How often do you bath you child?

[Itlod1982]

My DD is 6. I've always bathed her daily (she tends to do it herself now) but now only washed her hair once or twice per week....

A few weeks ago she was at GP about something else and I mentioned her dry skin on her arms has been itchy and bothering her and asked for advice on something to use.

GP seemed to think daily bathing was unnecessary and could be making it worse.
Just wondered what everyone else does as I've never really thought about it before?

My almost 2 yr old likes a bath so has one every night but she doesn’t get scrubbed, she just sits in a tub of water everyday

If your child has eczema or very dry skin, unless they are dirty or soiled you don't need to bathe everyday. Moisturisers and emollients help when they do bathe.

Once a week minimum. Extra as and when if needed. Over the summer it tends to be a lot more with days out and sun cream etc. As they get older, hormonal/sweaty it will be more. But whilst little it is the best for dry skin types.

When DS was little he was bathed probably 5-6 times a week as part of his bedtime routine.

Now 4.5, I probably bath him 2-4 times a week, depending on how grubby he is. Wash his hair maybe twice a week now.

He doesn’t smell any better or worse than he did when he was bathed pretty much every day!

Op have you tried a bath oilatum? You can get them prescribed or by the at the pharmacy, you put cap in while running the bath and then use as a soap replacement to wash. Dermol is an excellent on to try as a soap replacement as it comes in a pump and is very similar consistency to regular shower gel.

And to answer your question daily as recommended by consultant dermatologist alongside using varies creams and treatments several times a day.

@BeansOnToast56

Op have you tried a bath oilatum? You can get them prescribed or by the at the pharmacy, you put cap in while running the bath and then use as a soap replacement to wash. Dermol is an excellent on to try as a soap replacement as it comes in a pump and is very similar consistency to regular shower gel.

Thanks, I'll give this a go! Don't think DD has eczema as such and dr didn't suggest it either, but something to help dry skin would be great!

I bathe my DD everyday too. I know this isn’t what you asked but porridge oats in the foot of an old pair of tights washed over your child in the bath might help her skin.

Once a week, they're only 4 and 6 and don't get greasy hair etc, bits are always clean. They wear clean clothes every day.

Every other day. Had dry skin issues when we did it daily so reduced it due to this

Daily from birth, mainly because it was something 'to do' rather than actually needing it. My DS is 20 now and still loves hogging the bath for up to two hours at a time . Now in his second year at Uni and his main objective when finding a house share was 'does it have a Bath'

When DD was small is was every other day but she has eczema so we cut it down to twice a week. Now she's a teenager and will shower 3 times a week (especially after PE because she has to attend school in her PE kit, 🤢).

Twice a week since she was born, or even less if I can get away with it. It's a faff and she isn't dirty. She gets her bum, hands and face wiped everyday - we use reusable wipes made of Terry cloth and they do actually clean.

Mine all had alternative nights bathed until they hit puberty (unless they were mucky). This is because the eldest has eczema and this is what we were advised to do.

I found it very contradictory when they were babies, that the advice was simultaneously 'don't wash everyday particularly with products as it is bad for their skin' and 'make bathtime part of a bedtime routine'. Both are said by nhs let alone other sites. Mine are young primary age now and still once-a-week despite being out and about a lot. They're perfectly clean. I guess I'll have to gradually encourage more often in time, before they become sweaty teens.

All mine have mild eczema so about once a week, with an extra if they get particularly muddy.

Bath both my kids daily, and moisturise their skin afterwards to prevent it becoming dry.

At times I’ve done a bath every three or four days with a good wash daily. At the moment daily because they get food on their hands and wipe it on their hair. So I’d say definitely base it on whether she’s actually dirty.

DD 9 every day now as she is getting to an age now I’ve explained she has to keep herself clean as she gets a wee bit wiffy now and had to buy her a roll on deodorant. Before that maybe every 2 or 3. DS 1 every night as part of his bedtime routine, plenty moisturiser afterwards with some baby massage

@Itlod1982 agree with others about oats in tights, very good shout for eczema.

I didn't have much luck with oilatum or paraffin cream but you may. BE WARNED, when used in bath your DC will transform into a greased piglet and be very, very slippery!!! 🐷

Every other day most of the time, if using suncream in summer I often do daily. When they were toddlers and got very mucky they would have them daily, as babies less often as it caused dry skin.

Child also prone to dry skin. We do bath every other day and use oilatum and dead sea salts in her bath. Children's bath foam makes her skin worse even the child's farm etc.

Every other day as advised by dermatologist for younger DC. Although teenager (also has eczema) showers everyday due to getting to that age and stage where they need to. DH and I shower daily I sometimes shower twice especially in summer.

Only bath or shower 1 year old twice a week. He gets dry skin otherwise.
We use proper flannels and warm water at each nappy change so his butt area gets a full wash 6+ times per day. Hands and face after every meal.
Obviously there’s some weeks he gets bathed or showered daily due to banana in hair or similar