I only bath my toddler once a week - am I the only one?

[bohemianbint]

I mean, obviously I wash him every day, but he only gets to go in the bath and have his hair washed once a week or so. Unless something hugely messy happens.

I just don't think he needs it any more than that but everyone I know seems to do it every day. I partly just wouldn't be bothered but is it good for their skin washing them all over with soap every day?

gecko had a sink bath and a bath in the evening on saturday
blw has alot to answer for

all three go in the bath probably 4 or 5 times a week but I dont wash their hair more than once a week and I dont scrub them with soap they just get very wet and wiped with a wet sponge

does the job of getting off any food and they love being in the bath, beg to play in the bath every day

Mine only had a bath about twice a week and hair wash about once every 2 weeks (unless nits in town or caked in yogurt or similar).

Draw the line however at my granny's approach - remember one summer holiday when she didn't see the need to heat the water for baths for 3 weeks as we'd been swimming in the sea!

My HV told me that unless dd actually got really dirty (ie. muddy or whatever) then a bath every day wasn't necessary, once a week was fine. When we go camping I don't really make her do much more than teeth, face and hands as she hates showers with a vengeance, and like AuntEm, we spend a lot of time in the sea.

Ones a week maybe twice a week!! ?? had a friend have a go at me because of it which really upset me! My daughter has a wash everyday but only bath her one or maybe twice if she's dirty! It drys her skin out to much if we bath her too much. I work for a baby doctor who also said not to bath them too as germs are good for them ??

We haven't bathed or showered 13 month old for a couple of months as it results in screaming hysterics and with two dogs in the house and lino flooring he is muddy before he was dressed anyway.
We flannel down the bits that need it most nights instead still a lot of screaming but a lot quicker.

Twice weekly bath and hair wash here for two yo dd. We used to bath her daily but as soon as we stopped her eczema improved hugely so we won't be going back!

Baths every night.
Hair wash maybe twice a week.
My toddler gets pretty sticky most days.
Not to mention the pooey, nappy bottom.

Another thread jumping 6 years from 2008 to 2014!

Once a week here. Hands washed before and after every meal, face after every meal, nappy area after every nappy change - but full bath only once a week.

Once a week(ish) here too. I tend to play it by ear as to how dirty he is, so sometimes it's a lot more than that. The British Medical Journal recently (maybe 6 months ago) linked severity of eczema with frequency of washing. Of course that's referring to existing eczema, it's not saying that it causes it. Our skin is covered with various bacteria that are part of healthy skin; I don't think we yet fully understand the consequences of removing them and scrubbing ourselves sterile every day.

Personally I think bedtime routine baths is a concept invented by Johnson and Johnson to sell more baby wash products lol! Having said that, I can totally understand why you might want daily baths for your children - 1) sometimes ANYTHING that might help your child sleep is worth it. I know I've been there! 2) As much as going a few days without a bath does them no harm, people do to tend to turn their nose up at the idea of unbathed kids (even if they look clean). And there already MORE than enough things that we get judged on as parents!

Not very often - 2 times a week mainly on medical advice as his skin was getting dry patches. He gets wiped many times a day, is rarely ill so I don't think it's an issue.

And as for a 'calming bedtime effect' ha ha ha - more like massive hype up! I dread bath nights as he's very difficult to get to bed after!

Twice weekly here (and one swimming pool trip with shower) - eczema issues.

Every night for my dd(4), that includes a hair wash. It's not a battle though, she loves it and my DH spends some quality time with her.

I also wash her hands and face a couple of times throughout the day if she been rolling around a floor and then it's time for lunch/snack.

I find it quite irritating though that people are quick to hex those with a more regular bathing schedule for their children with a "lack of immunity" due to them not being exposed to germs and grub.

My dns are neither washed or bathed regularly and are constantly ill with some form of gut rot or viral snotty mucus.

I can honestly say, with my hands on heart my dd is very rarely poorly. And neither with she breastfeeding for very long either (again, unlike dns).

It's very much a personal choice of course, but I personally want her to get used to the feeling of being clean on a daily basis, not waiting until she gets smelly before having a wash.

And children can get really stinky even after just an average day of playing.