Bathing your baby - Start for Life (2024)

FAQs

At what age do you start bathing a baby everyday? ›

The Bottom Line

Once they hit six months, you can start bathing them three to four times a week; you can also bathe them daily if your doctor gives you the go-ahead. And once they become a toddler, you should be bathing (or showering) them daily or every other day. It's best to use warm water for a baby bath or shower.

It is important to follow these safety rules when bathing your baby: Keep the room warm so your baby does not get cold. Bathe your baby quickly to avoid chilling. Keep water around 100° Fahrenheit (F) or 37.8° Celsius (C).

A newborn's skin is soft and delicate. Proper skin care and bathing can help maintain the health and texture of the baby's skin while providing a pleasant experience for both of you. Contrary to popular thought, most babies don't need a bath every single day.

Three times a week might be enough until your baby becomes more mobile. Bathing your baby too much can dry out your baby's skin. If you're quick and thorough with diaper changes and burp cloths, you're already cleaning the parts that need attention — the face, neck and diaper area.

Newborns don't need a bath every day. They rarely sweat or get dirty enough to need a full bath that often. Three baths per week during baby's first year may be enough. Bathing more frequently can dry out your baby's skin.

Some parents bathe their babies daily as part of a bedtime routine or due to regular baby messes, from extra spit-up to diaper blowouts. But for most families, bathing the baby two to three times a week is plenty after the first couple of weeks of life.

You can bath your baby at any time of the day. It's a good idea to pick a time when you're relaxed and you won't be interrupted. Try not to bath your baby when they're hungry or they've just had a feed. If bathing relaxes your baby, you can use it as a way to settle your baby in the evening.

Make sure the water temperature is safe.

Don't run the water too hot or too cold for your little one. The ideal temperature is between 90 and 100 degrees. Use a moderate water flow (rather than a stronger, more forceful spray) to keep the shower gentle and relaxing for your baby.

To sponge bathe, undress your baby and swaddle them in a towel with the head exposed. Wash your baby's face first, being careful not to get water into their eyes or mouth. Don't use soap on your baby's face. Then wash the rest of your baby's body.

Bath time might be part of your nightly ritual, but doctors actually don't recommend daily baths for babies. Excess exposure to water can zap their skin of moisture and worsen conditions like eczema. Then again, not bathing your baby often enough can also aggravate eczema, plus lead to other infections.

Why do hospitals not bathe newborns? ›

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that newborns should not be given a bath in the first 24 h but to wait until their vital signs become stable, especially that this will leave residual vernix caseosa intact allowing it to wear off with normal care and handling [2].

Few activities can be as soothing as taking a bath—and that's especially true for little ones. After coming out of a warm bath, a baby's body temperature starts to cool, which can help your infant fall asleep more easily.

Remember that newborns don't need a bath more than about three times per week. Safety should be the top priority when it comes to bathing your little one. Choose a safe bathing location, use a small amount of mild soap, keep the water warm, and most importantly, never take your eyes off your baby in the tub.

You can start using unperfumed baby bath from about 4 to 6 weeks, but be careful to only use a little so you don't damage your baby's skin. Babies with longer hair may need a drop of mild shampoo on wet hair, lathered and rinsed off.

Medical experts believe that as long as nudity is within the home, not traumatic to the child, and of consent, then adults bathing with children is fine. Dr. Beyer, a psychologist, advises parents to stop showering and bathing with their children once they start school — around the age of 5 or 6.

Plan out the week: Babies need a bath about 3 times a week. You can plan to wash baby on an every-other-day schedule if it helps to keep things organized! Pick a time of day: It doesn't matter if you wash your baby in the morning or in the evening, but it may help baby to keep the same time of day.

Don't put your baby in the tub for a few weeks after he or she is born. It's best to sponge-bathe your infant until the umbilical cord falls off and is completely healed. After that, you can place your baby in the water, making sure to support the head and neck at all times. Your baby doesn't need a bath every day.

At some point, your child is old enough to bathe themselves. When exactly that happens, "depends on the child's maturity and desire for privacy," says Dr. Lysouvakon. "Some kids can bathe as early as 5 or 6 years of age, but many experts recommend solo bathing at 8 years of age.

Other tips for bathing your toddler include keeping the water temperature at about 100 degrees Fahrenheit, washing gently with a washcloth and baby-safe soap, using toys or pretend play to make the process fun, and drying off quickly to stay warm.