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Parenting

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Original poster

How often do you bath your baby?

37 replies

LaDiDaDi · 20/06/2006 20:50

Just wondering what others do.

I have a six week old dd and bath her every couple of days or so but obviously would bath her more often is she was dirty.

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Beauregard · 20/06/2006 20:54

I try to every night for my 5month old but mainly because my 2 have exema so i usually just wash with water and smother them in Aveeno afterwards.

pucca · 20/06/2006 20:57

I just bathed my dd about 3 times a week when she was very little, and obviously top and tailed every day, i remember her really hating the bath when she was a few weeks old, used to scream so didn't do it very often, plus they don't get that dirty do they at that age.

QE · 20/06/2006 20:59

I bathed mine every night right from when they were born. I like to get them into the familiar routine of bath, milk, bed right from the word go though. I'm sure they don't actually need bathing as often as that though. That's just me.

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Elf1981 · 20/06/2006 20:59

I used to do every other day or so when dd was v young, she's now 8 months and for the past couple of months we've been bathing her everynight, then a b.feed and then bed. She really enjoys a bath though so her it's like a treat!

Thomcat · 20/06/2006 21:01

Usually just at weekends, on both days or might give her a dip a when i'm off on a Mon & Fri. She's 6 months now though and just started on solids so me thinks she'll be bayhed a little more often from now on!

SecondhandRose · 20/06/2006 21:02

Dont forget the cheesy bits behind the knees and the creases of the armpits!!

muma3 · 20/06/2006 21:06

same as QE it is part of her bed time routine . it wont hurt her to be bathed everynight . i understand if a child had excema i suppose that effects it? i dont know i dont have that prob luckily. bath other 2 dd's every other day unless they get nits then they have bath and hairwash everynight to de-nit them
dd1 8.7
dd2 4.11
dd3 12m

saadia · 20/06/2006 21:16

A while ago there was an article in Junior about how babies don't need to be bathed nearly as often as people think. If I recall correctly the writer suggested that even once a week was more than enough. Unfortunately I've chucked it away now but I think it was quite anti-bathing actually.

Miaou · 20/06/2006 21:22

I bath my ds (10m) most days, but miss it out if I am or he is too tired.

However to me it is not about getting him clean, it's about another place for him to play (and tire himself out before bedtime)

Elf1981 · 20/06/2006 21:23

we were told by the hospital and the HV's that we didnt need to bathe her everyday, esp as the oils on the skin are so good for them. but our dd liked a bath, so we did everynight from around 3 - 4 months old, but she enjoys having a play etc.

beckybrastraps · 20/06/2006 21:31

My ds HATED baths until he was 8 mo, so for him pretty infrequently! MIL was horrified, until she saw in him in action in the bath. Dd loved them, so for her every other day.

madrose · 20/06/2006 21:34

Started off with twice a week, then three times - now if I have my way - every other night. But DD (15 months) has longish hair and love to rub food into her hair - so now most nights mainly to wash hair.

Thomcat · 20/06/2006 21:38

Seems I bathe mine the least!!!!!!

I heard it dries the skin out and less is better, that an i have enough to do without throwing a bath into the equation every night!

ChasingRabbits · 20/06/2006 21:43

ds1 is 3.9 and gets one most nights (say 5 out of 7).

ds2 on the other hand is 4mo and gets dipped in with big bro once a week, at most. The rest of the time he just gets his nappy area wiped when I change him and, um thats it.

schneebly · 20/06/2006 21:44

twice a week - have always been a lazy cow!

laundrylover · 20/06/2006 21:47

I'm with you Thomcat and mine get done every few days. DD1 (2.4) has awful excema and the dermatology nurse told us to bath her every night but it made no difference. DD2 at 12 weeks does enjoy her baths but we don't want to spoil her!!
DD1's hair is always full of greasy cream as she itches her head all night but it just means her pigtails stay in for longer.

sazhig · 20/06/2006 22:14

Ds has had baths every week or every fortnight if he doesnt get dirty/messy since he was born, and always in plain water with no soap or shampoo etc. I'm definately of the opinion that babies do not need bathing often.

sazhig · 20/06/2006 22:15

Forgot to say ds is 23 months now.

QE · 20/06/2006 22:17

tbh I can't understand how a baby over the age of six months can get away with being bathed less than every night. Or is it just nmine that get sticky, dirty and plastered with food and grime from the floor?

sazhig · 20/06/2006 22:19

DS self fed himself solids from the start so there was a lot of mess but all hee needed usually was a quick wipe with a damp cloth - no baths needed here!

Tatties · 20/06/2006 22:23

I have bathed ds every night from early on - but only because he enjoyed it, and as Miaou says, it's more about another place to play than washing! It is part of his bedtime routine now and I think it's a nice way to wind down. However I know it's not necessary to bathe this often, and may have contibuted to ds' occasional bouts of dry skin.

QE · 20/06/2006 22:25

Agree that it is the signal for the start of the bedtime wind down and I know if I dropped it, my kids would get confused. In fact ds3 protested very loudly when I tried to put him to bed one night without bathing him first!

Original poster

LaDiDaDi · 20/06/2006 23:49

Nice to know I'm normal

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olivia35 · 21/06/2006 00:23

Every day just because both have had spectacular heads of hair, & post-feed gipping tendencies, & would generally get very cheesy round the ears if that end at least weren't dunked!

Ds loved all baths from day one, dd not so keen.

Papillon · 21/06/2006 07:16

he is a boy and is abit whiffy if not washed in the summer, so every day atm

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