Giving your baby their first hair cut can be very intimidating, just as intimidating as giving them their first nail trim. Not to mention the potential risk of hurting your baby while cutting the hair. It is nerve-racking.
Having the appropriate preparation, tools, and mindset will help you safely perform your baby’s first haircut all by yourself. Please know that if you are not feeling ready, you can always go to a children’s hairdresser.
With some practice, cutting your baby’s hair can become a fun experience. It can become like a tradition you do with your child that will bring both of you closer.
You might be wondering when is the right time for your baby’s first haircut.
The first haircut is not something that you should rush. Most babies lose most of their baby hair in the first few months of their life. This is not uncommon and is due to the mix of post-birth hormones that will cause your baby to go bald. As I said, this is not something that should scare you, and it also means that cutting your baby’s hair in their first months of life is pointless. Sometimes you can wait till they turn 1 year or even older.
Exceptions apply to this rule, as sometimes the hair can get into the baby’s eyes, a haircut is sometimes required due to some medical conditions, and also some cultures cut the hair for religious reasons. Also, there are babies with curly hair, and things tend to get stuck in it, or it gets tangled; therefore, a haircut is required.
There some popular myths that trimming or shaving the hair will make it grow thicker and faster, but that is not true.
Below are the steps you need to take if you choose to cut your baby’s hair with scissors.
Table of Contents
1. Gather All the Supplies
If you want a successful baby haircut, you need to have everything prepared. You cannot allow yourself to forget something and go get it while you have an upset baby waiting for a haircut. You cannot expect the baby to wait patiently for you.
The supplies you are going to need are a towel, salon-style scissors, some cloth or a cape for covering, a comb, a spray bottle, a high chair or something similar, and a bag (if you want to save a lock of hair) and a toy or a video playing in the background to keep your baby’s attention.
Now that you have gathered all the essentials, you can start with the baby’s haircut.
2. Choose the Day When the Baby is Happy
A haircut is not something you can squeeze in before nap time or before lunch or dinner. You need to make sure your baby is changed, fed, rested, and ready to do something new. This way, you will eliminate the unwanted movements and crying caused by other things.
3. Act Like You Are Doing Something Fun
Babies tend to respond to your emotions. Therefore if you are happy, there are big chances that they will be satisfied as well. You can try something like explaining to your baby what is going on in a calm or cheerful manner, and you can even sing a song. You can also show the baby what tools you will be using. Of course, avoid giving them sharp scissors. Hand your baby some toy, and it will keep him busy for a while, and you can focus on the hair cutting.
4. Prepare Yourself for Your Baby’s Reactions
Babies usually are entertained by new experiences, like the sound of the scissors can be fun for them, or watching you do the hair cutting can also be fun.
Some babies can be terrified by this whole experience, no matter what you try to entertain them. So really have to be prepared for this thing to go either way. No matter which way it goes, the baby will move, and that is the main issue. Therefore you need to be extra careful.
5. Begin With, the Actual Haircutting
Firstly, you are going to need to lightly dampen the baby’s hair with the spray bottle. Then, with your comb, divide a small section of the hair and hold it between your fingers, away from the head. Use your hand as a buffer between the scissors and the baby’s head, and snip away. Put down the section you have cut and move on to the next hair section. Instead of making long and straight cuts, try slightly angled and small cuts. That way, it will be easier to blend.
Do not expect this whole experience to go as smoothly as it does for a professional hairdresser. Unlike you, they have training and years of experience. Try not to snip too much hair because the hair looks longer when it is wet. And remember, you can always cut more, but you cannot uncut what you have cut.
Cut over the baby’s head in a line from back to from or front to back so that you won’t miss any sections.
Use your hand as protection for the ear while you do the trimming around it. It cannot be perfectly cut, but you can try your best to trim a similar amount of hair on every section.
6. Save a Lock of Hair (If You Like)
Most parents want to save a lock of hair from their baby’s first cut for sentimental reasons. If you are one of those parents, get a small bag or an envelope to save a small piece of the trimmed hair. It would be best to do this with dry hair. You don’t want damp hair sitting around for ages. But if you don’t want to save a lock of hair then don’t. No pressure, do as you please.
All that being said, bear in mind that if there is no urgent reason to cut the baby’s hair, then do not worry about it. Wait till the baby turns 1 year old or more.
When you decide to cut your baby’s hair, you know you have two options, do it yourself or leave it to the professional hairdresser. Nowadays, some hairdressers are trained in children’s haircuts. Either way, you can make the whole experience fun if you prepare yourself and the baby in the right way.
You should also make sure your baby’s scalp and hair are healthy. You can ask your doctor for some advice about his matter. Usually, all it takes is to use a mild shampoo and light brushing.
