Part of becoming SJ's mommy means I get to learn more about African American haircare. I did research and talked with friends before her arrival, but nothing beats hands-on learning! There's alot of talk about hair on the adoption forums and among transracial adoptive parents. I just want to say, calm down, it's just hair, same as yours- only curlier.
Things to remember:
-every child's hair is different, find what works for your child with experience
-it takes some time to get the hang of it, that's ok
-it takes a while to do a style (45 mins or more), but once it's in, it may last up to a week.
-you don't have to spend lots of $ to have healthy hair, you can if you want, but not required
-ask for help from your AA friends. I've got a friend coming over to help me learn to braid rows and put in beads, I haven't learned those skills yet.
-find what works for your child to sit still long enough for hair time. For SJ, it's Dora shows and Tootsie Rolls.
-keep hair time fun and pleasant, if it's a crying struggle, it'll just get worse next time. If they get to watch TV, eat candy, hang out with a happy mom, hair time is a good time!
What works for us:
Bathtime:
We wash hair about 2x/week, but with conditioner- no shampoo, that's right, no shampoo. We use Tressemme Flawless Curls. It's cheap, smells great, and works well. I put lots of conditioner in her wet hair, and comb it through, leave the conditioner on for the rest of bathtime, then rinse lightly, leaving quite a bit of the conditioner still in the hair when she gets out.
Daily Styling:
Loose hair-I also use the Tressemme Flawless Curls for styling. I spray her hair with water, rub conditioner on my hands, then finger comb it through her hair, I then comb it out with a pick. Loose hair (for SJ) is only good for a day or two, it gets waaaay too tangly and takes a long time to comb out.
Styled hair (braids, twists, puffs...)- Still with the Tressemme. I spray her hair with water, then put a little conditioner on my hands to touch up the style.
Swimming:
For swimming in chlorinated water, I have her wear a swim cap. If it's salt water or the lake, her hair actually feels healthier when she gets out.
Sleeping:
I have sleeping caps (actually stretchy textbook covers, they work perfectly and I got them at Goodwill for 17 cents) that she wears when she's got a style in. It makes the style last longer. She also sleeps on a satin pillowcase, it hasn't seemed to help us much, but might work for you.
All in all, it's been an interesting learning experience. I've enjoyed finding new styles, looking at other little AA girls to get ideas, and seeing SJ's face when she looks in the mirror at the finished style. She just lights up and is so cute!
Our supplies (pictured):
beads
wire to thread beads
barrettes
rubber bands, the ouchless ones
spray bottle
rattail comb to make parts
wide tooth comb
scissors to cut out rubber bands, easier and faster and less tangles that way.
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