How to Care for Bitty Baby Hair

Always support your baby's head when you wash her hair.

Babies need to be bathed two to three times a week during their first year. The reason for the scarcity of the bathing routine is to protect little skin and hair from unnecessarily drying out. Smaller infants that have a small amount of hair, or very fine hair, may need extra hair attention. While it may seem that little to no hair may not need as much cleaning, it is important to clean the hair and scalp whenever the baby takes a bath. Additionally, knowing the right way to take care of the hair on a daily basis allows the hair to grow thick and strong.

Things You'll Need

• Baby bath
• Towel
• Washcloth
• Sponge
• Baby shampoo
• Soft bristle brush
• Moisturizing lotion

Instructions

Washing Hair

1. Prepare an area for washing. You will need to have your supplies accessible when washing your baby's hair. Line your items on the sink or bathtub for easy access.

2. Lay the baby into a baby bath. Wrap her in a towel if you are giving a sponge bath so she does not become chilled when washing. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends giving sponge baths until the baby's umbilical cord falls off.

3. Wet a washcloth or sponge with warm water and wipe over the baby's head. Be careful not to drip water into her eyes.

4. Squeeze a dime-size amount of baby shampoo onto the washcloth. Rub the washcloth together to create a lather. Massage the washcloth over your baby's hair carefully.

5. Rinse the soap from the washcloth or grab a new cloth to use. Wipe the clean, wet cloth over the baby's hair to remove the shampoo. If the baby has a lot of hair, you will need to squeeze clean water over the head and use your opposite hand to wipe away the soap.

Daily Hair Care

1. Comb hair with a soft bristle brush. The softer the bristle, the less likely it will be to pull on the hair. Newborns with minimal hair may not need a daily brushing.

2. Apply a moisturizing lotion to your baby's head if her scalp is dry or begins to flake. Large, scaly flakes may be the beginning of cradle cap, which is common in infants. Speak with your pediatrician if you think your baby has cradle cap.

3. Skip headbands and hats if your baby has thick hair. Using accessories may be too harsh on a bitty baby and pull the hair out.

Tips & Warnings

• Always use a tear-free baby shampoo.

References

• Healthy Children: Bathing Your Newborn
• Consumer Product Safety Commission: Water Safety Tips
• Baby Center: Newborn Body Care

Resources

• Baby Center: Cradle Cap