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Whether your baby is born with a mane of thick hair or completely bald, there's something so amazing about his tiny little head and the sweet smell of his scalp. You may find yourself inhaling the smell of your baby, stroking his soft scalp, and marveling at his tiny scrunched-up face.

Yet a newborn's scalp is a strange place: he will probably have a soft fontanel at the top of his head -- a place where the skull bones have not completely fused together -- and another towards the back of his skull.

His scalp, made to be pliable in order to pass through the birth canal, may be misshapen in the first few days after birth (especially if forceps were...

Whether your baby is born with a mane of thick hair or completely bald, there's something so amazing about his tiny little head and the sweet smell of his scalp. You may find yourself inhaling the smell of your baby, stroking his soft scalp, and marveling at his tiny scrunched-up face.

Yet a newborn's scalp is a strange place: he will probably have a soft fontanel at the top of his head -- a place where the skull bones have not completely fused together -- and another towards the back of his skull.

His scalp, made to be pliable in order to pass through the birth canal, may be misshapen in the first few days after birth (especially if forceps were used during labor), and you should expect scurf and cradle cap in the coming weeks.

How to Take Care of a Baby's Scalp

Use a soft washcloth to wash a baby's scalp (and face) with warm water when needed. You can also use mild soap or baby shampoo, but parenting experts like Dr. Benjamin Spock and Penelope Leach recommend using soap only once or twice a week since the detergents in soap can dry out a baby's sensitive skin.

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Nov 25, 2008 at 5:52:23 PM

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