The whole way through pregnancy, your hair is extraordinary. Thick, glossy, basically a Pantene advert. Nobody warns you that it's all on borrowed time.

Then, somewhere around three months postpartum, it starts. And it doesn't just politely thin. It comes out in handfuls. On your pillow. In your hairbrush. And most memorably  blocking the shower drain until your husband pulls out something that looks like a small animal. Mortifying doesn't quite cover it.

"The whole way through pregnancy I had the healthiest head of hair, and then it all came crashing down. And I did what every mum does. I got a bob. Why did nobody stop me? I am now Lord Farquaad in all my early postpartum photos." - Elsie, Senior Brand Manager & first time mum 

Consider this your official warning. Step away from the scissors.

Why is my hair falling out?

Here's the science bit, kept brief because you are probably reading this one-handed at 2am.

During pregnancy, your oestrogen levels are sky-high. One of the side effects, a rather pleasant one - is that your hair stops shedding at its normal rate. You're essentially hoarding all the hair you would have lost over nine months. The result: thick, enviable pregnancy hair.

Then you give birth. Oestrogen drops. Your body gets the memo that it no longer needs to hold onto all that hair, and it lets go. All at once. In what dermatologists call telogen effluvium - which is a clinical way of saying: your hair is falling out and there is not a great deal you can do about it.

It typically starts around 3–4 months postpartum and can last anywhere from 6 to 12 months. For most people, hair returns to its pre-pregnancy density by their baby's first birthday. Not exactly a quick fix, but there is an end to it.

Is this actually normal?

Yes. Genuinely, completely normal. Up to 90% of new mothers experience some degree of postpartum hair loss. It is not a sign that something is wrong. It is not because you are stressed (though you probably are). It is just your body recalibrating after the most physically demanding thing it has ever done.

"It's just one more thing to add to the never-ending list. I don't feel like myself anyway, so this felt like another thing. I wasn't devastated. It was more like - of course. Of course this too." - Elsie, Senior Brand Manager & first time mum 

That feeling is real and valid. Postpartum is a relentless accumulation of things your body is doing without your permission. Hair loss is one of the less dramatic ones, but that doesn't mean it isn't annoying and worth a good cry over.

On the bob. A word.

Every new mum knows someone who got the post-baby haircut. The logic seems sound in the moment. If it's falling out anyway, may as well go shorter, right?

Wrong. Or at least: proceed with extreme caution.

Short hair doesn't shed less, it just makes the regrowth more visible. And postpartum regrowth is its own adventure. Wiry little baby hairs that spring up around your hairline, refusing to lie flat, creating what can only be described as a halo of chaos.

Unless you are Margot Robbie (and statistically, you are not), the bob will probably not behave the way you're imagining. Give it six months. Let the dust settle. Be kind to yourself along the way. 

What actually helps

 

"I want to say I've been so good with vitamins and serums, but I haven't. I barely have time to brush my teeth. I don't know how these mums are finding the time for all these lotions and potions." - Elsie, Senior Brand Manager & first time mum 

Which is the most honest thing anyone has said on this topic. Here is what the evidence actually supports - ranked by how realistic it is when you have a newborn:

Worth doing if you can

• Iron, biotin, and zinc deficiency can worsen hair loss - a basic postnatal vitamin that covers these is a good call. One tablet, once a day. Manageable.
  
• Be gentle when you can: loose styles, no tight ponytails, a wide-tooth comb instead of a brush.

Works, but requires time you don't have

• Scalp massage to stimulate circulation. Five minutes a day. In theory, lovely. In practice, you have approximately four minutes of free time and you are going to spend it staring at the wall.
  
• Topical minoxidil is clinically proven, but it's a commitment and not recommended while breastfeeding - worth discussing with your GP if loss is severe.

Probably not worth the money

• Most specialist shampoos and "hair growth" products targeted at postpartum women. The evidence is thin. The marketing is not.

When to actually worry

Postpartum hair loss is normal. But there are a few scenarios where it is worth flagging to your GP:

• Loss is still significant after 12 months postpartum
• You are losing hair in patches rather than generally all over
• You are experiencing other symptoms like extreme fatigue, feeling cold all the time, or brain fog (this can point to thyroid issues, which are more common postpartum than most people realise)

If something feels off, trust that instinct. A simple blood test can rule out most of the underlying causes.

The bit nobody says out loud

Postpartum hair loss is one of those things that exists in a long list of postpartum experiences that nobody quite prepares you for. The hair you grew during pregnancy was never really yours to keep. It was always going to leave. Knowing that doesn't make the shower drain any less horrifying, but it might make you feel slightly less like your body is staging a revolt.

It is temporary. It will grow back. And in the meantime: be wary of the bob.

This article is for informational purposes only. If you are concerned about significant or prolonged hair loss, please speak to your GP.