As your precious baby grows, so does her hair. Her once barely-there wispy hair will start getting longer and thicker and may even take a different color! This is the day you have long been hoping for: when people will finally stop asking you what your baldy little boy’s name is!

However, as your baby’s hair grows, it will inevitably get in the way. You will notice this most during meal times, when you will find her food mysteriously perched atop her head. This just means it’s time for your baby’s first haircut.

Generally speaking, there is no "right time" or "right age" for getting your baby’s first haircut. Just check if the hair is in her eyes, fuzzy, getting frayed on the ends or bothering her on the back of her neck. Whether you choose to bravely do it yourself or leave it to the professionals, your baby’s first haircut is a momentous occasion. Of course, it’s her first foray into the mad, mad world of beauty (women, we all know this place)!

While you are free to do it yourself as long as you are extremely careful, you may also consider getting the experts to do it for you. Try looking for a salon that specializes in cutting hair for children. Sure, your baby’s hair may be getting longer, but it’s still far too short to warrant a "professional" cut. However, starting her early in this tricky haircutting game will prove to be advantageous later on. As your baby gets used to the experience, you are likely to avoid the frenzy that often precedes any toddler’s trip to the salon. These salons often have fun chairs, baby items and entertaining kiddie videos beaming right in front of her to keep her distracted. Plus, the hairdressers are trained to work fast so your baby is in and out of the chair as quickly as possible.

If you can, visit the salon with your baby before the haircut appointment just so she becomes familiar with the sights and sounds and knows what to expect. Perhaps introduce the hairdresser to her and show her the comb, spray bottle, cape.

Then on haircut day, bring snacks, special treats, small toys—all the baby items that can keep her occupied. Depending on your child’s age, have her on your lap during the cut, or make sure you are close enough for her to see you. Otherwise, all the strange people snapping away with strange sharp things in their hands might scare her! Then if she gets through it well-behaved, go ahead and shower her with some baby gifts. These can encourage her to behave herself again on your next trip to the salon!

You want your little princess to be at her prettiest, so decide on the hairstyle you want for her. But do consider your lifestyle and her habits. If you have all the time in the world to style her every day and if she doesn’t mind having hair accessories on her, then maybe just a little trim is needed. But if you are a busy momma, perhaps a wash-and-go cut that is still adorable is best.

Although, you can still prettify your baby with hair accessories, even if she has short hair. But this one here is tricky too. We know all to well that a lot of hair accessories out there do not perform as well for our babies as we hope. So be sure to choose ones that are not too tight that they tug at her hair, nor too loose that they keep slipping. There are hair clips that are lined with velvet to make them non-slip. Plus, they come in the cutest styles!

Another factor in choosing hair accessories is their weight. You know how babies get easily irritated when we try to put stuff on them! These hair clips have to be light weight so that your baby doesn’t even notice that they’re on her head. Ha! Points for the moms…

After the hopefully not-so-dramatic first haircut, maintain her pretty locks of hair by using shampoos especially formulated for babies. Tear-free shampoos are the way to go. Lastly, remember that you don’t need to wash your baby’s hair every day. Twice a week is good enough, unless she manages to get paint or glue or gum on her hair (again).