How often do you bathe your toddler?

[PlumpShady]

A conversation with a friend has left me wondering if I'm really gross!

My 2 year old has a bath twice a week - usually one weekend one where she will have her hair washed, nails cut, ears cleaned etc and one shorter midweek one. That's it, unless we've been doing something like painting.

Friend said her toddler has a bath every night. Is this normal?

I wash her face every morning and evening and frequently her hands, is it enough?!?

I think if they are still in nappies they should have a daily bath.

Even when trained I think hygienically they should still be washing daily too!

My toddler has always had a bath daily as part of routine too.

Its actually not healthy for skin and hir to wash them too much. 1-2x a week is perfectly fine.

That’s not the same as a proper wash! Would you wipe yourself down with a water wipe instead of having a shower, and think that was just as good?

(And before people bring up disabled people and strip washes, as people always always do on these threads to justify non-disabled children never washing: strip washes also involve soap and water, if you are doing it properly).

2 year old gets bathed every night because it kills time and lets her know bedtime is coming. I'm also scared deviating from routine so I'd rather just do it😂

That’s not the same as a proper wash! Would you wipe yourself down with a water wipe instead of having a shower, and think that was just as good?

No, but then I've been through puberty. Not sure what your point is

Showered 4-5 times a week, it can be a struggle fitting it in every night along with the long journey home from school (nursery class) and his feed finishing (tube fed via a pump, can't be on the feed in the taxi on the way home from school) and, at the moment, getting the calories in is more important than a nightly shower.

Every day (but we have one day rest at weekends). Have done since covid, I feel it keeps germs away. Maybe not always common colds, but some other illnesses.

We have bathed DS every night since he was tiny. It’s part of his bedtime routine and we found having a routine helped him sleep better.

Three year old and one year old, two or three times a week. Obviously if they're dirty or have been swimming or whatever then they have an extra one. I'm on my own two or three evenings a week as DH works shifts, and I do find it hard to bathe both by myself (though obviously I still do if they need it).

I had a bath once a week as a child, so two or three times seems plenty to me!

As needed which is generally a couple of times a week.
His eczema means we were advised not to over bathe.

2 or 3 times a week here too, mainly when their hair needs washing. I bath them more often in the summer but they really don’t need it in the winter!

Every day! Twice a week and she would be honking.

Every night as part of bedtime routine.
Will miss a night if we're out late on the weekend. Once or twice a week is grim imo

Even when we were living in a building site our child had a bath or shower once a day!

Sometimes baby came in shower with one of us using just water or baby products.

Nightly unless we’re running out of time. The baby, on the other hand…not so much. Isn’t the rise in skin conditions and allergies due to erosion of the skin micro biome through over washing and use of antibacterials? Whether or not posters find it minging to wash kids less than daily , the science doesn’t back that up.

My kids bathed once a week at that age! Twice a week now they're a bit older. Would wash bums, hands and faces where required in between.

I don't get the people saying it's disgusting, children don't produce the same amount of oil and waste that adults do, though washing daily for adults is not really mandatory.

😂😂 always one and today you win!

I'd like to do daily because I think it's a nice part of the bedtime routine and once mine is actually in the bath they love it! But he hates it, so it's every other day or three times a week, as he does get grubby

Isn’t the rise in skin conditions and allergies due to erosion of the skin micro biome through over washing

Not really. Most middle class children were bathed daily 70 years ago.

Its better for their immune system when it's not every day

Every other night, occasionally an extra night not doing of particularly busy. Am sure twice is fine if washed as well, mainly bum area lol 😆

When they were 1 and 2 it was most nights because they loved it, killed time etc. at 3 it's probably more like once a week.

Oh wow I should have posted this in AIBU for the voting.

Tbf if she liked the bath as part of her routine it might be different but it's a battle to get her in (fine and enjoys it once she's in) and I would just hate to go through it every night. She is frightened of the shower too.

I was only bathed on a Sunday when I was a kid and my personal hygiene is absolutely fine. She's also not been unwell very much, but like I said I do wash her hands frequently. Even though she is only 2 I'd say her hygiene is already pretty good - she will ask to wash her hands if they are dirty, is good at wiping her own nose etc.

But clearly I'm just a minging lazy mum!

I'm the same as you op plus shower at swimming.

Mine had a bath every evening as part of their routine, they always enjoyed it and didn't want to get out.