I have heard some conflicting advice on how often to bathe my newborn. My son is 8 weeks old and I have been told by different people to bathe him daily, every other day, or only 2 times a week.... which is correct?
2007-03-09 06:46:03 · 18 answers · asked by Jennifer A 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
All are correct. Even Doctors who deliver children will tell you different things. We bathe our two year old every single day. When he was a newborn he really responded to the warmth of the bath and to the voice of myself or my wife. Basically whatever works best for you , your spouse and your baby. Look at it this way, it's a great time to get some face-time with your child.
By the way with the baby washes and shampoos that are available today you do not have to worry about drying out their skin. Wash your hands with some and you'll see what I mean.
2007-03-09 06:52:49 · answer #1 · answered by jeff_marasso 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You know, they really don't get that "dirty"until they start moving around so I bathed my son every other day, mostly for that SMELL!!! I love that baby smell! Unless he had a really dirty diaper or something then I would definitely bath on those days too! I think too much can dry out their skin and especially scalps so I wouldn't do it every day(unless he is stinky for some reason;) but I would definitely bath more than twice a week. Good luck!
2007-03-09 15:15:03 · answer #2 · answered by emrobs 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I bathed my little girl everyday. It helped soothe her before bedtime plus she loved to splash. I did this since she was starting to touch everything she could get a hold of and who knows how many germs she was holding onto. But, like others have said, if his skin becomes dry then bathe every other day and sponge bathe him on the days you don't bathe him just to remove any germs. Make sure the water is not too hot because this will not only burn him, but will make his skin dry. Make sure to follow up with lotion after bath to prevent dry skin. Aveeno makes great products for every age that will help keep skin healthy.
2007-03-09 14:56:20 · answer #3 · answered by ve 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's really up to you and your baby.
At 8 weeks your baby's skin may become too dried out if you bathe him daily, but he should be bathed probably at least twice a week to make sure that you properly clean spit-ups etc. out of the creases of his neck & things.
At about 4 months I started bathing every night as part of a bed-time routine.
2007-03-09 15:27:39 · answer #4 · answered by babypocket2005 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Every three days. Babies don't get that dirty, therefore don't need to be bathed everyday. I bathe my son every 3 days. Plus their skins is still sensitive and may begin to become dry if bathed too often. As they get older and start to crawl, walk, and get into things then they will need to bathed more often. Good Luck.
2007-03-09 14:52:56 · answer #5 · answered by Shannon 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I gave my son a bath every night at that age because he loved it so much. It is really up to you. This winter, I have started giving my son a bath every other night because his skin was getting dry. So, if you are bathing him every night and notice his skin getting dry (especially common in the winter months), you can cut back to every other night. Hope this helps!
2007-03-09 14:49:27 · answer #6 · answered by Hilary M 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My son's Dr. told us to give him a bath 1-2 times per week. Baby skin is more sensitive than we think it is and if you bathe him too much you will dry out his skin. You can also give him cradle cap from washing his hair too much. Make sure after every bath you put baby lotion on him.
Good luck!!
2007-03-09 14:55:20 · answer #7 · answered by Jacob's Mommy (Plus One) 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is no right answer--you're going to have decide what you are comfortable with. I know my pediatrician does not recommend daily bathing for newborns. I usually do it every second or third day.
2007-03-09 15:45:24 · answer #8 · answered by toomanycommercials 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Bathing doesn't need to be everyday. I soap him every two to three days and in between some days I may let him play and soak for ten minutes without soap. To much soap dries out their skin, but just a soak and short play time in the tub will not, in fact it helps to hydrate the skin even better, especially if you moisturize right after.
So if you think he sleeps better at night with a bath then give him one short one each night without soap. wash him every few days in between.
2007-03-09 15:15:15 · answer #9 · answered by qpook 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My last baby was a preemie and spent 3 weeks in the hospital. I was with her always and in the hospital the nurses and I bathed her every single day.
2007-03-09 14:58:43 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋