Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 ··· 9 10

Original poster

To bathe baby once per week?

234 replies

StarfishSandwich · 28/10/2018 21:54

He’s 7 weeks. I thought this was totally normal and fine. He gets top and tailed as and when needed - certainly daily! But I don’t feel like he particularly needs bathing. We always bathe him in the bath with one of us so daily would be a complete waste of water. I keep reading about people using baths as part of the bedtime routine and it’s just occurred to me that this means that lots of babies get bathed daily.

AIBU and scummy? His skin is flawless and he doesn’t smell FWIW!

OP posts:

catpooproblems · 28/10/2018 21:57

You’ll get a multitude of answers.

I bathed both my children every night and i think it did settle them into a good routine.

That being said, plenty on here will tell you they couldn’t be arsed with that.

So it’s really up to you.

YouBoggleMyMind · 28/10/2018 21:58

Include it as a routine if you want to but if you're happy to Bath baby once a week and baby isn't gross and dirty, I really don't see the problem. We give DS 10m a bath every couple of days. He doesn't need bathing every day and I feel it's a waste of water and he has a good routine without it. Just do what you think and are happy with 😊😊

Lettherebelight · 28/10/2018 21:59

We were late starting with full baths because her cord didn't drop off for ages. I don't think it's a problem but once we did start a bath-bed routine she loved it so much it became a highlight of the day.

chrisinthesun · 28/10/2018 21:59

Nowhere near enough. Surely one every OTHER day.

Once a week doesn't sound enough sorry.

00100001 · 28/10/2018 21:59

No need for ANYONE to bathe /shower daily (unless sweaty/dirty etc)

People only bath babies daily because they want a routine.

At 7 weeks, your baby just isn’t getting dirty.

Mine got bathed weeklyish or post vomit/Poonami.

Mrskeats · 28/10/2018 21:59

I always bathed mine most days as they enjoyed it.
Once a week seems unusual.

YouBoggleMyMind · 28/10/2018 22:00

Basically what PP said - it's up to you!

00100001 · 28/10/2018 22:00

chris the baby is getting washed daily, just not fully bathed.

How dirty does a 7 week old get?

Bambamber · 28/10/2018 22:01

YANBU

A bath isn't necessary for a routine, and it's generally better for their skin not to be bathed daily and also the immune system I do believe. Although of course plenty of people do bath baby's daily with no issues.

53rdWay · 28/10/2018 22:01

I’d say fine if you’re top-and-tailing frequently anyway. At 7 weeks he’s hardly likely to get muddy in the garden or pour beans down his trousers. Bathing them too often can dry out their skin anyway.

RedPandaMama · 28/10/2018 22:01

Ooh no I miss those days of infrequent baths and when their heads smell so deliciously baby We used to only bath DD twice a week and when they're tiny it's fine but once she started solids she became constantly messy so we needed to do it daily really, plus from about 6m we found a constant routine useful to get her to sleep better.
Also we find now if we don't bath her at least every other day she gets nappy rash.

Cleo2628 · 28/10/2018 22:03

I’m certain a 7 week old wouldn’t recognise a routine yet. I did the same at this age. I actually beleive it’s a lot better for their skin!

EllenJanesthickerknickers · 28/10/2018 22:03

That's pretty much what I did. Daily top and tail and weekly bath unless poonami or sick. They've survived to adulthood and shower every other day.

redandbluehedgehogs · 28/10/2018 22:03

My daughter loves the bath so has one nearly every night. But she will go to sleep without one fine.

Believeitornot · 28/10/2018 22:04

We didn’t because it irritated their skin. A bath never relaxed my dcs!

emma2939 · 28/10/2018 22:07

We don’t bath my baby everyday, it actually makes her eczema so much worse when we do x

Littlemissdaredevil · 28/10/2018 22:08

DD wasn’t a vomity or pooey baby so only gave her a bath twice a week as she didn’t get dirty. We now bathe he every night now she is on solids as she needs it!

Hazandduck · 28/10/2018 22:09

We used to have ‘bath nights’ until we started BLW, my god I was not prepared for the messiness! I have to wash DD after every meal let alone every day, and give her a bath or at least a shower every night. She loves it and knows it is bedtime as soon as she is out and wrapped up in a towel. I probably have a bath with her twice a week too which is lovely. She’s 11 months now. I think it’s normal to not bathe them often when so young though, 7 weeks is very young. I never left it a week but definitely didn’t bathe her every day at that age. Enjoy it while it lasts, once they get to about 6 months they get decidedly grubby 😂

Lemondrizzlecake1 · 28/10/2018 22:10

We did once a week at this age, there was no need to be bathing them loads, I’ve read it isn’t great for their skin anyway. If they actually needed it we’d bath them more often, eg explosive poo.

Amaaboutthis · 28/10/2018 22:10

I think it’s a bit grim. They do need a bath more than once a week, their heads get a bit sweaty, dribbled milk gets on their fronts and the milk pools nicely in their creases.

bumblebee39 · 28/10/2018 22:10

YANBU

My 2 DCs had a bath about twice a week and a quick wash most days.

Their bedtime routine was milk, teeth, story, lullaby, cuddle, bed. Still is (minus the lullaby now though, DC2 has a musical toy and DC1 sings one to her fave cuddly instead as she has to give her "baby" his bedtime routine too 😂

They do bath most days, but sometimes in the morning and sometimes the evening. Sometimes they miss a day because I'm lazy they don't really need it, but most days they have a bath.

Started doing evening baths with DC1 the past couple of days though to try and get her tired for bed as she spends an hour playing in there and it tickers her out (it hasn't worked tonight 🙄)

It can help routine but isn't the be all and end all, we have a great routine, toothbrushing and face washing are part of it, bathing is not (or not always)

ComeAlive · 28/10/2018 22:11

We have a 16 week old, she only has a bath once a week. Like you we top and tail during the day. It’s just not necessary to wash her anymore frequently at the moment. She always smells gorgeous, if she didn’t then we’d up the bath schedule. She has beautiful skin too likewise my 3 year old who has had a similar bath schedule since birth.

AvoidingDM · 28/10/2018 22:12

I think babies in nappies need a bath every day. Although at that age i used a baby bath quicker to fill than a big bath missed it when babies outgrew it.

LizzieBennettDarcy · 28/10/2018 22:13

I bathed mine daily. It was a lovely part of our routine and they always loved bath time. I couldn't have done once a week when they're encased in nappies all day.

User12879923378 · 28/10/2018 22:15

We bathe two or three times a week but originally she HATED baths (despite loving baby swim) so we only did it when she needed it. She loves them now but they really dry her skin out so we don't bathe every day. I think it's fine at the moment as long as your baby does get a bath after a vomfest or poonami.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 ··· 9 10

Swipe left for the next trending thread