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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To wash DS 3 times a week

56 replies

Aki23 · 20/01/2017 15:01

I imagine I will get some differing views but wonder if I am being completely unreasonable. I wash DS (6 months) 3 times a week and have done since he was newborn - the days can be moved around to suit a special day out or the inevitable poonami that wetwipes just will not handle. He is topped and tailed every day in any event. I recently went to a party (babies/children invited) and the host offered use of her bath for DS. I declined saying I had bathed him this morning and he was fine now for a couple of days. She was and I felt I had to explain myself. I said that I had experience via my cousins children that too much washing can be bad for LO's skin and I may? have read this somewhere. She was of the opinion that babies should be bathed every day as part of their night-time routine. Should I bathe him more regularly? He has at least 2 changes of clothes per day but I now feel like I have a dirty child

Sometimes I only wash his hair once/twice a week.

OP posts:

MammyNeedsASpaDay · 20/01/2017 15:06

When I had my first I washed her every night unless we were busy (which was rare) and washed her hair because she had loads.

When I had our second my husband mentioned something about washing the pair of them every night. I said no way, we didn't have the time (it was mostly me doing it)

Then I had the third and were down to 4 times per week. My kids are not dirty and I remember when I was younger once or twice per week was the norm (I'm 30).

If they need a wash I'll wash them. My older two 5,4 will wash themselves in the shower now which helps.

You aren't doing anything wrong.

Brighteyes27 · 20/01/2017 15:10

Stick to your routine it's fine. It can dry their little skins out as long as your topping and tailing him everyday & changing nappy regularly he'll be fine. Too much washing and use of baby products can dry their little skin up. Both our GP and Health visitor advised bathing no more than every other day at the most. Although I think initially I was suckered into the night time bathing ritual and baby products and loved the smell especially with PFB. Each one to their own far more important things to worry about. Enjoy your little one.

Yura · 20/01/2017 15:11

My son has eczema - for a longvtime bathing bi-weekly in clear water was about as much as we could do without risking a major flare up. theses days we bath max twice a week and use a flannel (water only) in between. he is clean and healthy.

msannabella · 20/01/2017 15:11

I do about 2 to 3 times a week. My DSs have problems with skin so to much washing will dry them out and cause them pain. Couldn't do it every night anyway as with lotion etc it'd take way too long. No one has ever said they're dirty yet!

formerbabe · 20/01/2017 15:13

My dc have a bath everyday. It's just part of their routine. I don't think there's anything wrong with the routine you have though.

mistermagpie · 20/01/2017 15:14

I have always bathed DS every other day (he's 18 months now). He's got dry skin and still has pretty much no hair so I can give him a wipe over at the sink with a flannel in between. Most of my friends bath their children every night but it seems like unnecessary faff to me!

ItsyBitsyBikini · 20/01/2017 15:14

I do twice a week, top and tail daily. Once he's in nursery I might have to up it a bit. The only place I have found that gets really filthy is in the folds of his neck! I have to do under there a couple of times a day with a warm wet flannel. No one has told me he smells but he doesn't really do much

Mari50 · 20/01/2017 15:16

When my DD was very young I think I bathed her once a week, topped and tailed daily. When she got a bit older we incorporated bathtime into the bedtime routine so we did it daily (with no bubbles/soap). She's 7 now and has a bath once a week again. She doesn't smell, she isn't dirty and even when she works up a sweat she has no odour so I honestly don't see the need. Couldn't care less if people are aghast at my lack of concern re her personal hygiene either. You're doing fine OP.

Blazedandconfused · 20/01/2017 15:20

Ds1 eczema baby. Bathed 2-3 times a week in water only. Summer when he came home from nursery covered in sun cream we had a quick shower.

Ds2 seems much more a creature of habit so we bathe them together every night. Ds2 gets a sweaty head so he uses shampoo and we have introduced bubbles, but ds1 still just gets rinsed with bath water no soap.

They certainly don't need a wash every day. With 2 tho I feel I need the routine to keep me in check!

FeliciaJollygoodfellow · 20/01/2017 15:36

Unless a literal shit storm occurs, my children have been washed Sundays and Wednesdays only. Didn't top and tail either, they were getting wet wipes bums anyway.

FeliciaJollygoodfellow · 20/01/2017 15:37

And to add, I feel no shame, worry or upset. They're little kids they don't smell!

mambono5 · 20/01/2017 15:47

Do what works best for you.

I find it easier to give a full bath than fussing about top and tail, and all my babies loved the water, so it was a lovely part of our routine. Once they start crawling, I couldn't put clean pajamas in the evening without bathing them.

That said, I don't change their clothes more than once a day.

MTB1003 · 20/01/2017 15:50

My DS 4.5 months is bathed twice a day. It's just part of his routine and also how dh and I grew up. While he's just a baby and doesn't 'smell', he throws up here and there and does a poo almost everyday so I can't imagine not giving him a proper bath. Do what works for you op.

mum2Bomg · 20/01/2017 15:52

At NCT classes we were told that a few times a week is fine. It's apparently bad for their skin to have a bath every day.

LivingOnTheDancefloor · 20/01/2017 15:59

Mine are older but since birth I did every other day, more if they are dirty (playing in a sandpit, food in hair...).

Hyggemama · 20/01/2017 16:14

Haha "poonami" I only actually bath DD once/twice a week we go swimming at least once a week so she gets an extra wash there (free showers at the pool). It completely depends on the child I guess. My DD finds baths SOOO exciting (maybe where she so rarely has one ) we've found they dont work as part of her bedtime routine at all. Children don't have the hormones to get all sweaty/smelly and I trust you wash off actual dirt or poo as and when its required. Haters gonna hate... maybe she's jealous of your relaxed sensible attitude.

Pistachiois50pmore · 20/01/2017 16:14

Mine gets a bath once a week if he's lucky. He hates the bath, and a daily flannel down seems to get him cleaner anyway. He does not smell.

jcne · 20/01/2017 16:17

my baby isn't here yet so I can't say for sure but IMO clean freaks do more harm than good. I'm sure delicate baby skin will benefit more from enjoying some natural oils than being constantly in a cycle stripped, dipped and covered in chemicals.

Frazzled2207 · 20/01/2017 16:20

Sounds fine to me.

Talllara · 20/01/2017 16:27

Well I bathed mine each night as part of bedtime routine. No skin problems at all.

They don't need bathing every day of course but I find it just as easy to dunk them in a bath of water as to top and tail.

I'm confused, why did this mum offer her bath for you to bath your baby at a party?

gluteustothemaximus · 20/01/2017 16:28

There's 5 of us in this house. If we all had a bath every evening, that would be our evening gone just washing

If you like to bathe every evening and your skin is fine with that, all good. But no one should look at you like if you don't bath daily.

We all wash 3 times a week on average unless dirty/sweaty in winter. More in summer as hot and sweaty more.

My ten month old is topped and tailed, and bath twice a week and he always smells gorgeous

Talllara · 20/01/2017 16:31

It doesn't have to be a long bath though.

Older kids, five minutes in the shower. Babies a couple of inches of water, a jug, job done in 5 minutes.

I find it easier than faffing topping and tailing wiping the mucky bits off.

Also, how do all your toddlers not rub food/paint/mud in their hair?

watchoutformybutt · 20/01/2017 16:35

at twice a day for a 4.5 month old! My 18 month and four year old get a bath every other day, sometimes less. They like the water so it's fun for them to just play but they only get their hair done once a week.

JaxingJump · 20/01/2017 16:37

Meh, 2-3 times a week here. They're fine. People are a bit obsessed with cleanliness these days. But not doing it too often has benefits too. Healthier skin and less shampoo and other chemicals being rubbed all over them. It's a balance and totally up to you.

ImperialBlether · 20/01/2017 16:40

Mine had a bath every day and once they were older had a shower every day. They're in their 20s now and still shower every day.

I can understand if someone has eczema, but otherwise I think it's a load of rubbish about skin not coping with water. If you use Simple soap or similar, then no harm's done.

I think it's a really easy way to wind down to bed time, too. Bath, milk and story, teeth (if there are any) and bed.

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