Followers

27 March 2013

I wish I had known

prior to getting pregnant that, a few months after having a baby, your hair falls out. 

And not just like a few strands.

Gobs and gobs of hair.

Apparently we don't lose hair while pregnant like we do while not with child, in my opinion so that, while the hormones are regulating after birth, our personal summer of hot flashes can be made oh so worse with hair plastered to our face. And then it all starts coming out. I didn't believe it could happen to me. And then it did.

Left-brain was suitably grossed-out. Apparently, explaining that it's hormones doesn't work as well for hair as it did when I was sitting in the camper 10 days post-partum, crying because the book I was reading was really sad (an experience I NEVER hope to duplicate, I was wailing, y'all). Or else they should have covered it in the discharge speech--he understands baby blues, not red hair all over everywhere.

And now, all that hair is growing out, and looking horrible. I haven't had a haircut in 17 months--I didn't feel like explaining to the hairdresser that I couldn't get my hair dyed because the doctor said not to, and why have a pretty cut if it's half grey? But I have bangs at the side of my hairline--not in the middle, that's growing and flowing, my legit bangs are past my chin. I look awful. I have plans though--this is not staying this way, no, m'ams and messieurs.

I am going to pull out my sewing machine tomorrow. I ran up to Joann's to get sewing thread for it. Someone Small came with me--it was her first experience sitting in the shopping chart without being in her carseat. I put aside my germ fears, strapped her in, and we proceeded around the store. I often wonder how things look from her perspective and how she thinks about things--she looked at everything so hard, even the cashier.  She just stared at her, occasionally sucking on her pacifier like a little Maggie Simpson-girl. LOL.  I told the girl, "She's usually not like this." So my plan is to take it out, run the needle through an old onesie of hers that is too disreputable to wear anymore to get the oil off and try some finishing. This may be a slow process--bear with me.

5 comments:

VegasJilly said...

I just had my baby girl in January and I'm sooo waiting for the hair to fall out. I feel like if I anticipate it happening I won't be so shocked when it does, and super happy if it doesn't. Lol

Annie said...

Sorry to hear about this hair problem. What a pain for a new Mom to deal with.

I think I may have misunderstood here. Are you planning to make a wig, hat or scarf with your sewing machine? Or was that last paragraph a totally different subject?

Siobhán said...

Rachel, have you had your thyroid levels checked? I ask because the same thing happened to me after I had my twins. I went from having very thick hair to using Rogaine for women. Seriously. Between that, heavy menstrual cycles, lethargy, carpal tunnel syndrome, inability to lose weight, etc., the doctor ordered blood work to check my thyroid. I now take a pill each morning for my thyroid and while my hair didn't go back to being super thick, at least it's not still falling out in copious amounts. I just thought I'd mention it. It's a very common thing for the thyroid to go out of whack with a pregnancy but doctors don't always check it.

Astrids dragon said...

Oh yes, the hair loss. No one told me about that either. But, it didn't seem to last long and now my problem is the gray!

LoriU said...

I remember losing hair after giving birth, but really yours should be slowing down now that its been 9 months or so. I would have some bloodwork done just to check things out.

And I have to ask, why in the world did the doctor say not to color your hair?

I do my thing and you do yours. I am not in this world to live up to your expectations, and you are not in this world to live up to mine. You are you and I am I, and if by chance we find each other, then it is beautiful. If not, it can’t be helped--Frederick Perls