How often should a baby take a bath?

Many new parents don't know how often to bathe their babies because they have no experience. They worry that their babies will get sick if they bathe, and they also worry that if they don't bathe, their bodies will have too many bacteria. Today, let's talk about how often to bathe your baby.

Questions about baby bathing

How often is it best to bathe your baby?

North: The weather is cold and dry, so it is recommended to bathe your baby 1-2 times a week;

South: The weather is slightly warmer, so it is recommended to bathe your baby 2 to 3 times a week.

2. Do not wash your face more than twice a day

The baby's face is the most vulnerable part, because the face is exposed to the air and the cold wind makes it easier to lose moisture, which can easily lead to skin itching, plateau redness or dryness. Frequent face washing removes the baby's own skin oil, so it is recommended not to wash the face more than twice a day.

3. The harm of washing your face and taking a bath too much

There is a protective stratum corneum on the surface of human skin, but the stratum corneum of babies is very thin. If you bathe and wash your baby's face frequently, it will destroy the stratum corneum that serves as a natural barrier, which will make it easier for some germs to invade.

In addition, babies secrete less oil in winter, and frequent washing of the face and bathing will wash away the precious oil that can moisturize the baby's skin, causing the baby's skin to become dry and damaged, and even causing skin sensitivity.

4. Taboos for bathing babies in winter

1) When bathing, please try to keep the room temperature at around 24℃ and the water temperature at around 38～40℃;

2) The bathing time should not be too long, preferably 5 to 10 minutes is appropriate, because if the bathing time is too long, the baby is prone to catching a cold;

3) Try not to use shower gel. In addition to washing away the grease on the baby's body, there are many normal bacteria on the baby's skin, which work together with the skin's "natural barrier" to make it difficult for other harmful bacteria to invade. Shower gel will kill the normal bacteria on the baby's skin, and harmful bacteria and mold will breed and spread on the skin, which can easily cause rashes.

5. Don’t forget to clean your vagina every day

Babies with normal excretion will poop and pee every day. Parents should remember to clean their children's butt every day to prevent bacteria from growing and causing diaper rash and genital inflammation.

Water temperature is between 38 and 41 degrees Celsius:

The baby should be bathed 1 to 2 hours before feeding to avoid vomiting. It is best to use a dedicated bathtub for newborns. Clean the basin before bathing. If conditions permit, wash the bathtub with hot water to avoid leaving bacteria.

Baby bathing precautions

1. The baby's skin is delicate. To avoid skin burns, the water temperature for the baby's bath should be controlled between 38 and 41 degrees Celsius. Cold water should be added first and then hot water (I hope every parent should pay special attention to this order. If you add hot water first and forget to add cold water, it is easy to cause skin burns on the baby), and then test the water temperature with the back of your hand or wrist. Because the skin of these two parts is more delicate and closer to the delicate skin of the baby, you can feel what kind of water temperature is more suitable for the baby. The water temperature should not feel hot. You can also use a special water thermometer to measure the water temperature, which is more accurate.

2. Coordinate your left and right hands to support your baby's body:

You can pour baby-specific bath gel into the water or apply bath gel all over the baby, then gently put the baby into the water. When bathing, hold the baby's body with your left arm and support the baby's head to make the baby feel safe and comfortable. Use your index finger and thumb to gently cover the baby's ears inward to prevent water from flowing into the baby's ears. Start bathing the baby from the head, wash the face first, then the hair, and then the whole body.

3. Bathing with cotton balls or soft towels:

The baby's skin is delicate, so you can't use a rough and hard towel to bathe the baby, so as not to scratch the baby's skin. You should use a soft small towel. If conditions permit, you can keep two towels, one for washing the face and the other for washing other parts of the body.

Special attention should be paid to the fact that if you have used a towel to wipe the baby's vulva, especially for girls, you should not use the towel to wipe other parts of the body, especially the baby's nose, mouth, and eyes, to avoid vulva bacteria from infecting these parts. If you use this towel again, you must wash it to ensure it is clean.

When washing with a towel, fold the towel while scrubbing, and use the clean corner of the towel to scrub. You can also use a cotton ball to wet the baby's body. After washing the face and head, wash the front of the baby's body. Then turn the baby upside down, so that the top of the baby's head is against the mother's left chest, hold the baby's left thigh with the left hand, and use the right hand to soak a small towel to wash the perineum, groin and buttocks first (baby girls must be washed from front to back), and finally wash the lower limbs and feet. After washing, immediately wrap the child with a large towel and gently dry.

4. Clean your baby's face from the inside out:

Use a wet cotton ball or towel to gently clean the baby's eyes from the inside to the outside. The baby's eyelids are very tender, so be especially gentle. Then clean from the bridge of the nose to both sides, and wash from the center of the face to the outside.

When scrubbing other parts of the baby's body, if using bath gel, be careful to gently cover the baby's eyes, nose and mouth with your hands to prevent the bath gel foam from splashing into these parts.

5. Use a cotton swab dipped in 75% medical alcohol to clean the navel:

After the baby is born, regardless of whether the umbilical cord has fallen off, the umbilical cord should be cleaned every day after bathing. Use a towel or cotton swab dipped in 75% medical alcohol to gently scrub the umbilical cord from the inside to the outside in a circular motion. Repeat three times to remove dirt or blood scabs and keep the umbilical cord clean. If the baby's umbilical cord is found to be red, swollen or purulent, see a doctor.

6. Do not take a bath for more than 5 minutes:

When bathing a baby, it is best not to take more than 5 minutes to avoid catching a cold. When bathing, parents should talk to the baby gently (although the baby cannot understand, it can make the baby relax). When bathing the baby, you can bathe the baby alone or together with the parents.

7. Massage your baby’s body after washing:

After bathing your baby, dry the body, and then apply baby powder to the baby's body, but be careful to cover the baby's face with your hands to prevent the powder from flying into the baby's nose and mouth. Then you can touch the baby's body.

Things to note when taking a bath at different stages

Lactation:

Gently "bath"

Therefore, when bathing a breastfeeding baby, you must not rub it hard, but must rub it gently. The keratin on the surface of the baby's skin is still very soft.

Before the baby enters the bathtub, the buttocks should be cleaned first. The area around the baby's buttocks, the wrinkles between the legs, and the openings of the feces and urine passages should all be gently wiped with warm and wet cotton balls dipped in some lotion, and one area should be used after another. You can use appropriate amounts of shower gel to wipe off the oily excrement and water-soluble secretions that are difficult to remove. High-quality shower gel can also resist bacteria.

After washing the baby's bottom, take off the baby's clothes. Wipe the corners of the eyes, nose bridge, mouth, and ears with warm and wet cotton balls. Change the cotton balls every time you wash each part. It should be noted that when washing the ears, first use a dry cotton ball to gently insert the baby's ear canal to prevent water from penetrating into the middle ear and causing otitis media.

Wash your baby's head after washing his face. When washing your baby's hair, you should hold the baby's head steady with your hands and gently stroke the baby's head with your hands. Be careful not to touch the baby's crown, let alone scratch the scalp.

From weaning to 2 years old:

Develop good bathing habits

The bathing procedure for babies of this age is basically the same as that for breastfeeding babies. The buttocks should still be washed outside the tub. However, the force of rubbing the baby can be slightly heavier. Because this age is the beginning of cultivating good hygiene habits for children to enjoy bathing, you can "dress up" the bathroom like a "water play room". If the baby wants to play with a bucket or swim with a rubber duck, as long as you pay attention to safety, you may let him play. Let the baby gradually like taking a bath every day.

2 to 6 years old:

Keep taking a shower to practice perseverance

Let children of this age gradually develop the habit of bathing every day in summer, partly because they need to clean their skin, but more importantly, it is to let children develop clean, hygienic and regular living habits. In summer, if conditions permit, children can be bathed three times a day after getting up in the morning, after a nap during the day, and before going to bed at night, each time for about 10 minutes. This regular and clean living habit is important for the healthy growth of children and the cultivation of patience and willpower in the future.