How to wash baby hair without getting water in ears: How To Wash Baby Hair Without Getting Water In Ears?

How To Wash Baby Hair Without Getting Water In Ears?

Some ways to keep water from entering your baby’s ears while bathing or washing his hair are proper bathing position, covering his ears using your fingers, or using bathing caps, cotton balls, earplugs, or other bathing accessories, and gently pour water in the head. Using a washcloth is also recommended to dry the remaining water in the ear canals.

Water entering your baby’s ears can go 2 ways. It can be a harmless thing or worrisome as bacteria (like swimmer’s ear) can easily build up and cause infections.

The eardrum separates your baby’s ear canal and middle ear, so unless the eardrum is not intact, water cannot enter his middle ear while you’re bathing him.

Water going in your little one’s ears isn’t harmful. However, the fluid buildup inside their ears can be very uncomfortable (especially for babies) – so it’s safer to avoid getting water inside their ears.

Why are ear infections more common among newborns, infants, and toddlers (from 3 months to 3 years) than adults?

It’s because these infections often accompany the common cold, which our little ones get quite often compared to us. Studies proved that children are highly susceptible to middle ear infections due to several reasons, namely:

• Differences in length and size of the Eustachian Tube – Infants and younger children have more horizontal, narrower, less rigid, and shorter tubes, making it more difficult for fluid or secretions to drain out of the ear, unlike adult’s tube.
• Increased susceptibility to infection in general – Children’s immune system is underdeveloped and is less equipped to fight off infections.
• Increased exposure to infection including exposure to cigarette smoke.
• Use of a pacifier – This can increase the incidence of ear infections in children by 33% as published by firstcryparenting. Obviously, pacifiers soothe babies but uncorrected improper use can cause ear infections.

If you have a fragile newborn or a “terrible two” toddler or a hyperactive preschooler who now loves to swim any body of water, then you must be troubled by water (I know dirty water worries you more) entering your child’s ears – by any means.

You may want to know things about this, especially the hacks of preventing your worries from happening, then you may find this article helpful.

Baby bathing 101 – everything you need to know

Articles published about baby bathing basics, dos and don’ts, and tips are everywhere, and these articles indeed help, but as a review, let me tell you briefly of these must-know facts about handling your tiny-slippery-delicate baby or your uncooperative toddler while bathing.

Things you need to prepare for bathing

Rule of thumb – keep everything you need within your reach and give your undivided attention to your baby. Note that the list below varies from parent to parent. This is what I have and, if you like, for your reference.

1. Baby bathtub

This comes with a sling or bath net for support or a bath seat if your baby can already support his upper body. Personally, I ditched these in our first few days, and instead, I placed old towels on a table, thick and comfortable enough for my son. This is where I would do his quick few baths there.

The bathtub set was used when I managed to confidently bath my son, still with the help of my husband or anyone in the house, though.

It’s always safe to have someone hold your baby than bathing him alone. If you have someone with you, then ask for support – you’ll appreciate this act.

2. Baby body wash and shampoo

Use tear-free products for as long as possible. Since day 1, I have used Cetaphil baby body wash & shampoo (2-in-1) or Baby Dove head-to-toe wash, whichever is available. Basic to remember is how natural your product is.

Toxic-free (organic) is best for your baby’s delicate skin.

3. Bath sponge or washcloth

Use this to clean 1 area thoroughly at a time. I also used this when washing my son’s head and face, a good way to limit water into his eyes and ears.

4. Bath towel

Choose a towel that’s soft and smooth to the touch and can protect your baby’s skin. Best if it’s hooded for extra warmth to your baby’s head. Take note, don’t let your baby get too cold.

5. Baby lotion

This is optional for moisturizing purposes. However, I have another purpose for this. I actually use to date Human Nature’s skin shield lotion – this keeps pesky mosquitoes away for about 2-4 hours, then you can reapply if you want.

Resist using adult lotion for your baby; this will affect his sensitive skin for sure.

6. Diaper rash cream or ointment

Just in case you need to use some. I used Rashfree with zinc oxide before dressing my son. Whether a diaper rash is there or not, I applied the cream on his diaper region – buttocks and genitals.

At the back of my mind, the cream will protect my baby’s skin when his diaper is soiled unnoticed and unchanged.

True enough, I did not have more diaper rash issues except in the first few days when I had a poor diapering situation (I mean, I failed to realize that the disposable diaper’s outer cover was inside, deliberately causing my son’s skin irritations. I can’t forget how he cried out of pain because of that – don’t let this happened to you too).

7. Diaper and clothing

Of course, you don’t want to be opening your baby closet for clean clothes or diapers while your baby is waiting to get clothed. Or use your changing table complete with the things you need, if you’re using one.

8. Cotton balls

As needed

When and where to bathe your baby

You can bathe your baby at any time of the day but avoid bathing when he’s hungry or after a feed. Instead, choose the time when you both are calm and have no interruptions from your surroundings.

It doesn’t have to be a bathroom. You can do it in any room or area that is warm, safe, clean, and have a calm environment.

Safety tips when bathing your baby

Always keep in mind – your baby’s safety is your priority. Here are some safety tips to remember:

• Gather all needed things before giving a bath.
• Slip-proof the entire bathing area.
• Never, ever leave your baby even for the shortest time, even for just a second.
• Keep the water level shallow. Drowning is a leading cause of accidental death among 1-4 years old kids.
• Turn off your telephone or set it to an answering machine, focus on your baby.
• Test the water temperature before using it. If you have no bath thermometer, use your elbow instead of your hand.
• Keep the room warm to prevent your baby from chilling. Close windows if you must.
• Support your baby at all times, keep a firm hold on him – the soapy body is slippery.

Steps in washing your baby’s hair

When washing your baby’s hair, it’s important to make sure he’s comfortable, safe, and his hair is actually cleaned. As published in wikihow.com, here’s how to wash your baby’s hair.

• Prepare your baby for washing.
• If you’re tap and tailing or sponge bathing, then you don’t need to unclothe him.
• Position yourself and decide which position to use when washing his hair.
• Gently pour lukewarm water over your baby’s hair. Keep doing until his hair is wet.
• Take a small amount of baby wash or shampoo, be careful not to get this in your baby’s eyes. Remember, even tear-free products can still cause eye irritation.
• Gently lather up your baby’s head and hair. Gently massage and clean his scalp.
• Rinse off the shampoo by gently pouring water or using a washcloth into his head and hair.
• Dry him up using the towel you prepared.
• Apply creams or lotion, if you must. This is very optional.
• Then he is ready to be clothed.

4 ways to keep water from entering your baby’s ears

When washing your baby’s hair, you can do the following life hacks and take care not to let any water get to your baby’s ears and eyes.

1. Know the appropriate bathing position

• Holding your baby in the football position will make it easier to wash his hair.
• You can bend the head backward or try to angle your baby’s head slightly back so that the water will flow away from his eyes and ears.

2. Use bathing accessories as support

• Use a bathing chair (if it’s already safe for your baby) – this is so convenient than using a tub without a bath seat or sling or net for smaller babies.
• Securely positioned newborn bath cushion – good support plus your 1 hand also supporting your baby is a good thing.
• Use earplugs or cotton balls to cover his ears.
• Use a bathing cap (if your baby is cooperative and okay with it, you’re so lucky) – besides making bathing easier and a lot of fun, this secures your baby’s eyes and ears from the stubborn soapy liquid gaining access into these holes.

3. Cover your baby’s ears using your fingers

• Using your thumb and ring finger, try to press your baby’s ear to cover his ears and prevent water from entering. If you can’t do this and you have someone assisting the bath, let this someone do the covering of your baby’s ears – you’ll have free hands then obviously making baby bath easier and safer.

4. Water use, pour it slowly but surely

• Gently pour water over your baby’s head/hair. Control your water enough to avoid water entering the ears or eyes.
• You can extend using washcloth even to his hair, by doing so, you’re not directly pouring water into his hair thus decreasing the chance of water entering his ears.

Getting water out of ears: Dos and Don’ts

If, by chance, water indeed enters your baby’s ears, don’t let it cause the worse – ear infections.

You have to get it out, but doing it wrong will help increase the chances of ear irritations or infections. Here’s a list of dos and don’ts per webmd.com for your awareness.

Dos

• Dry only the outer ear with a soft cloth.
• Don’t stick the cloth into the canal.
• Tilt the head to the affected side, this will help to drain the water. Gently pull the earlobe to straighten the ear canal hence help the water flow.
• This may not be common but you can turn your blow dryer set on the lowest and blow it toward the ear – importantly, hold it at least a foot away.
• Do try over-the-counter drying ear drops.
• If you like, you can make drying drops at home by mixing 1 part white vinegar and 1 part rubbing alcohol. Then pour 1 teaspoon of the solution into the affected ear, tilt the head to help it drain out.

Don’ts

• Don’t use cotton swabs – this can push the earwax and dirt in the ear canal near the middle ear or remove earwax that protects the ears or irritate the thin skin of the ear canal.
• Don’t stick your finger or fingernails into the ears. Again, this can irritate or scratch the delicate skin of the ear canal.
• Don’t use hydrogen peroxide or drying drops if your child has ear tubes or a ruptured eardrum.

Alternatives to baby baths

1. Top and tail bath

Get used to a “top and tail” bath first if you’re hesitant to do the actual baby bathing. It’s a good way to familiarized the bathing process and somehow make you at ease and confident in the next baths.

A “top and tail” is when you use cotton balls, warm water, and a washcloth in cleaning your little one. Topping and tailing means you can concentrate on the areas where cleaning is needed. In addition, it’s ensuring your baby is clean and dry without putting him in an actual bath.

2. Sponge bath

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says to give your baby a sponge bath until his umbilical cord stump falls off. A sponge bath is wise when your baby isn’t ready for the actual bath and a great option when you’re not ready and confident yet to bathe your child.

The significant differences between the regular bath and sponge bath are as follows:

• Your baby lies on a towel like what I did in my son’s first few baths.
• You wash and rinse one area of his body at a time.

3. Swaddle-tub bath

Swaddle your baby in a blanket and put him in the tub. You let the blanket get wet, and then you uncover and clean and cover again, one body part at a time.

This helps your baby to feel contained, as well as keeping him warm while cleaning.

Effects of water inside the ears

It can generally be okay but can also get frustrating as your baby may feel clogged, uncomfortable, and irritated. It can also progress to ear pain and infection if left unmanaged.

A swimmer’s ear, for instance, is a common ear infection to both adults and young children.

How to manage a swimmer’s ear?

A simple tip to remember is never sticks anything into your baby’s ears.If you think your baby has an ear infection, don’t plan on just trying to shake it off by yourself. Instead, see a doctor to get a treatment plan against the infection and ease your baby’s ear pain.

Try to be guided by the following recommendations:

• Use the prescribed medications such as eardrops and pain relievers for as long as the doctor says. That’s usually 7 days or as needed for the analgesics.
• Complete the treatment plan, don’t stop as soon as you see improvements.
• Keep your baby’s ears dry. You can try the mentioned options above on how you can prevent water from entering your baby’s ears.
• You may need a different approach to get rid of the infection if you don’t see improvements in your baby’s ear infection. Do a follow-up check-up.

Signs of an ear infection

I know you don’t want any of this for your baby, but it’s a good thing to know the signs of ear infections for you to act on it asap.

• Itching in the ear canal
• Redness inside the ear
• Discomfort or pain in the ear
• A clear, odorless fluid that drains from the ear
• Loss of balance
• Your child may display the following instead of saying his in pain
  • Tug or pull his ear while crying
  • He’s irritable and shows difficulty sleeping
  • Fever, especially in younger children
  • Difficulty hearing or responding to auditory cues
• Signs requiring immediate medical attention
  • High fever
  • Server pain
  • Pus-like discharge
  • Bloody discharge

9 things moms commonly mess up with when it comes to cleaning your baby

1.

Bathing your baby every day

Know that it’s unnecessary to wash your baby’s hair daily. Your baby’s hair is generally clean, so it’s okay to wash his hair around 2 times a week.

Popular Hollywood couple Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis even caused a stir by saying they didn’t fully bathe their kids every day – that if dirt is visible, then go clean it. Otherwise, there’s no point in bathing your child.

The AAP says bathing a baby too often doesn’t only dry out the baby’s skin but also strips the skin of necessary bacteria that fight off infections. However, if your baby has a cradle cap, he may need more baths to wash off the flakes.

2. Failing to ask for an assistance

I know there are times when you want to be a 100% hands-on mom, and cleaning your baby is 1 of the baby-must-dos you want to do alone with your bundle of joy.

Take note, however, that bathing a baby (especially a newborn) is a nerve-wracking thing, and unless you’re an experienced mom or you have no one to call for support, it’s best to ask for someone’s assistance.

Again, the bottom line is your child’s safety, and by having others support – you’re decreasing bathing-related risks on your baby. Appreciate your in-laws, your partner, your caretaker, and others’ presence, therefore.

3. Constantly changing baby wash or shampoo

Most moms think they need to try other brands to finally get what is best or “hiyang” – a Tagalog term for compatible or suited or simply best for your baby without realizing that a trial and error approach is not a good idea for babies.

If you’re using a product and your baby is not showing something bad about it, then stick to this product – it’s not just best for your baby. It will also save you time and money.

4. Keep forgetting some needed materials

To make it even worse, the materials or supplies you need are out of your reach. It’s a golden rule to always keep needed things in place and within your reach before you even start bathing or cleaning your child – maximize your changing table.

5. Failed to dry up the baby skin folds

After bath time, dry your baby, warm him up, and prevent him from getting cold. Dress him properly and do it quickly as you can.

But I must admit, I’m guilty of this failure – you too may find rash or redness or irritations on your baby skin folds without realizing it’s very much possible. The culprit is failing to dry his skin folds after bath.

So don’t forget to dry your baby’s skin creases, including armpits, groin, under the chin, around the neck, and behind the ears.

6. Bathing too long

You can enjoy the moment of bathing with your baby. Keep in mind the room and water temperature and avoid making the bath too long; about 5-10 minutes is enough.

You’ll need to keep him warm (avoid hypothermia), and he has sensitive skin, remember?

7. Failing to keep the bathing area warm and slip-proof

Don’t take for granted the open windows. It won’t help in keeping your bathing area as warm as possible. Also, don’t be overconfident. Slip-proof your bathing area despite not seeing any danger at all. It’s always wise to perceive hazards, after all.

Be mindful of the faucet if you are bathing in the bathroom. It’s super easy for your child to play with it and eventually bump his body or head to this hard object.

8. Using bigger bathtub and filling it with too full

Because of excitement, moms failed to realized that bathtub use is not safety-wise for newborns – this is exactly 1 of my reasons (besides being unprepared and not confident) why I opted to tap & tail and sponge bath my son few days from his birth.

Remember 1 of the safety tips I mentioned above – keep the water level shallow to counter drowning risks.

9. Bathing the baby on running water and failing to test the water

Most of the time, water from the source suddenly changes the temperature, so it’s never safe to keep running water while bathing your baby is on-going. Also, you won’t know when accidents happen, so it’s better to be careful.

Not a personal experience, but my brother-in-law prepared water for bathing his daughter per his wife’s instructions. He was going to mix hot water in the absence of a water heater in the house – out of focus, he gave the basin of water to his wife and leave.

Later, his wife called him as the water he provided was freezing. So two things, 1) it’s good that his wife checks and 2) it’s good that it’s cold water this time, not scalding. The same mistake, though, was failing to test the water.

FAQs

I see skin patches on my baby’s head. Is it something bad?

A flaky, red, or yellow greasy patches of skin on your baby’s scalp, eyebrows, and behind his ears is called a cradle cap. This is common and not a big issue – this doesn’t bother your baby and can easily be managed and treated. Here’s what you can do.

– To loosen the dry skin, massage your baby’s scalp with baby oil before the bath.
– Use a soft brush or a washcloth to release the flakes.
– Use organic or gentle baby shampoo in washing his hair.
– If persistent and doesn’t heal on its own, seek professional management and prescription.

How do I clean my baby’s ears?

It’s important to keep your baby’s ears clean. But it’s never safe to use cotton swabs or to stick anything inside your baby’s ear.

If you notice earwax inside the ear, you don’t need to remove it – earwax is there for a purpose unless it’s impacted. In addition, the earwax will usually make its way out of his ears naturally.

You can clean the outer ear and the skin around it while you bathe your baby. All you’ll need is a washcloth or cotton ball and some warm water.

Steps of cleaning your baby’s ears:

– Wet the washcloth or cotton ball with warm water.
– Ring out the washcloth well if using.
– Gently wipe behind baby’s ears and around the outside of each ear.
– Then you’re done.

I’m afraid to wash my baby’s soft spot (fontanel)

Be afraid not when dealing with your baby’s fontanel. It’s okay to touch and clean it just as you do to another part of his body. Just remember not to rub the fontanel too vigorously or not to use your fingernails when cleaning it. Just be extra careful, this part is delicate per se.

Conclusion

The key to making bath time safe and fun for you and your baby is being present, prepared, and attentive.

For example, when washing your baby’s hair, don’t worry too much about water entering his ears – most of the time, you can’t really avoid it. Instead, be patient and learn the hacks of controlling water entry to your baby’s ears – you will master the process in no time.

Generally, babies get used to baths by around 3 months, and whichever way you clean or bath your baby, consider washing your baby’s hair last. Experts said babies lose heat through their heads quickly – minimize therefore the time you spend washing his hair to keep him warm.

Finally, remember to shampoo your baby’s hair not more than 2-3 times a week. Again, daily shampooing can lead to uncomfortably dry skin and further help increase skin infections.

Don’t stress out. The difficulty in the first days is part of the motherhood journey. Learn from each experience – don’t hesitate to ask for help. I hope this helps—all the best and happy bathing.

How to Wash a Baby or Toddler’s Hair without Getting Water in their Eyes — Prada Planet

November 15, 2022

November 15, 2022/

Kristie Prada

Washing your brand new baby’s hair is one of the first challenges you will face as a new parent, and being able to keep water out of baby’s eyes is a great skill to master in order to keep your little one as comfortable as possible during the bathing process!

Credit: Unsplash

The first thing to accept, is that no matter how hard you try, sometimes a little water might end up in baby’s eyes, and that it’s not the end of the world. The easiest way to combat this if it happens is to simply make sure you have a clean, dry, cotton cloth to hand – you can then dab away any water from baby’s face and the eye area quickly before it has a chance to cause any irritation. 

You can also buy soft plastic jugs which mold to your baby’s head and stop any water running down into their face.

When it comes to actually washing your baby’s scalp and hair, there are a few different ways you can proceed, but it’s a good idea to remember that for newborn babies, it’s best to give their newborn hair a gentle brush before any water is introduced. When you are ready to get the hair wet, make sure you only have a couple of inches of water, and consider using the kitchen sink for the entire process. Have a warm towel ready for baby straight after the hair wash, this is a good way of ensuring they won’t get cold.

Credit: Unsplash

Usually, lukewarm water is all that you need to wash baby’s skin and hair, but if you want to use a product, make sure it’s as natural as possible so it will be gentle on baby’s skin. Products such as baby shampoo, baby body wash, baby hair wash, and baby bath are usually specially formulated to be used on very young babies, but always check the label. Avoid regular bubble bath and shampoo as these may contain harsher chemicals. 

There are different methods to try when you need to wash baby’s hair, but many new parents find that the easiest way is to use the sponge method. Run a bath of a few inches, and check the water temperature at the beginning of the bath, before you put baby in, to make sure the water isn’t too hot. 

Add baby into the bath, making sure they are fully supported, and soak a soft sponge or wash cloth in the water. Squeeze out excess moisture from the wet washcloth, and then carefully run it over baby’s head, making sure not to get too close to baby’s eyes and being careful around the soft spots on the head. This method of hair washing is effective on newborn babies and is the best way to ensure no water gets into the eyes. This method can also be used effectively with toddler hair if your toddler hates hair washing time or has a sensory processing disorder or sensory sensitivity.

As theyt get bigger and can sit up on their own, their are little bath seats you can buy which hold the baby up while keeping them warm inside the water.

Credit: Unsplash

While using the sponge method, it is fairly easy to make sure that baby’s ears and the rest of baby’s sensitive skin is clean by using the same sponge. As this method uses just a little water, and a lot less water than other different strategies, it’s easier to direct the water which will help to avoid eye irritation and ear infections.

Always check behind the ears as often they get a little crusty here from spilt milk and dribble!

Another great way of washing baby’s hair is to simply use a small cup or a rinse cup in the bath. Fill the cup with warm water and carefully rinse over baby’s head. This is another easy method of washing your toddler’s hair as it’s quick and easy. Try introducing bath toys to make sure your toddler has a really good time during the hair washing process, and to ensure they don’t associate having their hair washed with having a bad experience. Generally keeping them warm is the key to a good experience.

11 tips on how to wash a little child’s hair without hysteria and tears

Children can be afraid of completely different things: going into dark rooms, staying in a room alone, washing their hair. It is not always possible to explain the importance of hygiene procedures to a child. Our blogger, psychologist and mother of many children Alyona Tanina shared the secrets of how to wash a child’s hair if he is afraid.

One child sees the bathroom as just another place to play, while another sees it as a torture room. I faced this problem with my third child. Until the age of five, Syoma did not agree to wash his hair.

“So big and afraid of water?” – the only thing that dad and grandma could help. I tried not to shame or tease him, but we did not achieve much success. Moreover, in a normal mood, he agreed that washing his hair was not such a problem. But as soon as I washed his head, the siren turned on and I couldn’t explain anything, and I couldn’t reason with him.

We put a towel on our forehead to keep water from flowing into our ears, bought a special visor, tried to wash our hair in different positions, at different times and in different moods – nothing helped. In the end, it just outgrew and we exhaled.

And here the same problem occurs with the youngest. But Lyubava didn’t just scream, she waved her arms, kicked and promised to leave the house, since everyone here hates her! Then I realized that without the help of the Internet I could not do. As a result, we learned to wash our hair with less loss of nerves. It was long and painful, but now I have several methods that have worked.

1. Let the child think he is in control

When there is a sense of control, there is less fear. Even we adults, when we are afraid of something, try to control it. When the brain tries to control something, it is only concerned with that. Accordingly, there is less fear and less strength to resist.

2. Choose the temperature of the water very carefully

Give your child a choice by pouring water on his arm. You will be surprised how differently children feel the temperature. The temperature of the water, which I considered frankly cold, turned out to be hot for Syoma and Lyubava.

3. Buy a special hat

Play with it, let the child learn that this is his protective helmet, a magic hat or whatever comes into your head in the game. Try dressing up dolls, a big bear, or a robot. Fantasize. But do not add stress to the bathroom with a new incomprehensible object. It should be the protector of the child.

4. Sometimes children are afraid of the shower head itself. The child may feel in even greater danger or simply experience discomfort from them. For example, Syoma took a shower very well, but Lyubava still does not like it when I try to wash her in the shower – only a bath! Try pouring water from a ladle, play with it too.

5. Do not deceive your child that you are just buying and you will not wash your hair

You know that it is necessary to wash your hair, no matter how difficult it may be. For a child, this is additional stress. Not only is he scared of washing his hair, you also added the pain of betrayal from the closest person – mom.

6. Look for a comfortable position for the child’s head when washing

It happens that a child does not tolerate when his head is washed with his head tilted forward, but absolutely calmly washes his head when it is thrown back. For me it was a revelation!

Perhaps looking down, the child feels a closed space between the face and the bottom of the tub. When the head is thrown back, he sees more space and the way you look at him, do everything calmly and confidently, cheer him up. Or maybe the other way around – just try to change the position of the head.

7. Try to wash your hair before it’s time to get out of the bath

Try to wet your baby’s head while bathing and slowly, in play, apply a little foamy shampoo. Then some part of the foam will be washed off even while swimming and the most disgusting moment – water on the head – will be at a minimum. Shampoo use a little! If at this time soap or foam gets into the eyes, panic may begin and there is a risk that the child will also begin to refuse to bathe.

8. Bathe the baby alone with a helper

The helper can be a husband, an older child or a grandmother. For example, we wash the head of Lyubava and Olya. Olya entertains, I wash.

9. Give the child a towel or put it so that it is always ready

Let the child know that this towel will save him. If water gets into the face and the child is ready to cry again, remind him or give him a towel. Anxiety will decrease, because there is one more point of control – you can wipe or cover your face with a towel at any time. Yes, this towel will be instantly wet. Yes, you risk not washing your head. Therefore, approach the choice of shampoo as carefully as possible. In your situation, it is not the money you spend that is more important, but the emotional health of the child. By the way, in the store, Lyubava chooses shampoo on her own. We have several of them at home, which of them we will wash our hair today, she also chooses.

10. Give yourself and him a promise that the washing will stop as soon as he wants it

Today the head is half washed, tomorrow a third, but after a while the anxiety will go away and the process of washing the head will become calm. Let’s talk about quality shampoo!

11. Stop thinking that the child needs frequent washing of the head

The sebaceous glands of the child are not yet developed enough to make the skin very oily. In fact, we ourselves set the rules for when and how often this should be done. I do not urge to run the child and never bathe him. Just take a closer look – suddenly it’s really enough for him to wash his hair once a week. Not when your mother-in-law seizes you, that the child is not bathed, not when you decide that it’s time. And when it’s really needed.

It won’t be like this forever. Everything changes. Soon you won’t even remember the day the baby stopped kicking and yelling in the bathroom. And please understand: if your child does not like to wash his hair, then no perfectly shiny, powdered hair is worth the nerves that you and he spend on it!

You are in the “Blogs” section. The opinion of the author may not coincide with the position of the editors.

Photo: Shutterstock (LightField Studios)

How to wash your child’s hair (even if he hates to do it)

Many children love to bathe and splash in the water, but some water activities simply cannot be tolerated. This is especially true for hair washing. Children may find washing their hair unpleasant or even scary due to the fact that foam and water sometimes get into their eyes. As a result, parents have to spend a lot of time with their children in the bath, persuading the child to still let him wash his hair. And this is not the worst. Children can scream and cry when they are washed, which frightens their parents. Here are some tips to help calm your baby and wash their hair.

Talk to your child

Ask why he doesn’t like washing his hair so much. The problem can be resolved already at this stage, if the child thinks and understands that there is no serious reason. If he does answer (even if it is not a detailed answer, but a simple “I don’t want” or “It’s disgusting”), ask the second question: what should you do to make the child come to terms with washing his hair. The answer may turn out to be simple (for example, a child needs shampoo with a different scent), and completely unexpected, which an adult simply cannot think of.

Pick the right time

Parents sometimes wash their children’s hair too often when they don’t need to. Only if you don’t give your child a chic styling every day with a bunch of foams and gels (you don’t, right?). It is enough for small children to wash their hair once a week.

If the child does not mind taking a bath at all, but it is unpleasant for him to wash his hair, then wash your hair first, and only then bathe. It is easier for a child to survive washing his hair if he knows that a fun bath with his favorite toys awaits him ahead.

Use glasses and other accessories

Children often do not harm at all: they are really afraid and unpleasant to wash their hair. Water gets into the eyes and ears, for example. To solve these problems, various accessories have been invented. There are swimming goggles (they are basically the same as swimming goggles) and earplugs. Of course, you need to buy glasses and earplugs with your child so that he can choose a color.

The tools at hand will also help. Put some Vaseline on your child’s forehead to keep water from getting into their eyes.

Use toys

If your child doesn’t like the idea of ​​washing their hair, they can practice doing it on others. Before you wash your child’s hair, first wash the toys with him. He will understand that water procedures are not so terrible, but absolutely everyone needs them, even toys.

Choose the right shampoo and use it correctly

Yes, find the right shampoo that doesn’t sting your eyes. But there are other requirements as well. It should be of the right consistency (baby shampoos are thinner than most adult shampoos) and free from strong fragrances. Although a little fragrance in the shampoo will do the trick. Maybe the child will put up with washing his head for the aroma of strawberries or apples in his hair.

Many children also find it unpleasant to have shampoo dripped directly onto their head. So pour it on your hands first, lather, and wash your hair with this foam.

Place a mirror in front of your child

Surprisingly, many children like to look in the mirror while their hair is being washed. This helps to distract, and also allows you to see how this shampooing looks like, and understand that there is nothing wrong with it. Check which way the child usually faces when sitting in the bathroom, and hang a mirror on the wall there or use a small mirror on a stand.