ONE of the biggest shocks I ever had after giving birth to my daughter Elsie was the day I realised my hair was falling out.

I can’t remember exactly how long it was after Elsie’s arrival when this first happened but I seem to recall it being a good few months into new motherhood and that it lasted for quite a while too.

There are many things people don’t tell you about recovering from having a baby for some strange reason, but the possibility / probability of losing your locks is right up there with the worst of them.

I honestly never knew there was such a thing as post partum hair loss. I was utterly clueless. No one had ever told me that this could happen. Not my mum or sister or any health professional.

So when one morning when I was washing my hair and suddenly noticed that the plughole of our bath was filled with long, dark hairs that looked suspiciously like mine, I was devastated.

And I panicked.

“What is wrong with me?!” I thought, as I frantically got on my phone and Googled away. Thankfully it took me mere minutes to realise – thanks to the Internet – that losing your hair post partum is completely normal and in most cases to be expected and thank goodness for that.

Because whilst it didn’t make it any less upsetting, it did at least, make me feel a little bit better about the whole thing.

I lost quite a bit of hair around the front of my hairline and temples after having Elsie but now three or so years on, it’s all back. And even at its worst, it was – thankfully for me – still manageable.

Will I experience it for the second time soon after having this baby? Who knows? Time will tell.

But as I prepare to welcome baby number two in the world, post partum recovery is naturally weighing on my mind again. The difference being that thankfully, this time around, I know what to expect so am better prepared.

If you too are worried about hair loss after having a baby, here are a few things I am bearing in mind which will hopefully help:

Don’t worry about it

Easier said than done I know, but the awful thing with hair loss is that the more you worry, the more hair you lose. So even though it can be really upsetting, traumatic even, it’s better where possible to face the possibility that it may happen and when it does, to remain calm and deal with it as stoically as you can.

Take your vitamins

I don’t know why I didn’t do this after having Elsie, but this time around I’m going to keep on taking a good quality daily vitamin after birth for the foreseeable future. It takes a while for your body to recover after having a baby (some say at least 12 months!) so looking after your health is a must. (And not just for your hair)

Work with what you’ve got

If post partum hair loss happens, be gentle with your hair and work with what you’ve got. Invest in some decent volumising products, comb and brush your hair very delicately and don’t be afraid of styling it! You’ll feel a million times better about your hair, if you work with it and make the most of what you have.

Get a new haircut

Not for everyone this, but if your hair is shedding fast and making you feel lacklustre, speak to your hairdresser and go for the chop. It’s amazing how a complete hair restyle can help to make you feel a million dollars.

Realise it won’t last forever

I know it seems like it at the time and I know it horrible it can be, but it’s important to remind yourself that this will not last forever and one day your barnet will go back to normal.

Seek professional help

If your hair loss seems to be worse than you would expect, please do seek out professional advice. Go to your GP to see what help is available or alternatively do seek out help from hair experts. Hopefully you won’t need to go that far down the line, but it’s always good to know that help is available if and when you should ever need it.