When should you start plaiting your girl's hair?

By Stella  Naigino

Immaculate Tukei’s baby girl always wailed endlessly when she was taken to a salon to have her hair braided with colourful accessories. And no matter how much she cried, her mother would not let the women stop because she wanted her daughter “to be pretty.”

“I started plaiting my baby’s hair when she was six months old because I admired my friend’s babies with braided hair,” notes Tukei.

After some time, Tukei’s daughter would not let her mom touch her hair, not even comb it. When she turned three, she asked her mum to cut off her hair.

Like Tukei, many mothers are fond of plaiting their daughter’s hair because they love to see how cute they look with all those brightly coloured accessories. The temptation is even greater for a little girl who has long hair from a very early age.

Is it wrong?

Dr. Sabrina Kitaka, a paediatrician, says baby’s hair can be plaited any time as long as it does not inconvenience the baby’s happiness. 

Sometimes, the hair is pulled too tight, causing pain to the baby and she could develop a headache. She adds that when a baby’s hair is pulled too tight, sleeping becomes a problem because whenever they lay down, their heads hurt. Besides that, it could lead to breakage of the hair.

Juliana Rukundo, a hairdresser at Kids’ Avenue Salon at Centenary Park, says it is better for a parent to plait their baby’s hair when she expresses interest.

“It’s for that reason that we only braid children of three years and above. We feel their skin is not as tender as that of a one-year-old, ” she notes. 

“A three-year-old can sit on her own and allow a hairdresser to attend to her compared to a two-year-old and less who will cry and needs to be carried in order for her hair to be worked on,” Rukundo reveals.

Alternate maintenance
If the baby has long hair and does not want it plaited, Joan Namuli, a hairdresser, advises that you cut it to a reasonable length. When it is short enough, it is easy for you to comb and manage.

But, Rukundo cautions, do not shave a baby’s head completely as this exposes her to too much sun or cold.

If you want to keep it long, find a way to do it at home, instead of at the salon.

Stock up on ribbons and Alice bands.

This can be achieved by giving her a toy she loves most to keep her busy while you plait her hair. Alternatively, play her favourite cartoon character on TV while you do it.

Be sure to use the right kind of oil, which will make your child’s hair soft and easy to comb.

For the beginning, Rukundo advises, put your baby’s hair into a pony tail and use an attractive hair band or ribbon to hold it. Later, you can progress to two or three pig tails. 

Many hairdressers with experience in doing children’s hair discourage using rubber bands as they tend to break the hair.