For many parents, giving their baby a bath is a nightly ritual and part of the bed time routine. It is sacred. Soothing. Necessary.
And yet, it may not actually be good for their skin.
For my kids, bath time has never been every night. While most parents say it calms their kids, for mine, it was like a shot of espresso right before bed. Not so fun. But more than that, my kids have very sensitive skin, so that wasn’t for us. However, we have many friends who swear by it.
I know this can be quite the debate, so we looked to some experts for their take.
According to the experts, infants up to a year old may only need to be bathed three times a week, possibly less (2X) in the winter. Bathing babies more than this can really dry out their skin.
Instead of bathing every day, the Canadian Public Health Association recommends cleaning baby’s face after each feeding and cleaning the diaper area after every diaper change – preferably with a warm wash cloth.
If the nighttime bathing ritual is something you feel is necessary – and your baby loves – remember that a cleansing agent and hair wash aren’t necessary each time. Only do those about two to three times a week.
Here are some other baby bathing tips:
Don’t over cleanse. If you do wish to bathe baby each day, remember that soap and a shampoo aren’t required each time. Just let them enjoy the water in between cleansing.
Always wash hair last. A wet head becomes cold quickly!
Don’t forget the rolls! It may be tricky getting every nook and roll, but take your time and gently cleanse in between each, otherwise spit up can get stuck in there.
Use gentle, natural products. Our true natural body wash is gentle enough for even the most delicate skin, and you can even pump it into running water to create a nice foam bath.
After bath routine. Many babies enjoy getting rubbed down after their bath, but some lotions contain harsh ingredients that aren’t the best for baby’s skin. Our true natural moisturizing skin gel contains soothing aloe vera and vitamin E to nourish baby’s skin. It also helps with cradle cap!
Do what feels right for you and your family, but if you can cut down on the baths, especially during the dry winter months, baby’s skin will be better for it.
