
Thanks! :)

[Cupofmilk]

I have had three in quick sucession and whatever I have done has not helped. Mind you I was really ill each time and I am sure that has hindered my hair

[Chibbylick]

I have 4 kids, and only experienced shedding with the first and last deliveries. I took my pregnancy vitamins with each, couldn't say what caused the shedding to happen with 2, and not the other 2. I'm pretty sure it is hormone related, not vitamin/mineral related. I know some hormone levels drop by 500% in the few weeks after delivery.
Chibby

[LILBERT]

I've bee shedding quite a lot throughout this pregnancy, whereas with the last one it was not untill a few weeks after birth that i noticed it coming out in the shower.

And Cupofmilk, i totally sympathise. This is my second pregnancy in the past 3 years and they have both been really ill pregnancies, it does affect your hair. Especially if your too sick to keep food/tablets down, you just dont get the nutrients you need. :(

[Cupofmilk]

Yes that's the problem isn't it. I was very sick and then I had other problems and ended up on all sorts of medications including codeine, fentanyl etc.
I suppose the best you can do is try to keep healthy as you can. Take supplements and a little light exercise.
Part of my trouble is I ended up unable to brush my hair or detangle it. I could sit on it and it sat in a braid for weeks without being washed or denatngled. Let's just say I have some pieces of very short hair at the nape of my neck where I cut knots the size of a cigarette packet out.

[Brisen]

I'm about 6 months post partum, and I had the same question. I did a search here a week or two ago -- I think it was "post partum shedding" -- and there were quite a few threads. If I recall correctly, people said continuing to take prenatals seemed to help reduce shedding, but not eliminate it.

I kept my hair short for a long time, cut it to my normal pixie cut just before my fourth was born, and then decided to grow it long. I started my pregnancy with my fifth when #4 was about 18 months, and my hair seemed to grow a mile a minute. It was wonderful. Now I'm shedding crazy amounts and I'm sure I won't see any growth for quite a while.

[white line]

I've had 3 pregnancies and only shed with the first. Something I did notice with the first is that in the last trimester, I stopped shedding all together. Then after the baby was born I started shedding like crazy. With the last 2, everything was normal with no additional shedding after.

[Katze]

I had a very healthy and event-free pregnancy and a very difficult birth (C section after 1.5 days home labor, infected incision...). When Baby Kitty was about 2 months old, i started losing my hair in HANDFULS, over a thousand hairs a day. I kept taking my prenatal vitamins and Omega oils, I eat pretty healthily, so as far as I could tell it was totally out of my control.

The shedding stopped when Kitty was about 6 months old, and I coincidentally started taking Biotin at around that time. Now I have incredibly thick new growth from about 1/2 inches to 4 inches all over my head - a HUGE PITA to deal with!

I don't really think there is anything you can do. If you are going to shed, you are going to shed. I was really sad about it since DH and I got married at the same time and I was dumpy, easily tired, still had tenderness and numbness around the scar, and did not look at all beautiful for my wedding day.

But the hair is growing back. That is a given. :)

good luck to you with your pregnancy!

[FrannyG]

I was on pretty much the same supplements when I had my kids as most people use for their hair, and I still had the post-partum shed. I think taking supplements is a crap-shoot. It can't hurt, but no one can guarantee that it will prevent shedding.

Even those who feel that they've had success can't be certain of whether or not it was the supplements that controlled their shedding, or just the way their own body and hormonal system works.

[beachlover]

With my daughter I had no postpartum shedding but with my son my hair got really thick and grew super fast while I was pregnant. Unfortunately about a month after my son was born my hair began shedding uncontrollable. It would even clog up the shower drain. I noticed it especially around my hairline, it was awful. I went to the doctor and had my blood tested to make sure my thyroid was ok. All test results came back normal. Went to a dermatologist too and they could'nt do anything, just told me to wait it out. It finally stopped shedding after I stopped nursing. I did'nt lose all my hair, but it just got really thin. The good thing is that when it finally stopped shedding it went back to normal almost immediately. I took the pre-natal vitamins and did'nt really notice a difference, could have been just my system. I wonder if the doctor would give you the ok to take Biotin, that may help!! I understand your concern, it was very traumatic for me but all turned out ok in the end!!! Best of luck to you and congrats on your pregnancy!!!!!