Babies and Hair Bonnets: When Should I Introduce One to Baby?

Hair bonnets… The quintessential item every black women has in her hair care arsenal in order to protect her curls. But are they safe for baby to sleep in? And when should you first introduce one to your little one? Read on for more!

As a black mother I have wondered about this, especially now that my daughter has entered toddlerhood and has shown a growing interest in my hair care routine. She finds my hair bonnet fascinating (and frankly amusing). Every morning when I wake up and go in her room to get her ready for the day, the first thing she does is reach up to grab the bonnet off of my head and laughingly put it on her own. My husband just shakes his head, knowing that one day soon he will be met with not just one, but two bonnets floating around the house every night (haha!).

Are Bonnets Safe for Baby to Sleep In?

If you’re a type A mama like me, you’ve likely already done a ton of research on creating a safe sleep environment for baby, but for those newer to the topic, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping “loose blankets, pillows, stuffed toys, bumpers, and other soft items out of baby’s sleep space” until the age of 1, in order to reduce the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). This is why we strongly advise against baby’s under the age of 1 wearing hair bonnets to sleep. 

When to introduce a bonnet to your little one

So when should you first introduce a bonnet to your little one? Any time after the age of 1 is fair game, but if your toddler is anything like mine, she probably won’t keep it on for very long until she passes the phase of wanting to snatch bows and hats off of her head for fun (and even then, many kids tend to not be very good at keeping a bonnet on their head all night long… gotta love that carefree-sleep age lol). 

Other Ways to Protect Little One’s Curls

As a parent we want nothing more than to make sure our baby’s delicate curls are loved and cared for. This can especially become top of mind when babies reach the age of 3 months old, which is the time when baby hair loss and baby bald spots tend to become a significant issue. So how can you protect your little one’s hair in the meantime? A satin fitted crib sheet is one of the best purchases you can make to care for your little one’s hair while sleeping. 

Since babies spend most of their time on their backs, their hair often breaks off from friction against most other sheet fabrics. Once they become toddlers, wild sleeping and poor impulse control may make it very hard to keep a hair bonnet on your little one’s head at night. Satin sheets uniquely protects your little one’s delicate hair from breakage no matter what age they are. 

For more information on the benefits of satin sheets check out our other blog post titled “3 Reasons to Buy Satin Sheets” or if you are interested in investing in some satin sheets for your cutie, consider buying our  “Love and Serenity Satin Fitted Sheets” on Amazon here.

We hope you found this information helpful! Until next time...

With Love,

Ayisha Lee