Do I bathe my child enough?

[Mel2023]

How often do you bath your toddlers?

My DS is 2.5. We’ve always had a routine where we’ve bathed him twice during the week (usually Tues and Thurs) and once on the weekend (usually a Sunday). This is a full body and hair wash. That being said, in the summer it was a lot more often due to wearing sun cream most days, and if he comes home from nursery particularly mucky or has a messy tea time we’ll bath him regardless.

I’ve recently noticed he’s developed cradle cap again (he had it when he was a baby) and it’s quite bad. Everything I’ve looked into online says it’s not unusual for toddlers his age to have it, especially if they had it as a baby. I mentioned it to a family member and she’s said it’s because we don’t bath him enough and she’s always thought this? Do we not? AIBU to think that a bath 3 times a week plus extra if needed is ok?

What’s with all the personal insults, it’s strange and unnecessary.

There is literally no difference between myself not bathing my children on a Sunday and the OP not bathing her child on a Sunday. The difference is that I bath them on 6 other days and the OP baths her child on 3 other days. If you cannot see the difference between bathing your child 3 days a week and bathing your child 6 days a week then I genuinely cannot help you

Why are you telling me what I already know😂 I already admitted that I’m lazy one day a week so I’m really not sure what your point is!

I bath my almost 2 year old around 3 times a week but it's not on set days. If she's got muddy or particularly messy then I'll do her again 😊 I don't think cradle cap is related.
Ignore people being nasty, you're not lazy, you're doing what you believe is right for your kid

My point is that if it's fine for yours to go 48 hours without a bath once a week, then it's fine for mine to go 48 hours three times a week.

my 5 and 6 year old is usually two-3 times a week with a hair wash once a week.

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.

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 🤣.

This. For their own comfort.

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

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.

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

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

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

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?

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

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.

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

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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.

Same.