How to Wash Your Baby’s Hair

As your little one comes into the world, you have many questions about how to raise him properly. Most new moms wonder about the right time to bath their baby. They are even concerned about how to wash newborn baby hair in a manner that is safe and does not trouble the baby? Well, here are a few tips to keep in mind and a few points to observe while doing so.

How Often Should you Wash Baby’s Hair?

Similar to giving a bath to your baby, washing his hair should not adhere to any specific routine. Washing it too frequently can remove the necessary oils that the scalp needs to remain healthy. At times, simply using a sponge dipped in water to clean it up should suffice. If the weather is icky or you have travelled around quite a bit with your child, then washing the hair might be a good idea.

Tips to Wash Baby’s Hair

One of the major things mothers worry about is how to wash baby’s hair without letting water to enter his eyes. For that, here’s how you can give your baby a bath and wash his hair in the right manner.

• Firstly, ensure that the bathroom is clean and comfortable. The temperature should be warm and everything that you need should be next to you. At no point should you leave the baby by himself.
• Once he is little wet and good, take some shampoo on your palm and apply it on his head, making sure it reaches the scalp. If your kid starts to push your hand around, give him his favourite bath toy or start singing a song along and make it seem like a friendly activity.
• To prevent the water from entering the eyes, a simple way is to let gravity do the job. Use your arms to slightly lean your baby back so that water will drip from the back and won’t reach his face.
• Be gentle while you wash his hair as the scalp is quite soft at this point. Using a simple sponge can do the trick. Wet his hair first, then run a soapy sponge gently on his head in a rhythm that goes with the song you are humming. It will clean his hair and scalp and will keep your little one smiling as well.
• There would be soft spots on the top of the head and care needs to be taken to not press on them too hard.
• Do not keep the baby wet for too long. Once it has been cleaned, quickly rinse and then dry using a towel. This will avoid him from catching a cold as well as the sound.

What about Babies with Fussy Hair?

Washing a baby’s hair can be a difficult business. However, sometimes the hair has its own mind and comes with a whole new challenge making washing even more difficult.

1. Sparse Hair

• Washing your child’s hair when there is barely any could make you worry about him. However, it is totally fine since many kids have good hair growth at a later stage in life.
• For such kids, washing their hair once a week is more than enough. Less hair does not mean that you need not wash it. The scalp requires attention and should be kept clean.
• At the same time, the oil that’s secreted on the scalp is necessary for its healthy well-being. Therefore, washing it frequently is a strict no-no.

2. Thick Tangled Hair

• If you are happy that your child has thick hair, then don’t be too happy, as it can be a problem if his hair keeps getting entangled with each other.
• For babies with curly hair, washing also entails the use of a hair conditioner that can prevent his hair from getting tangled up.
• In such cases, use of a shampoo is not necessary for every single wash. Water followed by some conditioner is good enough to do the job. Applying a little more conditioner that stays in the hair, ensures that his hair stays soft.
• While using a conditioner that is sprayed, make sure it reaches the ends and especially at the areas where knotting is higher.

What If the Baby Hates Washing Hair?

This usually happens if they have had a scary incident associated with bathing. Or if the shampoo has entered their eyes and cause a burning sensation. Making the entire process exciting and fun-filled by distracting him is the only way to subside the tension.

What Products Should you use to Wash Baby’s Hair?

Make use of a shampoo that is baby friendly and helps with moisturizing the scalp too. Never use a shampoo meant for adults. Opt for a shampoo that has a pH value ranging from 4.5 to 6.

Tips to Make the Process of Washing Baby Hair Tolerating

Many babies don’t like it when someone washes their hair. Yes, babies are extremely fussy, but that does not mean you should listen to his cries all the times. His well-being should be your major concern. So, if your baby cries while you try to wash his hair, there are a few tips you can try that will make the entire process of washing your baby’s hair easier:

• Keep the bath short and quick.
• Go for a no-tears shampoo that smells good.
• If pouring of water scares your child, use a sponge to clean the hair.
• Do not make the baby lean without support.
• Gently massage the head when you wash. This could calm the child at times.

FAQs

1. When Should I Start Using Shampoo for Baby Hair Wash?

Newborn babies do not require shampoos for washing their hair. Introduce shampoos only after your baby is around 2 months old or so.

2. What if my Baby is Bald?

Hormones or hereditary conditions can cause your baby to be bald. Nevertheless, the scalp still needs to be cared for. Wash it once a week with less water since there’s no hair to hold the water. Make sure his eyes are protected at all times.

Bathing a newborn baby becomes an activity that gets challenging over time. When washing a newborn baby’s hair for the first time, it is necessary to note that shampoos should not be used up until 6-8 weeks after the baby’s delivery. A clean scalp and healthy hair are not difficult to attain and you, too, will learn to adjust to your baby’s tendencies.