How often do your kids need baths? Photo by Corbis Images.
Almost every parent on the planet has the same dirty secret: Bath time doesn’t necessarily happen every day. And the good news is, skipping the bath every now and then in favor of a tantrum-free evening is totally okay.
Here are some guidelines: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that babies younger than 1 have a full bath three times a week or less (any more than that can dry out a infant’s skin), and the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) states that kids ages 6 to 11 only need a bath once or twice a week, unless they’re dirty, sweaty, or have a skin condition that requires more bathing, as per their doctor. Once kids hit puberty, a bath or shower a day is key.
But in the long run, a daily bath for a kid of any age isn’t dangerous and in most cases won’t cause skin issues for your child, Katya Harfmann, MD, a dermatologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, tells Yahoo Parenting. Here are some tips for the best way to clean your kids.
Work your way up to daily baths: “The barrier function of skin isn’t as developed in infants as it is in older kids, making a baby’s skin more fragile and prone to infection,” says Harfmann. “For infants whose umbilical cord stumps have fallen off, immersive baths, where most of the body is under the water, can be alternated with sponge baths outside the tub.” Of course, this depends on how much your baby needs a bath — if she’s had a major diaper blowout, getting into the tub may be the quickest and easiest way to clean her up. However, after about a year, babies’ skin becomes more resilient and can withstand a daily immersive bath.
Start without soap: Plenty of toddlers love to play in the tub, but experts don’t recommend mixing playing with washing. Instead, allow your toddler to play in a soap-free bath for ten minutes, then get down to business. That way soapy water won’t disrupt the skin barrier. And keep the water lukewarm (about 90 degrees) to avoid skin irritation. Another must: Set your hot water heater for a maximum of 120 degrees to avoid burns, especially if your child has a tendency to reach for the taps.
Apply loads of lotion: A 2014 study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that applying lotion on children can reduce the chances of eczema. So rub some on your kid immediately after a shower or bath. If your child’s skin is sensitive, opt for brands with the National Eczema Association’s seal of acceptance, a sign the product doesn’t contain any known irritants. Since lots of toddlers can be finicky about having lotion applied, give him or her the “job” of putting it on certain areas of their body while you target others, so they feel like they’re part of the process.
Play lifeguard: To prevent accidental drowning, never let your kids bathe alone in the tub before the age of seven and have them keep the door open if they’re older than that. The same caution should be applied to teenagers who are safest leaving the door unlocked when they’re bathing.
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My kids generally got a bath daily. Rarly they may have waited till morning.
My kids got showers right after school because of allergens and to help transition from school to home.
That's just the way I did it.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
Bf's son only bathes twice a week which I think is gross, he is VERY active and comes home from school dripping in sweat. I wash his sheets once a week at least.
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Was it a bad day?
Or was it a bad five minutes that you milked all day?
Every day because of allergens. It also preps them for sleep. I've always bathed them daily, including their hair. I use body wash and lotion if I think they are dry. #1 gets dry sometimes, #2's skin is more oily and never needs lotion.
At least every other day in my house. But usually nightly. I try to only use soap when needed. Mostly its just a rinse off since he's a messy eater. He inherited my sensitive skin.
My boss's kids only bathe once a week. I was at his house from something or the other and there was a calendar on the wall (one of those big wall sized ones) and on Saturday there was a tub. I made a joke about "what, you only bathe your kids on Saturday?" and was laughing. He and his wife both said yes. That kids do not need more than 1 bath a week.
I mean, I can see not every day, but once a week?
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America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
Every day here. It's part of the bedtime routine for Baby A, but I only use soap every other day unless it's needed more. I was doing every other day for DD7 but it's just easier to keep her hair from getting snarled if we wash it every day. They both like baths/showers so it's not a struggle.
A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
For us, bathtime was a bedtime ritual, DH would bathe them and read them a bedtime story...it was his "time" with them.
As the old saying goes, prepuberty, you can't get them out of the swimming pool, or into the shower. Post puberty, you can't get them into the pool or out of the shower.
EVERY DAY. Make it a habit like brushing your teeth.
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“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou
Even as infants I bathed my kids every day and rubbed them down with lotion.
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“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou
Even as infants I bathed my kids every day and rubbed them down with lotion.
I don't think I did with mine, unless they blew out a diaper...
flan
It was more about bonding time with us. Washing and then a little baby massage with lotion. I loved the way it made them smell. I never wanted stinky children.
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“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou
EVERY DAY. Make it a habit like brushing your teeth.
Except for infants, of course!
My brother (the one with slight disabilities) hated brushing his teeth or washing his hair...picture fairly thick hair, greasier than Norman Reedus'.
flan
Them's fighting words!
I'm ready!!
flan
My bff & I have this argument all the time. She says he looks like a filthy homeless person & she can smell him through the tv. She does not watch WD but her SO does. I think he's pretty hot in a bad boy way.
I was asked for advice by a lady whose 7 y.o. DD had constant bladder and kidney infections, to the point where she was at risk of needing dialysis. She couldn't get a doctor to solve the problem, she'd been to SEVEN urologists, including the head of Urology in a nearby state university hospital.
And Cipro wasn't clearing it up ... because the girl couldn't keep the pills down.
After some troubleshooting, she told me that the girl's underpants always had "skid marks" (Ann Landers' term).
I told her (1) stop shopping for a better doctor (and I told her how to communicate with them so they would hear her),
(2) have her DD sit on the toilet every morning after breakfast, so she wouldn't have to go at school,
(3) install a hand-held shower head, positioned so the girl could reach it,
(4) teach her how to use it to make SURE her butt is clean, every day before getting dressed for school.
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The Principle of Least Interest: He who cares least about a relationship, controls it.
When DD was little, unless she rubbed food in her hair or sat in mud (yeah that happened a lot) She was bathed every other day. I have her wash her hair every other day now, but also she takes a quick shower on the off days since she is starting to stink.
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Sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug.
We make SS who is ten shower daily at our house. He smells otherwise.
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“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou
We make SS who is ten shower daily at our house. He smells otherwise.
Yeah, they do get to an age about 10 when they start getting smelly for sure!
It's mostly his hair. I will kiss his head and be like, "When was the last time you washed that?" Ick. That's the only thing that I know of that smells, but then again that's the only thing on him I routinely smell!
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“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou
Even as infants I bathed my kids every day and rubbed them down with lotion.
I don't think I did with mine, unless they blew out a diaper...
flan
It was more about bonding time with us. Washing and then a little baby massage with lotion. I loved the way it made them smell. I never wanted stinky children.
Me too. They got a bath every evening. C has always had super sensitive skin, eczema. And I bathed her and lotioned her daily. If I didn't, she would get red and itchy.
I didn't want stinky kids either.
Ex SIL wouldn't bathe her kids. You ever held a 2 month old that smelled soured? I'd get them and bathe them and she would wonder why they would sleep so much better after being with me. Well duh? They were clean.
I had my 3 and her 2 and managed to bathe them all. She just never seemed to have the time.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
When they are toddlers it's easier to bathe them together.
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“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou
They are close in age but couldn't be in the tub together.
C is 20, J is 18, NC is 5 months younger than J, A is 16 and NM is 14.
At one time I had 4, 2 and under. By my self, I didnt want them all in the tub at one time. One went down and they all were down.
Now when they got a little older, I could hose them down on the back patio and be done with it.
I think every one with kids should have an outdoor shower. I loved my make shift outdoor shower.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
Mine are all three years apart almost to the day. I would put them in together once they weren't infants anymore.
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“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou
Add N&N in and the kids that spacing dramatically diminishes.
And yes, I had N&N from the time they were babies.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
When I was growing up in the drear, dead days beyond recall, I was subjected to a bath twice a week. Wednesday night and Saturday night (due to church he next day) I was astounded to learn than some people bathed daily and did not learn this until I entered college. In the Army I knew you better bath or shower every day if you did not want a GI shower. LOL Suppose it depends on what climate you live in, how hard the kids play, etc. etc.
Add N&N in and the kids that spacing dramatically diminishes.
And yes, I had N&N from the time they were babies.
What is "N&N"?
Nephew and Niece.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
We make SS who is ten shower daily at our house. He smells otherwise.
Yeah, they do get to an age about 10 when they start getting smelly for sure!
It's mostly his hair. I will kiss his head and be like, "When was the last time you washed that?" Ick. That's the only thing that I know of that smells, but then again that's the only thing on him I routinely smell!
Yes, but soon follows body odor from the armpits and stinky feet! And, you can be in the next room and smell that!
I guess no one here has a skin condition that is irritated by frequent bathing.
I was advised by my gynecologist NOT to bath daily. Yeah, some of us have skin issues and other issues that are compounded by daily bathing.
Our youngest DD is not allowed to wash her hair with shampoo more then once a week. She has major scalp issues and extremely dry skin, but she does bath daily. She uses a bottle of lotion every two weeks. Poor kid. DGS has the same skin issue.
IMHO, this is an individual preference and/or health issue. Please do not criticize someone who does not bath daily like you.
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