How Often Should Babies Be Bathed?
With the arrival of the newborn, many parents have doubts about how often babies should be bathed. The first thing you should know is that, unlike adults, they don’t need to shower every day.
The skin of many babies can react with a rash or dryness if this happens. However, one thing that needs to be done is to ensure that the diaper region is always clean.
The general recommendation is that, until the baby’s umbilical cord falls out, sanitizing should be done with a soft sponge or cloth rather than a bath in the bathtub.
Then, when the cord has healed, the baby will need a bath once or twice a week.
Once your baby learns to crawl and gets really dirty, you can introduce daily baths, even if they aren’t needed yet.
Of course, you should always use a moisturizer as soon as your baby comes out of the tub to avoid possible reactions on your delicate skin.
On the other hand, we recommend that you choose a good time for your baby’s bath. Preferably when he’s happy.
At the same time, make sure the room is warm and prepare all the necessary items in advance: a container of warm water, a towel, cotton, a clean diaper and, if necessary, clean clothes.
How often should babies be bathed?
Bathing a newborn baby for the first time is one of the most enjoyable and, for some people, one of the most disturbing moments of parenthood.
Although parents may be nervous at first, they will soon become confident and competent as they learn what works best for them and the baby.
In the baby’s first months of life, it is recommended to bathe 1 or 2 times a week. However, you should always maintain care and clean your face, hands, diaper area and underarm creases every day.
Also, you should know that, for some parents, the daily struggle to bathe babies can be difficult: they will do anything to avoid getting into the bathtub. In contrast, other kids really enjoy this moment.
When is the best time to bathe babies?
When it comes to time, almost any time of day can be the right time for a baby’s bath. The only thing you should consider in this case is to avoid bathing immediately before or after meals. Doing this with a full belly can cause the baby to regurgitate.
Also, you need to give your baby time to bathe, so you don’t have to rush. Also remember not to leave the baby alone for a second to take care of something else.
Therefore, if you are planning to bathe your baby, remember that it is important to have full availability to monitor your baby at all times.
If you need to leave the bathroom, you should always take it with you to avoid any kind of unexpected incident.
Tips for bathing babies
Given its importance, this list of tips that should be taken into consideration when bathing babies can be very helpful:
- The proper water temperature for a bath is lukewarm.
- The duration of the baths should be 5-10 minutes.
- Use mild, unscented soaps to keep your baby’s skin from drying out.
- Apply small amounts of soap and wash the child with your hands.
- Don’t let the baby sit and play in the bathtub; especially if the water contains soap.
- Use the soap at the end of the bath; not in the beginning.
- When you have finished bathing, wash your child with warm water to remove all the soap from your body.
- Vaseline is a wonderful moisturizer, especially if applied as soon as the child comes out of the bathtub with the skin still wet.
- Avoid using creams with fragrances, coloring agents, preservatives and other chemicals.
- Do not use products that contain alcohol.
Finally, remember that the frequency of your baby’s bath should be increased gradually to avoid possible changes to your delicate skin.
If you follow these tips, baby baths will be a very special time for both of you!
