What does oiling of babies head have to do with closing of fontanelle

By | November 21, 2009

No, really!

Nisarga has a rash on his face. He had it earlier, and I told the massage woman to stop using oil on his head and face. It cleared. Once it cleared, everyone ganged up together to insist that he will not thrive unless his head is oiled regularly, particularly the fontanelle. That’s plain ridiculous. The fontanelle has a time frame in which it closes. That is that.

These are some facts that you can share with people you know.

  • The fontanelle closes around 18 months or a year and a half depending on whether you oil it or not.
  • This, coincidentally (or not) is also around the time the size of the head slows in growth.
  • Oily skin is prone to rashes and pimples. Ask your teenager, wife, sister, anyone who struggles with pimples.
  • Most of the time, washing the baby gently means that the oil is not properly removed from the scalp, and that’s plain bad news for the baby’s skin.
  • A baby’s hair will grow whether you oil it or not. Have you seen any naturally bald four year olds?
  • Coconut oil does nothing to improve your baby’s intelligence. You using your reasoning skills and setting the example does.
  • For that matter, oil is also not essential for the body. Does nothing for the bones. It is good because the massage is good, and you can’t massage all that much without using something for the friction. The choice is really to use the least irritating oil, and that should be good.

Like I said before, I’ve asked the maalish woman to stop, Stop, STOP using oil on his face and head. Unfortunately, she has the support of the husband and mother-in-law. Babies get all kinds of rashes is not a good enough answer for me, particularly when said rashes magically vanish once the head oiling stops.

Tomorrow is the big war (imagine suitable dramatic music). I exert the supreme authority I have over the baby from being its mother. The head oiling has to go, or the woman goes.

Stay tuned for the next episode post the great confrontation.

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