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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?

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RhondaWade · 04/03/2017 09:38

I also agree, a good wash at night is fine for the baby.

ElspethFlashman · 04/03/2017 09:43

My son has eczema. If he had a bath every night, even with plain water he'd look like a crocodile, so I'm baffled by someone saying it's recommended. I'm pretty sure you'll find its most certainly not! He has a bath about twice a week at the most and we still have to go mad with the diprobase.

I know someone who's child is so dependent on baths to sleep that they have to go to extraordinary lengths on holiday to get her one. They were once overnight on a boat and had to McGyver a contraption, it was ridiculous. I wouldn't mind but half the time she only deigns to stay in it about 5 mins. But woe betide them if it doesn't actually happen. Nightmare.

delilabell · 04/03/2017 09:46

Our dd is 10 months and has eczema sp ots a quick bath a couple of times a week at most.
Ds is 4 if he's very stressy we resort back to a "tight" bedtime routine of warm milk, bath, bedtime story.

Otherwise ots just bedtime story and a chat.
I do understand the point of not sticking religiously to a bedtime routine be it bath, story, feeding to sleep etc bease ot can cause am issue of it needs to change, but I wouldn't class anything as "bad" if it wrs at the time it's right.

Purplebluebird · 04/03/2017 09:46

My little one (3) gets upset if he doesn't get a bath every night before bed. It's very much a sleep time cue for him. His skin does not dry out, and we only wash him properly + hair every other day (otherwise just essential bits). If it was affecting his skin or anything, we wouldn't do it. Can't stop now, as he's got so used to it!

Purplebluebird · 04/03/2017 09:47

(He does go to sleep without a bath if necessary or very tired, or he just doesn't fancy it, but he seems to prefer to have a bath if possible)

Bobbybobbins · 04/03/2017 09:50

Our consultant at the hospital recommended daily baths with emollient for eczema which I found v surprising.

Somehowsomewhere · 04/03/2017 10:10

Does your baby have eczema OP?

welshweasel · 04/03/2017 10:52

nationaleczema.org/eczema/treatment/bathing/

welshweasel · 04/03/2017 10:53

Daily baths for eczema have been recommended for a few years now, it might sound counterintuitive but combined with good moisturising routine has been proven to help.

SpaceDuck · 04/03/2017 11:12

We bath DS (6 months old) every night and have done since he was about 6 weeks old. He absolutely loves it. He has suffered with bad reflux so always smells of sick and now we're weaning him he gets covered in food and a wipe down just never feels properly clean to me.

Original poster
Dueindecember2016 · 04/03/2017 11:16

Hahah!! If you are implying I'm neglecting my child you are wrong. This was simply a post about bathing in a sleep routine.

OP posts:
Scrumptiouscrumpets · 04/03/2017 11:32

2yo didn't have a bath every evening until he started weaning. I skipped it occasionally and it didn't impact on his sleep - it's not the only part of his routine after all.
I have bathed DS2 every evening since he was 10 days old, he is now 6 months old and I do wonder if skipping it would be a problem. I think they need to get to a certain age before they manage to relax sufficiently with just milk and a story, and 6 months is probably too early. A bath is a great way for babies and toddlers to relax, get rid of that last bit of energy before bed and warm up if they're cold. Also, imo, even babies get dirty as soon as they start eating solids.

Somehowsomewhere · 04/03/2017 11:59

Hahah!! If you are implying I'm neglecting my child you are wrong. This was simply a post about bathing in a sleep routine

Who is implying you're neglecting your child? Confused.
If anything, you're implying that those of us who are bathing our children every day are somehow doing them a disservice. You said daily bathing is 'bad', and we need to look after our children's sensitive skin!

WigglyWooWorm · 04/03/2017 12:16

When mine were small I thought daily bathing would make them dependent on it (like purplebird above has found). Also even with plain water for dry skin can only be done with lots of emollient afterwards which I didn't want to do daily as is sticky. We were advised not to regularly due to eczema too, but we don't personally like lots of products on baby's skin. Plain water without something after is drying.

We used to just wipe and bath occasionally as babies. Now as school children they shower 3 x a week usually, but not long soaks in the bath.

Wasn't it introduced daily relatively recently at the height of gina ford and her "routines?"

bookworm14 · 04/03/2017 12:19

I don't see why a bath every night is bad. We bath 18mo DD every night because she enjoys it and it's an important part of her bedtime routine. I'm aware it's not necessary, but can't see why it would be harmful.

WigglyWooWorm · 04/03/2017 12:27

I don't think it is bad in itself. If you've made it part of a bedtime routine and you're happening that. I wouldn't have been for reasons above bit if it works for you there's nothing wrong with it as far as I know!

WigglyWooWorm · 04/03/2017 12:28

Happy with. Not happening. Grr for phone spell correction.

ElspethFlashman · 04/03/2017 13:04

I think SuperNanny had something to do with it too. She was obsessed with baths.

Beansonapost · 04/03/2017 18:15

Don't know about Gina ford or super nanny... but where I'm from children bathe/bath every day.... unless advised not to do so.

I just can't understand how a wipe down of a toddler leaves them clean.

I'm quite surprised at this, because I've never encountered so many people suggesting a daily bath is a bad thing.. obviously not on this thread.

WigglyWooWorm · 04/03/2017 18:28

Our hv (8 years ago mind) explicitly was against us using lots of products, especially Johnson and Johnson etc amd talked about how we shouldn't be conned by marketing. She was also ace with weaning where she got jars/organix snacks etc and showed his normal rice cakes/yoghurt were cheaper and often better!

pelicanpaul · 04/03/2017 21:54

I bathe 16m old dd every night, she normally has some kind of foodstuff in her hair by the end of the day and I think it's good for her bum to get washed after being in nappies all day!

Ragwort · 04/03/2017 22:00

I always gave my DS a bath before bed - partly because he loved it, and as others have said it was an 'activity', I would never have 'fed to sleep' though in my view that is a difficult habit to break. But having a bath before bed is quite a 'nice' habit - DS is 16 now and currently in the bath as I write this Grin. I always have a bath before bed myself, can't bear the thought of getting into bed without being fresh and clean.

FartnissEverbeans · 05/03/2017 08:37

DS is 5mo. I bath him most nights but it's generally dependent on a) whether it's been a 'poo day' and b) whether I can be bothered. Blush We use plain water and baby oil on his scalp.

He has reflux so I always wipe down his chest and under his chin to avoid rashes. I also wash his hands and face every day and his bum gets a wipe every change.

ItsNachoCheese · 05/03/2017 08:48

20 month old ds gets a bath most nights as he loves the water and splashing around but if he is crabby from not having a sleep during the day he gets a quick hosedown with the shower

Only1scoop · 05/03/2017 08:50

Always bathed dd and still do. Always been part of her nightly relaxing bedtime routine and still is.