Washing Your Baby's Hair
Washing your baby's hair can be, for babies and parents alike, a hair raising experience. Many babies don't like the feel of water going over their face and into their eyes. Luckily, there are ways to minimise getting water in your baby's eyes, and as your baby gets used to the feel of having their hair washed, she will probably end up loving bathtime!
Can I Use Shampoo?
Using a shampoo specially designed for babies ensures the shampoo won't sting your baby's eyes and is milder on baby's soft scalp. Look out for a shampoo with a ph balance of 4.5-6, as shampoos with a higher ph balance than this will make your baby's hair more prone to troublesome tangles.
When to Wash Baby's Hair
Don't overwash your baby's hair, as this can result in a dry scalp and irritate cradle cap. Newborn babies only need their hair washed once a week, and for older babies, don't wash it more than once every two days. Only wash your baby's hair when it needs to be done.
How To Wash
To minimise getting water in your baby's eyes, wash her hair by holding your baby so her head is in the crook of your elbow. Using your other hand, gently scoop water over her head, and massage shampoo into her scalp. Make sure you wash all the shampoo off, by scooping more water over her hair, as shampoo residue can aggravate cradle cap. If your baby doesn't have much hair, instead of putting shampoo directly onto the scalp, wash it with bath water that has had some baby cleanser added to it.
It can be tricky holding a baby with one arm, as they are slippery when wet, so if you feel you might not be able to support her properly, only do bathtime when someone can help you. Alternatively you could use a bath support, to keep your hands free for washing her hair. Before you put water over your baby's hair, do a countdown of 'one, two, three', before saying 'here we go', or any other phrase you choose to use! She will start to be able to anticipate when the water will go on her hair and learn to close her eyes. Make sure you are consistent though, use the same words every time you wash her hair so she knows what's going to happen. You could also try using a shampoo shield, which fits on your baby's head like a hat, and has a wide brim to stop water and shampoo running into delicate eyes.
If your baby hates having her hair washed, sing a song to soothe and distract her, and for older babies give them a toy to hold, or ask them where certain objects around the room are. Even if you start to dread hair wash day, stick with it. Be as gentle as you can and minimise water going over your baby's face, and your baby is sure to get used to it and accept it as part of their fun bath time ritual!
