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Parenting

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Original poster

Bathing baby...

30 replies

Sleepyhoglet · 17/02/2015 16:12

I've just got back from meeting with a friend. Her husband does bath time each day and apparently her 16 week old screams! She told her dh that they couldn't not do the bath but she would help. So here is my question- do you bathe your baby every day? My dd is 13 weeks and we bath her about 3 times a week and if she goes swimming then she always gets a bath that day. Surely little babies don't get that dirty? I know some people have it as part of a routine but you can do other relaxing things and some babies don't like getting naked and redressed so it isn't relaxing. Just interested on how others see this- I don't want people to think in lazy because she isn't bathed every day!

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Only1scoop · 17/02/2015 16:18

No babies don't get dirty only really nappy area and spilt milk....faces chins etc.

However we bathed dd every evening from day one more of a little routine really to associate with bedtime.

Lots of people don't though there isn't a need to.

QuietNinjaTardis · 17/02/2015 16:19

I didn't bath dd every day and still don't. Bad for her skin. She's bathed once or twice a week though I will bath her if she gets food in her hair.

timeforacheckup · 17/02/2015 16:20

I don't think there's any need to but we do to establish a routine and as dd1 is in the bath anyway.

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moggle · 17/02/2015 16:42

We bathe DD (3m) about twice a week. I give her a good top and tail every morning. We have hard water and gets dry skin on her arms and legs after a bath so I try to minimise it. Also we just don't seem to have time to do it more, and it's such a faff to get her ready for it and then ready for bed, especially if we mistime it and she's grumpy. TBH with a good wash with water in her creases every morning I don't think she really ever actually needs a bath.

squizita · 17/02/2015 16:47

We bath every other day, and top/tail the other day.

Lonz · 17/02/2015 17:00

I never gave my son a bath everyday. It dries their skin out as babies, especially if they have eczema. I gave him a bath when he really needed it (dirty nappy etc.) but then other days I would give him a wash down with warm water and cotton balls. I'm pretty sure no baby wants a bath everyday!

butterbeerfloat · 17/02/2015 17:08

I do bath DS (9 weeks) every day just because it's part of our bedtime routine and he really enjoys it, always has. If he didn't though I don't think I'd bother every day, I've read 2-3 x a week is fine.

furrybootsyefae · 17/02/2015 17:12

I bathed my eldest every night for about 10 weeks then his eczema went haywire and we were advised to do it 2/3x per week maximum.

My youngest gets bathed every 3rd night with a wash in between.

Linguini · 17/02/2015 17:56

I bathe mine everyday. I use bathtime as a relaxation/bonding session. He was an excessive crier as a newborn, however being in the bath was one thing he loved (apart from being in the sling)
Never known him to be so happy splashing about in the warm water. I'll sing and pour water over his body and wash his hair, wave the plastic toys around him.
Coming out is the drama ! lol.
For us, bathtime is an important part of the evening routine but isn't just about cleaning.
Skin is fine (but Italian heritage)

Lolly86 · 17/02/2015 17:59

I have always bathed DD everyday and she is nearly 16 months. She loves the bath but if she didn't I probably would only do every other day or if she was actually dirty. Although tbh after dinner she is usually so best it's easier to chuck her in the bath anyway

Lolly86 · 17/02/2015 18:00

So messy not best

Linguini · 17/02/2015 18:34

If your friend finds the baby hates bathing it doesn't sound worth the hassle. It's not something you have to do, so long as they get a top & tail.

Highlove · 17/02/2015 19:23

Mine was bathed about twice a week till about four months. Good wash with a flannel on the other days. HV said that was fine. She has a bath everyday now as its part of her routine and she loves it. if she hated it then I'd not bother. We do drop it occasionally if we're running late or whatever.

soundsystem · 17/02/2015 21:12

We do it most days, purely because DD (16 weeks) enjoys it and it's part of our bedtime routine. Wouldn't do it every day if she screamed. She has lovely soft, clear skin, don't think frequent baths are bad for skin unless you're using lots of products in there.

Original poster

Sleepyhoglet · 17/02/2015 21:17

My baby actually quite like baths and this evening we spent ages in there together - she was feeding and looking at me the whole time and it was lovely- but it just seems a lot to do every day. I suppose the consensus is to do what you and your baby are happy with, like with everything else!

OP posts:

Ilovenannyplum · 17/02/2015 21:21

DS gets a bath everyday as part of his bedtime routine, he's 6 months now and gets very excited when I carry him to the bathroom each night. He's my little water baby, crazy legs a gogo. Water everywhere

Annarose2014 · 17/02/2015 23:04

DS has loathed baths from day 1. After a few weeks we just gave up.

So now we do morning sponge baths on the changing table with a big basin of warm water and Infacare. He's happy, we're happy.....Hopefully when he gets older we can re-introduce him to baths and he'll like them more.

(I still wouldn't do them everyday though, I'm reluctant to get tied into a nightly bath as an essential)

ftmsoon · 17/02/2015 23:08

DD found having a bath in the evening stressful and screamed a lot so we haven't made it part of bedtime. She gets one 2-3x week in the morning or afternoon depending on when we are busy.

Katekoom · 18/02/2015 06:09

Dd loves a bath, she has one every evening though v shallow and we just keep pouring the water over her.

Her hair gets washed once a week maybe, she's 5 weeks with a lot of hair but i don't want to irritate her scalp.

Dh does bath time with her, he loves it.

What sort of support is your friend using? I think it's vital that they feel secure, we use an angelcare bath support, does a good job.

I wouldn't worry about not bathing every day, our bath is mainy for routine and dh does have to use a lot of vaseline to keep her skin nice.

Kelly1814 · 18/02/2015 06:11

We bathe every day, have done from two weeks. It's nothing to do with DD being dirty, it was all about establishing a good bedtime routine.

It has always worked like a dream...she goes done like a stone at bedtime, without fail (17 months now). Even when she was tiny and still night feeding, the bedtime bit was great. I really believe it set the foundations for her being a great sleeper now, and easy to travel with...all her sleep cues are there and she always drops off after her bath.

Eminybob · 18/02/2015 08:13

We have done bathtime each night with DS as part of his routine from quite early on. He loves it and I think it has helped him with getting used to the water for his swimming classes.

I think top and tailing is easier for a small baby but I can't imagine DS (7mo) staying still long enough for that now! And to be honest I used to find it a huge faff anyway and just running the bath so much easier.

CoodleMoodle · 18/02/2015 08:22

DD gets a bath every couple of days here. When she was tiny we used to do it in the evening after DH got home, but it wound her up so much she didn't sleep well, so I started doing it in the morning instead. Much better for us. She's nearly 1 and really likes the bath (moved to the real bath with a seat at 9mo) now, she hated it until she could sit up by herself!

twinterchangeable · 19/02/2015 11:54

The twins get bathed every couple of days as I found that every day bathing was drying out their skin.

TheGirlAtTheRockShow · 19/02/2015 13:01

We've bathed DD everyday since she was about 10 weeks old as part of her bedtime routine. She has always loved her baths though. If she was screaming I wouldn't have done it that way.
She's now 7.5 months and with BLW she gets so messy through the day, her bedtime bath means we can make sure she's properly clean!

NerrSnerr · 19/02/2015 18:02

I bath my 6 month old about 3x a week. She gets dry skin if I do it more.

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