Postpartum + Hair Care Routine

Dealing with postpartum hair loss is inevitable for most of us. During pregnancy, we’re excited to have the most beautiful & thick hair. Then, the baby comes and POOF– the hair drops out by the clumps. What’s even more shocking, the hair doesn’t seem to stop coming out. I’d love to share my hair care routine + 5 best tips to minimize the trauma that can accompany hair loss.

The good news is No, you’re not going bald! It’s completely normal and most importantly, it’s temporary! During pregnancy, the increase of estrogen causes our hair to not shed as it normally would. The hair that would normally fall out now stays put and the result is thicker locks. A few months after the baby comes, the estrogen drops and so does all that extra hair. This is completely normal! After all of my pregnancies, the hair loss started at exactly 3 months postpartum and lasted for a solid 3 months. For some women, hair loss can come much later or even not at all (lucky ducks!). With my last baby, I stopped breastfeeding her at 18 months postpartum, and I had a TON of sudden hair breakage. It was shocking….and still is when I let myself think about it! So, right now my hair care routine is aimed at moisturizing my damaged & dry hair from this crazy hormonal shift.

Postpartum Hair Care Routine

• MINIMIZE WASHINGS. I shampoo and condition my hair no more than 2x/week. And ALWAYS use a conditioner after shampooing! I don’t minimize shampooing to help the hair not fall out, because it still will. I minimize shampooing to keep the hair as vibrant and healthy as possible. It’s become incredibly important to me to use good hair products without parabens, sulfates, or dyes. Before I had kids, it seemed like I could wash my hair with anything, do anything to it, and it would still look like it was in great condition. But now, 4 kids later, I’m realizing it’s more than worth it to invest in good products for my hair–especially since so many are really affordable. I’ve recently been using Hair Food’s Moisturizing shampoo & conditioner and it’s been fantastic so far. Natural ingredients are important to me when it comes to hair care. Hair Food also has purifying, nourishing, and smoothing lines. Definitely choose hair products that will help with your biggest need! Which would line would you choose?
• GET A NEW CUT. Visit your stylist since it may be time to get a new hairstyle. When the new face-framing hair grows back in, having shorter layers will help that funky transition. Also, layering hair all over can give more volume and fullness. I’ve also used cute hair accessories like wraps, bandanas, and hair clips to cover up thinning hair spots.
• CHANGE YOUR HAIRSTYLE. Flat, straight hair can make hair loss even more obvious. Instead of using a hot curling iron, I’ll use velcro rollers to give my hair a more full look without the damage from blow dryer and curling iron. Even swapping out hot tools with this once a week will make a big difference in keeping my hair nourished. Also, if you normally part your hair in the middle, a side part can disguise thinning hair surrounding the temples. If you have a side part, swap the part to the opposite side. I’ve done this to help my hair line not thin out. You can even add a few highlights to your face-framing hair to minimize the appearance of hair loss surrounding your temples.
• MOISTURIZE! It’s nearly impossible to repair split ends. But you can certainly nourish the appearance of damaged hair. Moisturizing hair from root to ends will help damaged hair not worsen. When I have a day at home, I’ll toss a hair mask in the microwave (homemade ones are great!) and drench my hair from root to tip. Then, I wrap up the hair into a small hair towel and leave in as long as possible. Most of the time, I’ll wear over night and wash it out the following morning.
• POP THAT MULTIVITAMIN. It’s true. Eating enough protein, iron, omegas, biotin, and other vitamins & minerals with help nourish your hair strands from the inside out! When your hair is strong on the inside it’ll be less likely to break. I definitely take my vitamins and supplements, especially a collagen protein since it has worked a miracle on my thin, peeling nails. I’m sure it has played a role in helping my postpartum hair recovery. Keep in mind, the postpartum hair loss does not mean you are deficient in your vitamins. It’s just hormones. But, taking my vitamins helps make sure my body is functioning at optimum levels to help deal with the hair loss.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Hair Food. The opinions and text are mine.