Here’s what happened when I stopped shampooing my baby’s hair
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She wasn’t even a year old yet, so I had a hard time figuring out what was making my daughter’s hair shed so badly during bath time.

She had a stubborn patch in the back that I had to keep moisturized (coconut oil did the trick, and I used Cantu’s Care for KIDS curling cream to style it). I also made sure to condition and oil her hair after every wash, between washes and before bed.

It was bizarre.

So one day, I decided to cut down on the shampoo — and the difference was astonishing. There was no more shedding!

I reduced her shampooing down to once a month or so. I co-wash during bath time instead. I previously “washed” her hair every other bath, so I was shampooing often. In her 13 months, I had used the standard Johnson’s Head-to-Toe wash and the Shea Moisture Head-to-Toe wash to cleanse her hair.

But you know what, just like me, she didn’t need much shampoo. I also noticed how much better her hair retained moisture after I stopped the frequent shampooing.

Everyone’s hair story is different, even for our sweet babies. I found that shampooing too often strips my daughter’s hair of it’s moisture, as is the case with many naturals (I don’t shampoo but once a month or once every six weeks. It’s typically when I take out braids, etc).

Simple ponytail style

For co-washing, we use the Shea Moisture Carrot and  Mango conditioner. After rinsing, I apply a generous amount of coconut oil all over her head and follow up her stubborn baby spot with raw Shea butter. In the morning, I’ll spritz baby’s head with water and apply a dab more of oil. If I’m styling, I will use the Cantu cream. When I say style, I mean ponytails, I don’t know how to braid, and I don’t want too much friction on her little head anyway. I’ll spice it up with ponytails about once a week or every other week.

I know there’s SO many natural hair rules, but remember, they don’t apply to every head. Do what works best for your child’s hair. Follow and trust your instincts.

And most importantly, we are talking about babies. You don’t want to overmanipulate their hair at such an early age. Let it be free. Let it breath. Let it grow.

Let it be, if need be.