When it comes to babies and bath time, new parents can find themselves with lots of questions. How often should you bathe a baby? How do you bathe a newborn baby? Where should a baby have their bath? What supplies do you need for a baby bath? There are so many questions!
After having three babies to care for, I have learned a thing or two about how to bathe a baby and how often to bathe a baby. Hopefully this will help answer some of those questions for new parents!
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How Often to Bathe a Newborn Baby
There is a common misconception that seems to start with birth, that babies need to be bathed every day. This is simply not true. Heck, I don’t even shower every day. With infant twins and a five year old, I’m lucky if I can sneak in a few minutes to brush my teeth.
While it is certainly OK to bathe a baby every day if you have the time, it is definitely not necessary. In fact, too much bathing and exposure to water can actually dry out a baby’s delicate skin.
Baths can also make a newborn baby get cold. You might even see them shiver, and their little feet and hands can turn a blue hue from poor cirulation. Since you don’t want to risk having the bath too hot, it’s best to keep baths short and sweet at this stage. This is another reason why I don’t think it’s necessary to bathe babies daily.
Newborns really don’t get very dirty. So unless it is a fun experience and something you both enjoy, you can limit their baths for newborn babies to a few times a week.
How Often to Bathe Infants and Older Babies
Not surprisingly, the advice for infants and older babies isn’t much different. How often you bathe your older baby really depends on your personal preference, your baby’s enjoyment of bath time, and how dirty they actually get.
In my experience with babies, they will likely spit up right after you bathe them anyway – just as you’re getting them in that nice new outfit you had planned to take their picture in. Either that or they’ll poop!
A few baths a week is still perfectly fine, especially if bath time isn’t something your baby really enjoys. With infant twins, it’s really hard to find the time to get their baths done, so I’m definitely not doing it daily. However, some babies do find it relaxing and it can help to get them to sleep. If this is your situation, you may want to bathe your baby as often as every day.
Once babies start eating solid foods, they tend to get a lot messier, so use your judgement. However, a warm wet washcloth to wipe messy hands and faces (even hair) usually works just fine to clean up after meals. This depends a lot on your baby. Some babies are messier eaters, and some get so excited at mealtime that they knock the spoon right out of your hands. You could end up with more food on yourself than your baby. Then you might need a bath yourself!
How Do You Bathe a Newborn Baby?
There are several different options to choose from when it comes to how to bathe newborn babies. For tiny newborns, my personal preference is to just give them sponge baths on the bathroom counter next to the sink.
To do this – fold up a nice thick towel and lay your baby on top. If you are alone, you can keep one hand on your baby while you wash with the other hand. If your partner or another helper is there, one of you can hold the baby while the other washes, making bathing your baby much easier.
Use a warm wet washcloth without any soap and wash their face first. Skin on those tiny newborn faces is super sensitive so I don’t recommend using soap there. Plus, you don’t want to get any in their eyes, even if the formula does claim to be tear free.
For the rest of their body and hair, I like to fill a little plastic tub (like the one they give you in the hospital) with warm water and just a tiny bit of soap. Then I dip the washcloth in, and use it to give them a quick all over wash. You can use the same soap on baby’s head too, hair or no hair.
Pay special attention to the folds of their neck where spit up can accumulate. I wash their bottoms and genitals last. Other places that can get smelly are behind the ears and between the toes.
I rinse them with a clean wet washcloth if I am alone. If my husband is there, he will hold the baby over the sink while I give them a quick rinse by filling a cup with some warm water.
- Tip – Never rinse directly from the tap, as water temperature can change suddenly. Always test the water first using your wrist or elbow, then fill a clean container and use that for rinsing.
Once baby’s bath is done, wrap baby in a warm towel, preferably one with a hood to keep baby’s head warm. If you don’t have a hooded towel, you can wipe baby’s head dry and use a hat to keep them warm. You can also just use a second smaller towel to cover their head.
How to Bathe a Bigger Baby
Once your baby is a little bigger and more sturdy, you can start to bathe them in a little infant bath. I use the Summer Infant Deluxe Baby Bather because it fits in my kitchen sink but can also be used in the bathtub. I used this for my now 5 year old daughter and also for my twins. At less than $20, you can’t go wrong, and it doesn’t take up much space. It’s design is very simple. If you don’t like this one, there are tons of other options and most of them are not expensive.
At a few weeks to a few months old, I do not advise submerging baby in water just yet for bathtime. Their skin is delicate and can easily dry out, and it really isn’t necessary either. Until they can sit up on their own, you also risk them sliding down into the bath water, even if it’s just an inch or two. It’s really best and safest not to do this.
You can pour water over baby using a cup or special baby rinser (like this one by Munchkin), then wash with a washcloth and just a little bit of mild baby wash, then rinse again.
Remember not to rinse directly from the faucet and keep testing the water temperature.
Keep bath time short to avoid drying baby’s skin or allowing him to get too cold. You can keep pouring warm water from the cup over baby as you go to keep him warm. Some babies really enjoy this!
You can continue using the same mild soap on their hair and body. I still recommend just using warm water to wash their face.
How to Bathe a Baby in the Bath Tub
Once your baby is big enough to sit up on their own, it may be time to move on to baths in the tub. You can fill your tub with a couple inches of water and put baby right in, or you can get another small bath designed to fit inside the tub.
If you are worried about baby slipping or falling over in the tub, there are many options for baby bath seats. I have never used one personally, but I am thinking of trying one when my twins get bigger. By then I am really hoping to be able to bathe them together!
Make sure to be extra diligent now that baby is actually sitting in water. It may be tempting to run to check who is at the door or respond to a few texts, but an accidental drowning can happen in seconds. Make sure to have everything you need before you begin the bath. If something urgent happens during the bath that just can’t wait, take baby out first.
This can be really challenging with twins! If I’m alone, I set one twin up in the bathroom in their infant seat while I bathe the other, then switch. I keep bath time as short as possible!
Although it’s tempting to fill the tub with a bunch of bubbles, babies still don’t need a lot of soap. Continue to use something mild and don’t overdo it. Bath time should not take more than a few minutes. Leaving a baby in too long can cause your baby to get cold and her skin to dry out.
Should You Use Lotion on Your Baby?
Some babies have skin as soft as, well, a baby. Other babies aren’t as lucky. For example. with my twins, baby boy has never needed a bit of lotion, while his sister has skin that gets dry and flaky without it.
My suggestion is no lotion for any baby in the first few weeks. Their skin is still adjusting to life outside the womb, and lotion can cause problems. Talk to your baby’s pediatrician if you have concerns about your baby’s skin.
Once your baby is a bit older, don’t use lotion unnecessarily. If your baby already has soft smooth skin they don’t need it. I have never used a drop on my son (he’s seven months old now) and his skin is always super soft and silky!
If, however, your baby’s skin is on the drier side, choose a lotion specifically formulated for baby’s sensitive skin. Apply a small amount right after a bath when skin is still damp and the lotion is most easily absorbed. You can do this in a way that is really soothing for your baby, almost like giving a massage. Your baby might really enjoy it!
Supplies for Bathing a Baby
While you might not need all of these – here are the supplies you might want to have on hand, no matter how often you bathe your baby:
- Thick folded towel for newborn to lay on
- Small basin of water
- Hooded towel for after bath (or hat or second small towel)
- Mild baby wash (you can even use original dove bar soap – this is what our pediatrician recommends)
- Mild unscented baby lotion
- Washcloths
- Rinse cup
- Infant bather
- Larger tub
- Bath toys (for older babies)
- Comb and baby oil for loosening cradle cap
- Baby nail clippers and file for after bath
- Comb or brush for after bath
- Fresh diaper and clothes
Hopefully this helped answer some of your questions on how (and how often) to bathe your baby!
