By Olivia DeLong, former senior health editor at BabyCenter and What to Expect.
Ah, bath time. Some kids love it and some kids despise it. In our household? There's no telling whether our daughter is going to jump for joy when it’s time for a bath, or run away. But regardless, you may be wondering if your little one actually needs a bath every night.
Truth be told, until our daughter was about three, we stuck with the bath time ritual every.single.night for better or worse. We were early adopters of Moms on Call, and that was just part of the bath time routine the sleep training plan recommended. But nowadays, we don’t stress if she doesn’t get a bath each and every night, especially during the busy school weeks.
But what do the experts say is best?
Well, of course if your little one is dirty, they’ve been in a pool, lake or other body of water, or are lathered up with sunscreen or bug spray, it’s best to give them a bath. But here’s a general breakdown based on your little one’s age for those normal days:
Bath for newborn-1 year old
Your infant probably doesn’t need as much official bathtub time in the first year, says the American Academy of Pediatrics. In fact, as long as you’re cleaning their diaper area thoroughly after each diaper change, bathing three times a week during the first year should be plenty. Some babies may get dry skin if bathed too much, so don’t stress if bath time isn’t part of your routine every night.
Bath for 1-5 years old
Toddlers and little kids need a bath about two to three times per week, says the Cleveland Clinic. Although, this age group tends to get into all types of messes, as well as potty disasters (thanks, potty training!), so if you feel like your child needs a daily bath (or multiple baths in one day!) on certain days, that’s totally understandable.
Bath for 6-11 years old
A daily bath for this age group is fine, but it’s not always necessary. Phew! My daughter is 6. At the very minimum, once or twice a week is fine, says the American Academy of Dermatology. Remember though, if they’ve been playing in a body of water, are dirty, or have been sweaty, they do need a bath on the daily.
The good news? There’s really no hard and fast rule about bath time, but you should feel comforted to know you don’t have to stress every single night unless your little one absolutely needs it. But if you prefer it, that’s great too.
If you’re like we were and love a daily bath time routine for your little one, just be sure to use a daily moisturizer and check to make sure their skin isn’t irritated, dry or breaking out.
Pro tip: No matter how often you’re bathing your little one, make sure you have some great toys to keep them entertained! Foam Bath Puzzles can be a big help (no matter your kiddo’s age).
About the writer:
Olivia DeLong is the former senior health editor at BabyCenter and What to Expect. She’s been an editor, writer, and content strategist for over 15 years, holding staff positions at WomansDay.com and Sharecare prior to her role at pregnancy and parenting brands. After a traumatic fertility journey, she’s now a mom to her 6-year-old miracle girl, and lives with her family in Atlanta, Georgia. She loves digging into parenting, women’s health, and wellness trends with experts, and believes that speaking up about just about anything is so important for moms to feel seen.
