I’ve always had a long thick head of hair, it’s been like that for as far back as I can remember. Apart from the very few times that I got fed up and chopped it to shoulder length. I soon regretted my decision as I just didn’t feel like myself without my long locks.

So when I noticed after having Daisy that I had a small bald patch I will admit I felt quite anxious. Despite being pregnant twice before this was the first time I had experienced anything like this. Thankfully it was a very minor patch and it grew back within a few months.

During my pregnancy with Jake, I was so busy with a toddler to look after I didn’t really notice anything different with my hair. Life got even busier once he arrived and it wasn’t until I saw a photo of myself 3 months later that I was shocked at how much hair I had missing. I don’t have a fringe as such, and I wear my hair pulled back into a ponytail most days which made it even more noticeable.

I began to feel very self-conscious about it. Chris assured me that it wasn’t that noticeable but to me, it was like I had a huge flashing light pointing towards it. I also started to worry in case it never grew back.

I did some research and got some advice from fellow mums which helped to put my mind at ease. Thankfully around six months later my bald patch had disappeared completely.

Here are some things I learned about post-pregnancy hair loss and what you can do about it.

The Facts

• During pregnancy, those wonderful hormones interrupt the normal hair growth cycle.
• Higher levels of oestrogen freeze the normal daily hair loss cycle.
• Your hair appears thicker and glossier during pregnancy but once you have given birth the cycle restarts and oestrogen levels fall and all that lovely extra hair falls out.
• At around 3 months postpartum many women notice a dramatic hair loss.
• For most women, their usual hair growth cycle will return between 6 to 12 months of giving birth.

What you can do

• Be gentle, although you can’t prevent hair loss you can make sure you are not losing any excess. Condition your hair well and use a wide tooth comb to prevent tangles.
• Don’t pull your hair back into tight ponytails or up-do’s.
• Put off any chemical-based treatments like colouring or perming until the loss has stopped.
• Eat well and take supplements to support healthy hair growth.

For some women hair loss can be more extreme and long-term, there is help available from hair clinics such as Advanced Tricho Pigmentation Treatment. Of course, if you are worried about your hair loss for any reason I recommend talking to your GP.