How to Prevent Cradle Cap In Babies

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Learning how to prevent cradle cap early on will help you avoid a whole host of problems.

When you bring baby home from the hospital it is one of the most amazing yet overwhelming experiences for a new mother.

You have this wonderful bundle of joy who has now come along to change your whole life.

There is so much learn from one another, it’s so exciting but yet so scary at the same time.

Baby has so many changes that they are about to go through in such a short space of time, therefore as a mother, there is a lot to learn.

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One of the many changes a baby goes through is having cradle cap.

Learning how to prevent cradle cap from the start will mean that you avoid more severe complications down the line.

I remember back when I had my first child, no one told me about cradle cap so I wasn’t expecting it.

One day I began to notice a crusting on my son’s scalp and I had no idea what it was.

I didn’t know how to handle it and thought it would clear up on its own, but it didn’t.

I started picking at it whenever I saw it but it would always come back.

I wasn’t sure how to treat it or prevent cradle cap from happening so I would just leave it alone as my efforts to clear it up were failing.

When I did leave it alone it got a whole lot worse and thicker, and more attached to his scalp.

I found that the crusting would become very noticeable to the eye and catch peoples attention although they would never say anything.

Needless to say the situation with my son’s scalp was a hot mess and soon enough his hair was coming out in clumps.

It was horrific!

What is cradle cap?

Cradle cap is sometimes referred to as seborrheic dermatitis. It sounds way worse than what it actually is!

Cradle cap looks like dry yellow crusting and it is usually formed on the scalp.

It can also appear on other areas of the body too such as the forehead and bum.

Cradle cap is just your baby’s body trying to adjust to life outside of the womb.

It soon finds its balance and everything calms down.

Is cradle cap serious?

No not at all, most babies get it at some point but if left untreated it could get a lot worse than what it needs to.

Cradle cap is not contagious so you don’t need to worry about your other children or anyone else in your household catching it.

In my personal experience with cradle cap, it seems to come on in bursts.

You may see it quite intensively for a couple of weeks then it will seem as though you’ve gotten rid of it only to find it has come back again.

If you are genuinely worried about your child’s cradle cap or not sure if it is indeed cradle cap then please consult a doctor.

5 ways to prevent cradle cap from getting worse

1. Wash your baby’s hair

It’s a good idea to wash your baby’s hair everyday especially when they are experiencing a lot of cradle cap.

Washing your baby’s hair will ensure that the hair is kept fresh, clean, and free from build-up.

If your baby does have cradle cap in more than just their hair then feel free to give them a head to toe bath.

I wouldn’t advise that you wash your baby more than once a day though as too much washing could lead to drying out your baby’s skin.

A newborn’s skin is very delicate at this stage so you want to interfere with it as little as possible.

There is no particular shampoo or bath soap that I would personally recommend for washing but if I was looking for something gentle then I would probably use the Aveeno Baby Wash and Shampoo.

2. Use an oil such as coconut or olive oil

These oils will do wonders for your baby’s hair. You don’t need to use both just one will suffice as they are both as good as each other.

Apply a small amount into your hands or use a spray bottle and gently massage into baby’s hair. Leave it to sit for a few minutes and it will help to loosen the crust on baby’s scalp.

This works particularly well after you have just given your baby a bath. Coconut oil can also be used for cooking, so having it around will always be a good thing.

3. Use a soft brush

A soft brush is a game changer for dislodging those annoying pieces of cradle cap.

Make sure it is a soft brush made for babies. You don’t want to use anything too hard on your baby’s head at such a young age especially whilst they have the soft spot.

You can pick up a soft bristle brush fairly cheaply from amazon here: Baby brush

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4. Be Patient With the Cradle Cap

Be patient it takes time for cradle cap to clear up completely. Cradle cap can last until your baby is almost 2 years of age so you have to play the long game with his one and be patient with it.