Baby Hair Care

Braiding is good for your baby's hair as long as the braids are not too tight. Braiding the hair too tight pulls on the scalp and can cause headaches, unnecessary tension and severe hair loss, even at a young age. It also can have a negative impact on the hair, pulling it out of the scalp by the roots causing thinness around the edges and hairline and then traumatic baldness. You can always tell if someone has worn braids too tight or for a long period of time without taking a break as the person's hairline starts to recede and the braids will start further and further back off the face presenting a balding look from the front. You may want to wait until she is at the stage where she does not play with her hair and will not bother the bands. When my children were babies and I used to put them to bed, as a safety precaution I would remove their barrettes and bands because they often had wandering curious hands.

As for your baby, it's okay to section the hair off and start to pinch up the hair in those sections and braid them if long enough. You can put the small hair bands around the pinched up braids, but be very careful. If your child is at the stage where she likes to pull on things, she may pull one of these off, put it in her mouth, and choke on it. When I'm out and about with our children, I always look out for other children who belong to transracial families. One of the things I do next may surprise you: I look to see if the child's skin is well taken care of and if the hair is done right. You might be wondering what I'm talking about. Let me expound on it some more. There are parents who know how to take care of their children's hair, my wife and I are an example of that. Nevertheless, there are many who do not. As a result, their child's hair becomes a hot mess, and believe it or not, this may wreak havoc on their self-image. Our goal is not to criticize but to educate the many who do not take the trouble to learn more about their child's hair care.

If your baby's hair is too short to braid right now, simply use a small amount of mild cream moisturizer on the hair to keep it moisturized. Wash the hair as often as you bathe the baby to avoid conditions such as cradle cap where there is a buildup of scales and dandruff due to not washing often. If you are following this regimen, soon you will see the hair take off to new heights. If you continually lay the baby on the one side every time she goes down for a nap, that side of the hair will never get a chance to grow and the baby's hair will be rubbed out creating a bald spot. This not only happens to black babies, but I have seen this happen to babies of other races too. Not only do you need to hydrate the hair on the outside, but you can also do this from the inside. When the body is well hydrated, not only do the internal organs benefit, but your child's skin, nails and hair benefit tremendously, and you are paving the way for successful hair growth for your baby and older children.