Cradle Cap OR....Baby Toupee

If your baby comes out pretty much bald, you can be sure that they will experience the dry, flakiness known as 'cradle cap.' No Head-N-Shoulders for this situation. We were taught in our child birthing class that for cradle cap, just softly scrub the top of the head with a wet sponge/cloth to scrub away the dry skin. The way the nurse demonstrated it to us was by holding the plastic baby in a football hold and scrubbing the head softly over the sink. How does this situation not resemble real life? The plastic baby isn't squirming or crying or fidgeting due to 1) the water, 2) the cloth, 3) being held in the football hold. But I digress...

My boys both came out with barely any hair but enough to let you know that one had blonde hair and one had light brown hair. After the first week, cradle cap became apparent and I did my best, for their first sponge bath, to softly scrub the top of their heads with a cloth while they rested on the changing table. Because they were on the changing table, the cloth I was using wasn't very wet - so needless to say, nothing much happened with the flakiness. It wasn't until we gave the boys their first bath did the washing of the cradle cap resemble washing off dead skin. What they DON'T tell you about 'treating' cradle cap is that the little hair that does exist on top of their head comes off along with the skin.

I discovered this while sitting with one of the boys - and while feeding him, I started peeling away some of the skin on top of his head, because it was BEGGING to be peeled (even though they say not to). I couldn't help myself - ask my sister...we are addicted to peeling things like skin off a sun burn. Anyways - while I was peeling off some of the skin, I noticed that little pieces of hair were coming off with it. THAT scared me. So naturally, I kept peeling. And more little hairs came off. I couldn't believe it. Was what they were born with nothing more than a temporary toupee?

By their second bath, I was determined to scrub off the cradle cap so I didn't have the urge to peel anymore. After their second bath, one child was bald on top - he looked like a mini version of Dr. Phil without the 'stache. It was too funny, yet sad all at the same time...here is my newborn, with nice, newborn hair all along the sides and back of his head but NADA on top - he really looked like a little, old man. The blonde baby's cradle cap was a little harder to get off. In fact, he still has flaky peels on top of his head despite the multiple baths he has had. But I no longer have the urge to peel his skin because their 'real' hair has started to grow in.

So be aware of cradle cap - TRY to resist the urge to peel - as it could lead to scabbing...thankfully, I wasn't ALL OVER the baby's cradle cap to cause scabbing. Their hair will eventually grow in - you'll start to see like a shadow of something on top of their head....and when you look closely, you'll see little hairs sprouting up like new grass...babies are amazing!