How often should you give your baby a bath?
That may seem like a silly question for some parents. After all, if your baby enjoys her bath time, then a daily bath is probably a great idea.
But some infants don't necessarily like bath time or their skin may seem to dry out when they take a bath each day.
How Many Baths?
Fortunately, your baby probably doesn't really need a daily bath. In fact, you probably only need to give your baby a bath every two or three days.
Some babies, especially those who spit up very often, may need a bath every day though. Or you may just need to "spot wash" those areas that get dirty.
Baths and Dry Skin
Won't a daily bath dry out your baby's skin?
Maybe, but it usually won't if you have a good bath time routine.
This can include using a mild, soap-free, fragrance-free soap substitute, such as Aquaphor Gentle Wash for Baby, Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, Dove Sensitive Skin Body Wash, or Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash.Other baby bath washes, may also be soap free, but may include a fragrance or dyes that can irritate your baby's skin.
If you prefer a bar "soap," then consider using Dove Sensitive Skin Unscented Beauty Bar or Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar.
Baths and Moisturizers
Most importantly, whether you give your baby a bath every day or just twice a week, to help prevent her skin from drying out, it is important to moisturize her skin properly.
And the best way to do that is to dry her skin quickly and then apply a very generous amount of moisturizer all over. Good choices include Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment, Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream, or Eucerin Original Moisturizing Lotion. The key though, is applying it while her skin is still a little wet to help trap in some of the moisture, which usually means trying to apply the moisturizer within two or three minutes of ending the bath.
