Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Original poster

If you have a newborn how often do you shower/bathe?

119 replies

FeedMeCoffeeOrGin · 26/02/2023 01:50

I only ask as was talking to a friend today about how often people shower and I said 'Gosh when DS was born I didn't shower for about a week' and my friend was genuinely disgusted by this..

Tbh at the time we weren't going out anywhere and had no visitors for the first couple of weeks so wasn't bothered about being a bit smelly lol

For the first few weeks it could sometimes be 3-4 days as DS was SUPER clingy and the king of cluster feeds!

Now that DS is older (5m) I shower regularly but damn it seemed like a luxury in the early days!

So yeah, anyone else as grim as me when they had a newborn? 😂

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
ShippingNews · 26/02/2023 04:07

WandaWonder · 26/02/2023 03:25

Every morning like normal I have no problems how other people do it or not but just because I had a newborn did not stop the world from being normal

Sure it wasn't as easy but I showered, put clothes on, ate meals, cooked, housework, went out and did whatever I wanted to do I just lugged around more stuff and a baby

If people not to that is up to them no one should comment

Me too. DD was just put in the crib, or spent quality time with her daddy while I got on with it. I still looked after myself and did my daily activities - just with a baby in the house.

HMW1906 · 26/02/2023 04:19

Pretty much daily (might’ve skipped the odd day if he really wouldn’t settle at all). I used to put him in his bouncer chair in the doorway to the bathroom or once he was slightly older I’d put him in his cot in our bedroom and put dancing veg on YouTube to entertain him for 5 minutes or I’d just jump in whilst he was napping. Some days it would literally be a 2 minutes shower but it was better than nothing. I hate the feeling of not being clean so I’d rather have a 2 minute shower than none at all. Due baby 2 any day and I’ll still be aiming to shower daily with a newborn and a 2 year old, it’ll likely just take a bit more organising.

Ragwort · 26/02/2023 04:29

Daily .. but I had a very chilled baby who could be 'left alone' (not literally!) from Day One. He never napped 'on me' and would lie in his chair/ Moses basket very happily. And DH was a very 'hands on' Dad who did more than his fair share. But also if he cried ... he cried ... I needed to get on with things so I did.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting
Flittingaboutagain · 26/02/2023 04:39

I'm still as grim as you! I shower when my husband has our toddler as she gets up to so much mischief whilst I shower! There was definitely a nice phase in between though when I could put her in the bassinet awake and she'd happily watch me shower so it was much more often at that point! Having a wet room makes it tricky I know as we moved from a house with one and once she could roll off the changing mat it wasn't safe.

CjCreggsFish · 26/02/2023 04:45

elevenplusdilemma · 26/02/2023 03:50

Urm daily. No baby is so clingy that it can't be left with a DP or put in a cot / bouncy chair or even laid on a mat / towel on the bathroom floor for a few mins whilst you have a quick freshen up. It literally takes no more time than 2 mins for a quick shower (plus a couple more if I needed to wash my hair).

This in spades. Just got on with it. I shower every day and I have a new born. Can't let them stop you doing basic tasks of life. No one is that pathetic surely?

LadyJ2023 · 26/02/2023 04:49

Erm after giving birth and all that comes with it find it slightly puzzling why you wouldn't shower each day for me it was twice a day and I have 3 under 2s, they are more than happy to lay in there cots watching there mobiles or having there naps. I really don't think sour milk,dry blood and sweaty smell is great for baby to smell or anyone about you.

palelavender · 26/02/2023 04:52

Daily. I can't even begun to imagine how bad someone smelt with no washing for a week after giving birth. Did you clean your teeth? No baby is that clingy.

AlwaysAnonymous · 26/02/2023 04:59

Twice (sometimes three times) a day but I had an episiotomy and the stitches split so trying to keep the area clean while it heals.

Username24680 · 26/02/2023 05:00

CjCreggsFish · 26/02/2023 04:45

This in spades. Just got on with it. I shower every day and I have a new born. Can't let them stop you doing basic tasks of life. No one is that pathetic surely?

Show quote history

@CjCreggsFish a bit shit to call others pathetic because they don’t do the same as you!

There were periods of time where I showered every day with a young baby and periods where I went 2/3 days without a shower. My baby had horrendous reflux and would vomit quite literally whenever he was put down. After a few weeks he eventually started managing maybe 3x 30 minute stretches in his crib during each night - that was the extend of my sleep. I certainly wasn’t using that time to get back up and shower! My partner worked offshore for 3 weeks at a time so while he was home and there was another pair of hands to hold DS, yes, I was a priority and I looked after myself. But while he was away during those early months with the horrendous reflux and I was alone with DS, it was bare survival.
This was during lockdowns too, and we had moved to a new area not long before so literally no family or friends around to offer a hand.

Helena1993 · 26/02/2023 06:02

Not as often as I do now. Maybe once in 3-4 days.

MGee123 · 26/02/2023 06:08

Every day. I couldn't not - left me feeling crap and low in mood. Or if I didn't shower, a thorough strip wash at least, and washed my hair every other day. Also continued putting make up on etc when I wanted to. Even with the fussiest of babies you can make time if it's important for you. No judgement of those for whom it isn't a priority though.

YfenniChristie · 26/02/2023 06:09

Once, sometimes twice a day. I had a C-section wound that I needed to keep clean.

DS would either be with DH, or in his cot asleep or awake.

Emptycrackedcup · 26/02/2023 06:18

Luckily every day, I made myself because of my stitches incase they got infected. If I didnt have the excuse I probably wouldn't have. DH had to watch the baby, although it wouldn't have mattered as I could've just left him.

Emptycrackedcup · 26/02/2023 06:19

Plus the shower was good so I could cry there! I think it's the only 'break' you get so it's important

PuttingDownRoots · 26/02/2023 06:19

Everyday. We went out everyday too.

It was just the two of us most of the time... the daily walk kept me sane (as it made her sleep) and for that I needed to be presentable.

I used to put her in her bouncy chair in the bathroom.

It was a lot more difficult when she was mobile!

Emptycrackedcup · 26/02/2023 06:23

PuttingDownRoots · 26/02/2023 06:19

Everyday. We went out everyday too.

It was just the two of us most of the time... the daily walk kept me sane (as it made her sleep) and for that I needed to be presentable.

I used to put her in her bouncy chair in the bathroom.

It was a lot more difficult when she was mobile!

Agree. A shower is much harder once they're on the move. Probably with a (first) newborn though you're much more exhausted and overwhelmed

GG1986 · 26/02/2023 06:45

Every other day or daily, oh can hold baby when I want to shower or I will put baby in its bouncer and bring it in the bathroom with me

gettingalifttothestation · 26/02/2023 06:51

Babies can be put down while you shower !

Camilliatile · 26/02/2023 06:58

Every day but I wouldn't judge you for one week.

WalkAwaySugarbear · 26/02/2023 07:01

Showered every day, it was the only thing that helped wake me up after a night of broken sleep.

My babies weren't clingy though and were quite happy in their moses baskets / cots for 5 mins whilst I had a quick shower.

shakeitoffsis · 26/02/2023 07:02

Daily. I feel like my 2 babies are not the norm when I read MN.
daily showers, no 'freezer batch cooking' required etc. first 3 month all my kids did was sleep I was only required at bottle time lol.

CSR721 · 26/02/2023 07:03

Every evening when DH gets home from work. Its my half an hour to myself every day.

Dyslexicwonder · 26/02/2023 07:06

Erm after giving birth and all that comes with it find it slightly puzzling why you wouldn't shower each day for me it was twice a day

This, when Dd was born (DC2) I would make sure I was showered and dressed before DH left for work in the morning. Not washing would be a disaster for my mental health.

HiImTheProblemItsMe · 26/02/2023 07:10

Every day! I hate not showering. I genuinely can't stand it. Especially after birth with the bleeding and stitches and everything. Even with ds1 who was a real velcro baby, I still had to shower. Usually I'd wait til DH got home from work and I'd make sure I'd just fed DS, then DH would take him out for a walk in the buggy for half an hour and I'd shower or bath.

botleybump · 26/02/2023 07:10

My DD has just turned a month old and I've showered and washed my hair every day since we came home from hospital. (Did every other in there around visiting hours for Dad)
It's the first thing I do after DH goes to work in the morning. Sets us up nicely.