Is my hair actually growing, I can't tell?

Over a year ago I cut all of the relaXer out of my hair. I wear it in micro-braids. When i re do my hair I wash it and it shrinks up, then i re-braid it. I take prenatal vitamins and every time I braid my hair it doesn't take long before the new growth is visible but when i take it out it is in the same shrunken afro so I can't see the difference. I haven't straightened my hair in a while. If I do will I see a difference? I'm positive that it grows while I have the braids in, I'm just curious as to why I see no difference in length. And please I know all about a relaxer, so save the horror stories for another question.