Most babies do fine with one or two baths a week for the first year. You can bathe them more often, but consider skipping the soap to avoid drying out their skin.
Few things are more nerve-wracking than bathing a newborn. Not only can they feel impossibly fragile, but you may worry about whether they’re warm or comfortable enough and if you’re doing a sufficiently thorough job.
Whether you’re bathing your first baby for the first time or are on baby number three, you may still have newborn bathing questions, the most pressing being, “How often should I bathe my baby?”
While longtime best practice has been to bathe the baby right after delivery, newer research suggests that delaying the first bath may be beneficial.
A 2019 study including nearly 1,000 babies found that waiting at least 12 hours after birth may promote breastfeeding. Additionally, another
Once you get home, you may want to bathe your newborn one to two times per week until their umbilical stump falls off. Until this happens, don’t submerge their body in water. Instead, use a warm washcloth and give them a gentle sponge bath, starting with their head and face and working your way downward.
If the baby spits up or dribbles milk as they feed, you can wipe them down more frequently, taking particular care of their face and neck areas. If the mess is coming from the other end, you may also want to give a bath to clean up diaper blowouts. But unless there is a mess, they really don’t need a daily bath at this age.
During the early months of your baby’s life, you can continue bathing them one to two times per week. Once they no longer have their umbilical stump, you can begin giving them more traditional baths.
To do this, fill a baby bathtub partway with warm water and hold the baby, supporting their head and neck. You could also use a tub with built-in support. You can use damp washcloths to cover them and keep them warm during the bath. Again, you can start with the baby’s face and head and work your way downward.
Another way to bathe a baby at this age is to bring them into the bath or shower with you. If you choose to bathe or shower with your little one, it can help to have a set of hands to pass your baby to when you’re ready to get out of the tub. They can be very slippery, so it’s important to be extra cautious.
It’s also important to remember that adults generally prefer much warmer water than babies do. Aim to keep the temperature lukewarm, and your babe will likely be happy for the bathtime cuddles.
As your little one grows, you may want to change up their bath routine a little bit. At this age, babies still only need a bath one to two times per week, but if they seem to enjoy the water or like splashing as they get clean, you can consider bathing them more frequently.
Many parents also take advantage of diaper and outfit changes to give their baby a quick wipe down and make sure that all their important parts are clean.
If you do choose to bathe your little one more than twice a week, consider using soap for only one or two of their baths to avoid drying out their skin. After bath time, you can moisturize baby with a gentle, fragrance- and dye-free lotion.
Once baby becomes mobile and starts eating solids, you may decide you need to begin bathing them more frequently. While they still only really need one to two soapy baths per week, you can either give them a sponge bath or put them in the tub to soak and rinse off more frequently as messes arise.
You might also find that bathtime is a pleasant way to calm the baby down before bedtime. If this works for you, it’s perfectly OK to make a bath part of your calming nighttime routine at this age.
While it may feel odd to bathe your baby so infrequently, babies simply don’t need to bathe as often as adults. They don’t sweat or get dirty in the same way as older people, and their skin is much more sensitive than that of adults. Frequent bathing can actually do more harm than good.
To avoid drying out baby’s skin and worsening conditions like eczema, bathe your little one to two times per week and wash them with a mild, fragrance- and dye-free soap. When you get them out of the bath, pat them dry. Moisturizing may not be necessary unless they have eczema or very dry skin that seems to bother them.
If your little one has a known skin condition, consult their pediatrician to make a plan for exactly what products and routines you can follow to help them stay comfortable.
Nurturing Your Baby’s Unique Skin Needs
Skin conditions can look different on babies with black and brown skin, making it difficult to identify and treat issues early on. We’re here to empower you with the knowledge you need to confidently care for your baby’s skin.
Here’s how a few common skin conditions might show up on dark skin tones:
- Eczema: Instead of patchy redness, you might notice purple, dark brown, or ashen gray areas.
- Diaper rash: The rash may look dark brown or purplish instead of bright red, which is common with lighter skin tones.
- Dryness: Black and brown skin can be more prone to dryness and may need more frequent moisturizing.
In the first year of your baby’s life, you may only want to bathe them once or twice per week. Other schedules are fine, too, if they work better for you and your baby.
Start with sponge baths until their umbilical stump falls off and then begin bathing them gently in the sink or tub. As they grow, babies may require more frequent baths as they get messier or start having fun in the tub.
As long as you use gentle products and don’t notice any issues with your baby’s skin, you can indulge their bathtime joy as they grow!