Post natal horrors. Please help!!?
My baby boy is now 31/2 months and yesterday I looked in the mirror and for the first time I noticed my hairline is receding. I already look so awful after this second pregnancy and none of this happened with the first. Granted I was unable to take prenatal vitamins because it never stayed down but had I known about this hair loss horror I might have kept forcing them down everytime they came up. My hair thinned a lot with the first pregnancy three years prior but OMG this time I am balding at the front. What can I do to stop this??? My belly still looks awfully fat and jiggly to the point where sucking it in is hopeless and I am too exhausted even to exercise everyday because I am up at stupid hours all the time consumed with baby, preschooler, husband, house work and housewife duties (paying bills, grocery, dropping off and picking up monster toddler at school with baby in tow all the time). I have tyres all around my midsection and I feel so embarrassed by the way I look that I have become dowdy, dressing down in t-shirts to cover my flabby, overlapping belly in my jeans. My self esteem is waning and I feel so depressed (NOT POST NATAL DEPRESSION I might add). I used to be so fit and so skinny that at one time I considered taking weight gain suppliments. I was an avid hiker, gym enthusiast, swimmer, scuba diver and adventurer and at that time I was a carreer oriented woman. I have since given it up to be a full time mommy and wife which equals overwork and underpay. I used to be able to shake off things that could get me down but this weight gain has got me down down down. I know someone is going to tell me to go to councelling but really can anyone suggest anything else before this? My birthday recently passed making me 38 and I went all out, dressed up and looked (I thought) great!! Then I saw the pictures and felt so awful at how fat I looked but marvelled at how pretty I managed to look….especially my hair. It’s not just vanity working here either but I have always been happy with my looks. Now I’m tired though happy with my wonderful husband, toddler and my bundle but my 3 year old is telling me I am a fat mommy. Well now I am a fat, BALDING mommy and that does NOT feel good. I eat right, do the most exhausting work at home that makes me sweat more than the gym and drink plenty water. Whatelse can I do to stop this hair loss and lose this damned weight so I can feel normal again?
Tagged with: Help • horrors. • Natal • please • Post
Filed under: Prenatal Depression Help
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could be early menopause….
I’d suggest having a full medical checkup to workout if there is any underlying cause for your hair receding like thyroid issues for example. If you have been feeling this way for some time and is effecting your enjoyment of life and your family then seriously consider depression as being an issue. the best thing to do is ask for help as ‘coping’ only ends up making things worse. It sounds like some time out is definately in order to destress. Can you arrange some time to do things you like to do regularly, catch up with girlfriends, have a massage, window shopping, swimming, see a movie, read short stories, take a class etc. (my things are rowing, galleries and the occasional massage). organise alternate ‘me-time’ alone with your partner, and also shcedule fortnightly couple time, swap childcare with a mothers group, have family or friends babysit or hire someone. It can be challenging accepting the physical changes and loss of the independent career women we once were. Funnily enough my now teenage son likes my stretch marks because they are the reminder of when he was in my tummy and makes it comfortable to rest his head on when we watch a movie…go figure! I think it’s good to remember that this time will pass, I also do volunteer work which helps to remind me of how organised and competent I can be despite children! It’s not ok for your child to be calling you fat, are they picking up on your negative body image or conversations? Even though my weight is far from ideal I hope by exercising regularly and being active in the community I am setting a good example for my 3 year old girl. Take care.
Check out this book. It is helpful for anxiety, depression and more. It is much like what my counsellors discussed when I did have PPD, and can help you find some peace if you try some of the techniques.
I’m now on baby #3, not anywhere near where I wanted to be in life, but making the best of it, and this book is always on my nightstand, I look at it whenever I need a little boost.
I also found flylady.com helpful. I needed some direction getting used to being at home and keeping every thing done. All of it is done in baby steps and really has helped me get back on track. Silly little things but they bubble over into all areas of my life. I don’t think I have felt this good in YEARS.
Stress can cause hair loss, my hair line seemed to disappear, then when it started growing back I had this row of like /2 inch hair along my hairline. It looked so retarded…LOL….I got a new hair style with a trusted stylist that hid it as much as possible and it did come back.
When you start feeling better this will stop too.
Chin up, you will get through it. And even if you feel yucky, you did it for a good reason…your kids…