One thing is for sureβ¦. content without context can lend itself to a variety of opinions, something we have never shied away from.
With over 100 comments this video of a tiny baby getting its head shaved was not exempt.
Watch below:
We have a confession!
We were ignorant to the cultural practice with regard to removing a babyβs hair earlier in life and had to be educated.
Initially, it made us sad, but the beauty of a collaborative community from all over the world is that our platform creates space for conversation and correction.
Here is what we have learned:
Why do people shave a babyβs first hair
According to India Times the tradition of shaving babyβs first hair is important and mandatory in Hindu culture.
During the mundan ceremony, a barber is assigned the task of shaving off the babyβs hair. In Hindus, the mundan ceremony is done between four months to three years of his birth. In Islamic tradition, itβs done between 7 to 40 days.
The time and rituals of mundan are different in different communities. In fact, many communities only perform the mundan ceremony for boys and not girls. The ceremony is performed by a priest or the father of the baby.
From a scientific perspective, It is said that Vitamin D is absorbed faster and more quickly in the babyβs body when exposed to sunlight without clothes and hair. Even doctors recommend exposing newborn babies to sunlight without clothes in the early morning.
Another reason is that the babyβs hair is uneven, shaving the head helps in even growth of hair later.
From a Religious perspective according to Hindu mythology, a soul gets a human body after experiencing 84 lakh yonis. It is believed that every yoni has its influence on human birth. The shaving off the hair is considered to be a gesture of purification from the previous yonis and freedom from the past.
Does shaving a babyβs head make the hair thicker
The short answer is no! But most have us have grown up hearing so many different things about babyβs hair that we understand why the myths remain alive and well.
Researchers at the University of Utah spent some time debunking the myths. With regards to the thickness of a childβs hair β¦..hair texture and growth rate are determined by genetics, and the only time a personβs hair will change is if theyβve had chemotherapy.
Other myths debunkedβ¦.
If you cut a babyβs hair before their first birthday, it will give them bad hair. No, got to stick with genetics on this one, not the timing of your babyβs first haircut.
Another one is that eating carrots or the heels or crusts of bread will make your childβs hair curly. Again, back to genetics.
Eating healthy food will make your hair healthy, but it has nothing to do with curls.
There is one positive truth about eating the crusts of bread though. It actually contains eight times the anti-oxidants of any other part of the bread.
Then thereβs the thought that you should wash your childβs hair until it squeaks, hence getting it squeaky clean.
Forget this one. Shampooing your childβs hair until it squeaks strips the hair shafts of natural oils and can make it dry and frizzy. Stick to lathering just once and rinsing thoroughly with a shampoo that is made for children it is safe if it gets into their eyes, which you know it will.
Finally, thereβs the old wivesβ tale about how if your baby comes out with a full head of hair that would explain all the heartburn you had during pregnancy. Surprisingly, researchers have found this one to be true in some cases, although theyβre not really quite sure how.
your comments
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