I have to admit, I only bathe my toddler every other day. So many of my friends stick to a daily bath routine and swear by it, saying that their child will not go to sleep without it. I began to wonder if I was doing something wrong, so I looked into the research and recommendations regarding how often to bathe a child.First of all, there is plenty of information available about bathing newborns and infants, but I could not find any recommendations geared toward toddlers and older children from any authorities. Overall, there is no right answer when it comes to bathing frequency, but there are some important points to consider.
Recommendations for Newborns and Infants
According to many resources—including the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Sears, and Babycenter—it is not necessary to bathe a baby everyday because they are not getting that dirty. Some say once or twice a week is enough for young babies.
Skin Problems
Bathing a child too often can dry out skin and even cause skin problems like eczema. A baby's skin provides natural protection through bodily oils that prevent infection and irritation caused by factors like dirt and clothing. Bathing too often will strip those oils and lead to increased irritation. This is especially important to keep in mind during cold, dry weather.
According to thefamilygp.com, the number of infants with skin conditions is on the rise due to parents obsessively over-bathing their children. A survey highlighted on the site indicates that 35 percent of babies today suffer from sore, flaking, itchy skin.
How to Keep a Baby Clean without a Daily Bath
- It is most important to keep the diaper area clean, which can be done during regular diaper changes throughout the day.
- Wash the face frequently and thoroughly. When a baby spits up, wipe the mouth area and around the neck. These areas, especially in the skin folds, should stay clean and dry to avoid fungal or yeast infections.
- Do spot-cleaning in areas that get particularly sweaty, oily, or dirty, such as behind the ears, in the neck folds and in the creases of the groin.
Tips for Beyond the First Year
Since there are no specific recommendations for bathing children after the first year, here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Use common sense. If your child is visibly dirty, sweat a great deal during the day, or has an odor, it is time for a bath.
- Prioritize—A good rule of thumb it to always bathe children after swimming or playing on the beach.
- On days where there is no bath, make sure to wash the child's hands throughout the day, keep the diaper area clean, and wash the face as needed after meals.
- Stay flexible. Sometimes we are too busy or tired to give a bath as planned. Our children will not be endangered if they miss a bath.
What do you think about these tips? How often do you give your child a bath?
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5 comments:
When my son was under 6 months (or so) I bathed him once a week. When he started crawling I did it twice a week and we´re still doing this now that he´s 2.5 years old unless he was playing outside and got dirty. Every night we wash his face and hands with a wash cloth. I also just started using shampoo on him but only once a week. We use a little bit of bubble bath and that´s it (no shower gel). His pediatrician said we should not use any lotion and just a little bit of soap and so far his skin is perfect. I do have eczema so I am extra careful with using too much on him (and me).
Oh and by the way...we don´t have any problems with him going to bed without a daily bath! :)
We have no schedule for bathing our 5 year old. We don't bathe her every day by any stretch. I figure it comes out to about every 3rd or 4th day but definitely when she is actually dirty. She had skin problems earlier in life with Eczema so we got into the habit of not bathing her every day. She is very healthy now!
My children are 5, 8 and 10. I stick them in the bath every Sunday and they have to wash their hair whilst in there. There is a shower attachment and a seperate shower next to the bath if any one needs to rinse properly. Other than that, they shower if they are dirty or bath if I need some quiet time. They clean teeth twice daily and wash their faces every day. The teenager seems to shower twice a day when she washes her hair. I think that is too often - but she's a teenager so she knows best. I just started to think about this because I heard from a friend that someone complained the children don't have enough baths because they only take one every 3 days. My children don't seem to smell bad. They have lovely skin and their hair looks newly washed the whole week.
As long as your child falls asleep without a daily bath, this is fine. Kids before puberty really should only bathe every other day at the most because they do not have body odor and too much bathing can lead to dry skin and can actually weaken the immune system. If your child develops dry skin, you could try still bathing every other day but only using soap once a week.
Young children only need a bath twice a week. They will have healthy skin and sleep fine. Just make sure they have clean underwear daily and clean socks after each bath.
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