Newborns are perfect.
Their skin is not.
If you have a brand new babe, then you know all about the flaky, bumpy, dry skin situation that is pretty much the story of every babe 0-3 months old. The thing that causes most mamas to lose sleep? Cradle cap.
If you're reading this because you have a babe with the dreaded flaky scalp, or you have a little one on the way and you're trying to prep yourself, then just know that cradle cap is anything from a flaky scalp (think baby dandruff) to a yellowish, scaly, crusty skin rash on babe's head. In the majority of cases, cradle cap doesn't bother your babe at all, but like everything else that has to do with babe, you are probably going to be worried about it. That's just the life of a mama.
So the real thing everyone wants to know is how to get rid of it so you can move on with your life. There are a couple different things that mamas have tried, and not everything is going to work for every babe. But here's a few things to try to get rid of the flakes and scales.
First off, you want to make sure that you're not overdoing it with products that contain fragrances and additives that can dry out the scalp even more. I've found that natural is the way to go with most of baby's ailments, and are generally going to be cheaper, so yeah, I'm a fan.
When my son was born, he had a pretty mild case of cradle cap, but because he had a head full of dark hair, I could not live with the fact that he had flakes. Nope. Had to intervene. I had no choice.
Our method was pretty simple: coconut oil and a soft toothbrush. We used a handful of the oil, rubbed it on his hair, and used the toothbrush in gentle, circular motions. I left the oil in his hair to help hydrate/moisturize the scalp, but you can always rinse it off or use a washcloth to remove it. We did this a total of two times over a couple of days and that cleared it up!
If you feel like your babe needs something a little more moisturizing or creamy than the coconut oil, you can always go for a fragrance-free, naturally hydrating product like the Tubby Todd All Over Ointment. Like everything else Tubby Todd, you're going to get the all-natural and effective ingredients they're known for. This ointment is an all around awesome product, and can help you out with anything from cradle cap to irritated skin. It's very rich and creamy. With plant-based extracts like jojoba and honeysuckle, your babe's scalp will be moisturized and nourished. If you want to go product-free, you can always invest in a hair brush with soft, fine bristles and make sure to give babe a good groom every day to get out most of the loose flakes. You can also use a washcloth in the tub and just massage babe's scalp in circular motions and rinse with water. Do your best not to scratch or pick though, because that can actually cause more hurt than good! Overall cradle cap will clear up anywhere from a couple weeks to a few months after birth (treated or not).