Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Sleep routines - bath every night

53 replies

Dueindecember2016 · 03/03/2017 17:35

Do you bath baby every night? I didn't think you were supposed to. I thought a good wash was good enough with bath twice a week?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

JumpSturdy · 03/03/2017 19:35

Nope. Once every five days here! Some people do but our bedtime routine has never been anything more than: into sleeping bag, light off, white noise on, feed to sleep, see you in the morning. Works for us, but think that's more luck than because it's a 'perfect' routine.

NSEA · 03/03/2017 19:36

Depends on age but at the most 3 times a week. I think having a bath as aprt of your routine is a very bad idea in case of times when you can't do it. X

WheresTheEvidence · 03/03/2017 19:38

I think relying on an crux for bedtime whether it's a bath, feeding to sleep or white noise is a bad thing to get into. So bath when you like morning or night whenever it's needed.

Somehowsomewhere · 03/03/2017 19:40

Yeah I do and always have, but that's because mine both love the bath so it's an 'activity'. Kills some time between dinner and bed which is often the 'witching hour'.
Mine are 3 and 1 and we still only use plain water so no problems with dry skin etc.

JumpSturdy · 03/03/2017 19:44

Feeding to sleep is certainly something I may live to regret, but can't see the problem with white noise. Cuts out background noise and I know plenty of adults who use it as they're light sleepers!

Sparrowlegs248 · 03/03/2017 19:45

I bath ds1 every night, he's 19 months old, loves a bath and tbh it fills some time when I'm.counting down to bedtime. It's about the only time all day that he sits still ish. He didn't have a bath last night though as has been poorly and was so cranky we skipped it. Still went to bed OK.

Ds2 is 3 weeks tomorrow and has had two baths.

Somehowsomewhere · 03/03/2017 19:45

I'm 32 and use white noise to sleep

Original poster

Dueindecember2016 · 04/03/2017 07:57

Thanks everyone. I knew I was right and that baths all the time are bad... even if she does love them!!

OP posts:

welshweasel · 04/03/2017 08:06

Baths aren't bad. In fact, if you have eczema it's advised to bath daily. That said, there's nothing wrong with doing it less frequently, whatever works for you. We've done a daily bath from a few weeks old, initially because he loved it but now also because he's always covered in food! So for us it's part of the bedtime routine but it doesn't need to be.

BernardsarenotalwaysSaints · 04/03/2017 08:06

Nope, when they're very little I tend to give an actual bath once or twice a week & then top & tail in between as needed. Usually my older 2 (6&5) shower daily but as our shower is broken atm we're doing boy's (20 months & 5) bath night & girl's (6 &4) bath night so they're all clean every other night. I could bath all 4 every night but they don't need it & it wouldn't be as relaxed. In general they're all good sleepers except the baby but that's more to do with his asthma than anything else.

Somehowsomewhere · 04/03/2017 08:10

Thanks everyone. I knew I was right and that baths all the time are bad... even if she does love them!!

Why are baths all the time bad?!
My oldest has had one probably 95% of the time for 3.5 years and she's suffered no adverse effects...

Beansonapost · 04/03/2017 08:16

Why are baths bad?

As an adult I couldn't imagine going to bed without a shower...

I assume my DD gets sweaty and is messy... and her bum area wouldn't be too pleased either... as the poo stinks and wipes don't get rid of the smell... we use unsecured water based wipes. She enjoys her bath and we wash her hair twice a week. I can't imagine putting her to bed dirty or just with a wipe down.

It's a lovely routine we've developed of bath, teeth.. story time and then bed, it works for us. But I suppose to each his own.

Beansonapost · 04/03/2017 08:17

Unscented* damn phone!

Raisinbrain · 04/03/2017 08:43

We bath every night and always have done as DS (16 months) usually enjoys it. Fortunately he doesn't have sensitive skin at all.
He actually smells very bad if we don't wash his hair every day! He has long curly hair and tends to rub his hands in there especially when they're covered in food.

MrsDustyBusty · 04/03/2017 08:47

Oddly, we got the advice not to bathe the baby every day because of her eczema.

Littlelegs19 · 04/03/2017 08:53

We bath every night. My son absolutely loves his bath and is so happy in the water. We notice he doesn't sleep as well if we don't bath him. He is 15w and we have done this since he was about 12w. Before that it was once/twice a week

Slothlikesundays · 04/03/2017 08:55

We give dd a bath every night. Although mostly just with water and only put bubbles in twice a week maximum when she's had a massive nappy explosion. She loves baths and it kills time in the witching hour before bed.

LillyBugg · 04/03/2017 08:55

if you have eczema it's advised to bath daily

My understanding is actually the complete opposite of this. Bathing dries the skin out.

Baths aren't 'bad' OP. Just not necessary every day.

kittytom · 04/03/2017 08:57

I am interested in the advice to bath daily if you have eczema. My dad has very bad excess and psoriasis and has a bath daily in oilatum to control it. But generally I thought having a bath every day wasn't great for dry skin. Maybe that is just my excuse for bathing my kids once a week when I remember though!

Sort of related but last week India Knight's advised washing hair once a week to it make it less dry which K am currently going a go. (Record so far is five days before caving!)

kittytom · 04/03/2017 08:58

Very bad eczema not excess...

And India Knight not Knight's!

TupperwareTat · 04/03/2017 08:59

Once or twice a week, Sunday mornings usually. We never did it in the evenings, we (DD & I) were too tired after work.

Bed at 18.30, asleep by 19.15 after a story.

Original poster

Dueindecember2016 · 04/03/2017 09:00

A babies skin is so sensitive and should be looked after. My opinion is that baths shouldn't be given every night but a good wash with a top and tail bowl is fine.

OP posts:

Somehowsomewhere · 04/03/2017 09:07

A babies skin is so sensitive and should be looked after. My opinion is that baths shouldn't be given every night but a good wash with a top and tail bowl is fine

Yes, a good wash is fine. But a bath in plain water every night isn't 'bad'.

MrsDustyBusty · 04/03/2017 09:23

It really has to be the family's choice. So long as the bathing isn't infrequent enough to be neglectful, each to their own, I think.

jessplussomeonenew · 04/03/2017 09:34

As I understand it, if you're doing frequent baths for eczema you need to use an emollient in the bath and then slather on emollient cream within minutes of getting them out - the idea is that the oily bath plumps up the skin and then putting the cream on "locks in" that moisture so it hydrates rather than drying the skin. A bath with just water (or worse, one with bubbles in) would still be a bad idea for eczema.

Flip

1 2 3