Five steps of washing your baby’s hair: A guide for new moms

If you are a new mother, washing the baby’s hair can be a scary experience. Will the baby slip out of my hand? Am I holding it too tightly? Will the water and soap get into my baby’s eyes, ears and nose? Even if the nurse has shown you how to do it, and even if you’ve done it when the nurse was there by your side, when you are home and left to do it on your own, many mothers are so intimidated that they end up asking someone else to do it.

But if you pass this opportunity to someone else, you’re missing out on a wonderful chance to massage your baby’s head. This will help stimulate blood circulation, and the baby will be looking directly into your eyes when it is blissfully massaged and pampered. If you want to experience that joy, Babi Mild has easy tips to share, helping you wash your baby’s hair in five simple steps.

What you need:

• Mild shampoo for babies (formulated for newborns)
• A towel
• A natural sponge
• A non-slip rubber mat or a bathing bed

Step 1: Use one hand to support your baby’s head and use your arm to keep its body close to you to prevent the baby from slipping. On the hand that is supporting your baby’s head, use the thumb and ring finger or baby finger to gently close the ears to prevent water from dripping in.

Step 2: Dip the sponge into water and gently squeeze the water on the baby’s hair, or you can use to soaked sponge to rub the hair gently. If you don’t have a sponge, you can use your free hand to scoop up water in a small amount. Use your wet hand of the damp sponge to rub the hair gently to prevent water from getting into the baby’s eyes and nose.

Step 3: Pour a little shampoo on your palm and rub gently until foamy. Apply the foam gently on the hair. During this step, you can use your fingertips to gently massage the head to stimulate blood flow. (For new mothers, a shampoo with a pump is more ideal because you can get the shampoo out of the bottle with only one hand, using the thumb to press the pump and the palm to hold the shampoo.)

Step 4: Rinse the hair using the same approach as step 2. Make sure you rinse out all the shampoo by checking that there is no foam or slippery patches on the hair, especially at the back of the head. Be careful not to let water get into the baby’s eyes and ears.

Step 5: Use a soft towel to gently dry the hair. You can place the baby on the rubber mat or on another towel. Towel gently until the hair is dry. Check the baby’s ears to see if they are wet, and use cotton buds to clean them.

Tips

• For a newborn, you can wash its hair with just water in the first few months. After that, use baby shampoo. If you want to use shampoo on a newborn, make sure it is a newborn formula.
• Do not use a fan to dry your baby’s hair and don’t leave the damp hair to dry naturally because it can cause a cold or pneumonia.
• You are the best judge of the right position. Some prefer standing with a tub on the table. Some prefer sitting down with a tub on the floor. Find your comfortable position so you feel relaxed during the wash.
• The right water temperature is 32-36 degrees Celsius. It is advised to have a thermometer to check the temperature. In summer, room temperature water is fine. Do not use cold water because the baby will find it hard to adjust to the coolness. In winter, the water should not be warmer than 40 degrees Celsius.