Do I bathe my child enough?

That's about how often I bathed mine at that age, too often is bad for their skin

That sounds incredibly difficult for you all. It’s awful watching our children struggle with every day tasks, and doesn’t help when you read judgement from others about what they think should be typical. My middle child went through a phase of hitting out when getting dressed as well, these days he goes deadweight which is easier for him, but my back is wrecked.

DS won't bathe or shower at all - also ND. We get him to wash by taking him swimming regularly. Which is also the only way to get him to change his clothes.

When he was little I'd get him in the bath twice a week, but as he got older I'd end up locking the pair of us in the bathroom while he had a meltdown then bathe him, but his meltdowns got too violent for me to manage. It's sensory issues, but he can't articulate what the problem is with baths, except that it feels cold - yet he'll happily spend hours in a paddling pool outside. Whatever it is it's not worth me spending time in A&E over.

Every night during the week, whether that is a bath or shower. They come home from school pretty grotty in my opinion.

However, if we do skip it's a flannel wash. Face, hands, bum & feet so may as well just hop in the shower for 5 minutes!

Oooh, a classic. Angry Mumsnetters calling each other disgusting and dirty over children's bathing habits.

My twins got a bath once a week when they were that little, with visible dirt/poo/ whatever cleaned off properly as and when it happened, and now they are older it's 3x a week.

Cradle cap has nothing to do with unwashed hair/scalp. It's an overproduction of sebum in the oil glands and hair follicles of unknown cause, and it will clear up as he grows.

Same.

Every single night without fail. My daughter is 2.

Toddlers sit in their own urine all day. They touch EVERYTHING. Food gets in their hair...

I can't imagine not bathing her every night. She's a sticky, grubby mess by the end of the day.

I think 3 times a week is perfect especially in autumn and winter. My dry skin disappeared completely since I started only bathing every other day. Also better for the environment. Flannel wash face, armpits and bottom/bits every day at sink. Obviously if they get very dirty add in an extra bath.

My kids were prone to dry skin and eczema and I was told that a bath every 2-3 days www better than a daily bath for them.

I have a two year old and a 7 year old.

2 year old has a bath every other night, and a flannel wash when it’s not bath night.

7 year old has a quick shower every day, and a bath on a Sunday.

I don’t think little kids need a bath every night, mine gets particularly grubby, so that’s why we do every other night (or of course every night if they do need it) but I don’t think there is anything wrong with 3x a week if it works for you.

Every night when mine were little, I think it gets them into a good routine - we never had the ‘I am not showering’ teenage stuff either. They both still shower every night (20 & 18 yo)

I don't think it's related, but answering your questions I have been bathing my DS (now mostly shower - he's 5) every evening. I don't think there must be a rule as every child is different. I understand some are not as active and adventurous as mine!
But when he was a baby/toddler I found more of a faff to clean his hands/face/feet/bottom with cotton wool/flannels than running a bath.
And from the age of 3 he's been in such a mess at nursery and school that is really not an option not to have a bath every night. Typically his bottom needs a wash for obvious reasons, but also his fingernails are dirty from playing outside and coloring, there are random traces of food on his face and his hair stinks of cooking smells/sweat.
About not bathing as not good for their skin, when he was younger I would add some emollient to his bath, but now I just use mild soap and only on targeted areas, and I make sure to rinse him well before tap trying his skin and apply a moisturizer.

I don't think kids need a bath every day it's actually not good for their skin barrier . Think about it I bet none of use had a bath as a baby every night before bed , I would try treat the cradle cap every day though and get rid of it

I’m unrolling the garden hose right now to give mine a spray down in the garden.🤣

Hair-washing once or twice or three times a week, or even every day, has absolutely nothing to do with getting or not getting cradle cap.

Cradle cap is a build up of dead skin cells and sebum. It is true washing doesn’t affect it in infants because their skin cells regenerate so quickly, but if it’s an 2.5yr old getting cradle cap, then hair washing absolutely affects cradle cap.

It could have to do with the lack of hair washing tho

Do you bathe after every poo? If a child is wiped properly, then you don’t need to bathe them every day. Or are you letting them bathe in poo bits from not cleaning up properly?

It’s not comfortable for all children to bathe every night, for many reasons. If they’re particularly dirty or have been unwell, obviously need an extra wash not wait until next bath day. Kids are not adults though, they don’t need the same level of daily scrubbing we do. And some adults are very ott, I read a thread yesterday about people having two baths a day and showering. Do some not have lives beyond hygiene practices?

The doctor was probably talking about a baby, not 2.5yr old toddlers.

Every other day, mine get really dry skin & greasy hair if they shower more than that.

And why would you want them to go 48 hours without bathing three times a week? Each to their own honestly they’re your children and you’ll do what you want so this interaction is quite pointless

Every other day for my 2 year old, unless she is particularly messy/sweaty/has had suncream on.

We’ve always done every other night, obviously if they’ve gotten super muddy or sweaty on an inbetween day then they have to have another one. We found daily damaged their skin too much and if it’s not necessary then it’s better to save the water and electricity.
You have to do what works for you.

This. For their own comfort.

Try doing two or three showers a week & see how it feels. Ugh.

Bathe mine every other night, and one night they’re at their dads (that’s a whole other thread about laziness). Two have diagnosed ND and the third is on the pathway, bath time (especially hair washing) can be horrendous. All three went through a phase of refusing to get in at all without screaming blue murder, so had to preserve and gently coax them back to it by washing next to the tub. Showers are an absolute no go, ever. So this is the routine that works for now, but my eldest is getting older and will have to start thinking about the next phase and teen years soon. They’re all perfectly clean, found that using foam body wash is a fantastic way to teach washing top to toe independently at least 🤣.

I have DS (7) and DD (2.5).
Bath / Shower every night - but not always soap and hair wash.

Only since DS started school has it been soap every night .He also does sport 4 times a week. DD soap a few times a week. Hair wash once a week maybe twice depending on how sweaty from sport. Might need to up that for DD to she has so much hair.
Originally didn't use soap every day due to DS and DD dry skin but they seem to be outgrowing that now.