African Naturalistas: Baby Hair care

When you are a first time mum the first few weeks you have help - ofcourse there are exceptions - and your baby is not totally your responsibility to take care of and in those few weeks you have to either be armed with information or experience will trump what you have no clue about.

I was told that there was a need to put eucalyptus oil into my baby's coconut oil as it will prevent him from having cold. I didn't object but it had it's consequences. After a while, I noticed that there were sores on his head and I started panicking. It was just the eucalyptus oil that was the strange thing that we were putting on his head. I contacted the internet and our own Trichologist and the first point of call was to stop putting the oil mixture on his head.

I started using shea butter on the sores and making sure that it was always moisturised. After a couple of days it started having white patches and I got worried that it was spreading but apparently it was healing and by this time it was looking like cradle cap on some part of his head.

Just put enough olive oil on the head and used a fine tooth comb to comb it out and doing that like 2-3 times all the white patch left his head and I couldn't be happier.

One lesson I learnt; If you are not comfortable with something, speak up.

What mistakes did you make with your baby's natural hair?

Hello Naturalistas,

How are you all doing, Kinks and all? Earlier this year I gave birth to a baby and as a new Mum in our culture you have an elderly person come take care of you and the baby in the first few weeks, and in most cases. it is either your mother or your husband's mother. With an elderly person living with you in the first few weeks comes with different myths that have been passed from generation to generation. The internet became my very close friend and don't worry by the time you are done you would be tagged "Internet-Mum" it is okay because at the end of it all, you will let the myths end with you.

Here are 3 newborn hair myths and how you should respond to them;

1. Baby's head is breathing: I have heard of this even before having a baby and I believed it. On the top of the head babies have a soft spot called "Fontanelles" and it's present to enable the bony plates of the skull to flex so the child's head can pass through the birth canal [source] They tell you it is breathing because the soft spot pulsate and because it's "breathing" you either have to wear a cap for the baby and you need to put drops of eucalyptus oil in the baby oil to prevent cold.

Response: Explain that the soft spot is just for the baby's head to pass through the birth canal and you should only be worried when it appears sunken because that means the baby is dehydrated. Please, do not allow anyone put essential oil in the oil that comes in contact with your baby's skin. Eucalyptus oil is good and recommended by doctors if a child has cold. It is recommended to put around your baby's bed and not on the child's head. I had to learn this one the hard way.

2. Baby has a bald patch because of sleeping position; You will hear that your baby's bald patch because he/she is sleeping face up (which is the recommended position for babies) While this can cause hair loss if the hair is not properly taken care of but it is not the reason. My baby stopped sleeping on his back at about 2 weeks and still has the bald patch at the back of his head.

My Baby's head

Response: Here is the science behind your baby's bald patch on our Trichology Corner. So, don't worry and let the hair grow.

3. You need to cut your baby's hair for it to grow well: This is absolutely not true. You don't have to cut your baby's hair for it to grow. Read the article above to understand the cycle of growth.

Response: Except you absolutely want to cut it for personal reasons there is no need for you to cut your baby's hair. The factors that contribute to your baby's hair thriving is the same as yours. Proper nutrition and proper hair care.

What newborn baby hair myths have you heard?