As if pregnancy and childbirth weren't already bad enough, now all my hair is falling out. Thanks, hormones.

I am not one of those people who talks rapturously about the "beauty of pregnancy" or "the miracle of childbirth."  Honestly, I found the whole thing pretty unpleasant.  I mean, anything that keeps you from drinking for nine months CAN NOT be good, right?  Plus, almost five months later, my c-section star still itches like crazy.  Totally. Not. Beautiful.

Oh, and I threw up every day for nine months (times 2), and my feet and ankles were roughly the size of a baby elephant's, and I got real fat, and I walked with a limp, and I had terrible acne.  Yeah, I was glowing, huh?

When I was pregnant with zj, I was too busy Googling potential infant diseases, illnesses, and complications adjusting to impending motherhood that I wasn't much of a joiner, but when I found out I was pregnant with cj, I decided to sign up for one of those Mommy-to-Be websites that keeps you updated on the growth and status of your baby-to-be, and to keep you updated on what you are going through as well.

It's kind of creepy and stalker-ish.

It always knew EXACTLY what was going on with me, as soon as it happened.

Sometimes before.

An email would be sitting in my in-box, with a link to whatever was happening in my life THAT VERY MINUTE.

I was pleased that these emails kept arriving even after cj was born.  I was able to use this information to self-diagnose blood clots after my c-section.  (Don't worry, alcohol is a blood thinner.  I just stayed drunk and busted those pesky little suckers right up.)

So anyway, a month or so ago, I noticed that my hair seemed to be falling out.  Being from a hairy family, I didn't pay much attention at first, but it just kept coming out at an alarming, Sinead O'Connor-making rate.

Sure enough, as I was logging into my computer to check for wig stores, I get another stalker e-mail with a link to this page.  Apparently, many women experience this phenomenon after giving birth, and the following advice is offered:

"After you give birth, your estrogen levels take a tumble and a lot more hair follicles enter the resting stage. Soon you'll have more hair coming out in the shower or on the brush. This unusual shedding will taper off and your hair will be back to its pre-pregnancy thickness about six to 12 months after you give birth.

By the way, not all women notice dramatic changes in their hair during pregnancy or the postpartum period. Among those who do, it tends to be more obvious among women with longer hair.


Many moms, tired of scooping hair out of shower drains or sweeping strands off the bathroom floor, find that now is a good time to go for a short cut. Plus, a short, wash-and-go hairstyle can be easier to take care of when you have a new baby in the house and you're strapped for time."


Great advice, stalker e-mail people.


I think I will.