Research-backed
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We as parents wish only the best for our babies. We’re sure that as a new parent, you take care of many things – be it your child’s meals, their clothes, their sleep routine and most importantly, their cleansing rituals.
You will be surprised to know that there could be some differences between what you consider healthy and what really might be the case, and your baby’s bathing schedule is one of them.
You may think that a day-time shower along with a night- time bath before bed-time would be ideal to clean your baby’s body and to soothe him/her for a nice long sleep. But the truth is, you are probably being way too rough to the baby’s delicate skin.
Experts feel that bathing a baby just twice or thrice a week is enough and even bathing the baby just once a day is generally not recommended (1) (2). In winters, when the baby’s skin is particularly dry and vulnerable, you have to be extra careful.
Winters And Frequent Bathing Woes
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Your baby has thinner and more sensitive skin compared to yours. And according to skincare experts, there are a few reasons why you should refrain from giving your baby daily baths in the winter months. They are listed below:
- If you think that giving daily bath is all about hygiene, you are wrong. You already do a lot of spot-cleaning for the baby such as wiping their face and neck, washing their hands and toes, cleaning their nappy area and so on! Giving them a bath on top of all that only adds unnecessary exposure of their sensitive skin to warm water.
- In the winter months, the skin goes dry and frequent baths with warm water wash away the essential oils and natural moisture of the skin, thereby making it dry.
- Many times the bathing products contain harsh and harmful chemicals that may not be suitable to use on your baby’s skin every other day.
- Dry skin can result in complications such as eczema, skin patches, rashes, itching and flaking of skin. These problems are seen escalating in winters as compared to milder weather conditions.
Baby Bathing Essentials
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There are a few things you must remember while bathing your baby. These pointers are essential to ascertain that your baby and their skin, both remain healthy and safe.
- Aim to bath your baby only once every three to four days to prevent over-drying and skin related issues (3).
- Dip your elbows in the water or use a bath thermometer to ensure that it is pleasantly warm and not too hot for your baby’s skin.
- Keep the heaters on so that your baby doesn’t feel unpleasantly cold after a warm bath.
- Do not expose your baby to the warm water for more than a few minutes, preferably less than 10 minutes. This is to ensure that natural moisture of your baby’s skin is retained.
- Keep all the clothes, and towels handy and preferably warm to maintain the baby’s body temperature.
- Keep a humidifier in the room, so that it balances the dryness due to the heater.
After-Bath Rituals
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Do keep in mind that after you give a bath to your baby, you should apply some moisturizer to keep the skin from drying out (4).
The moisturizer could include olive oil, coconut oil, or emollients and creams that are chemical free and safe for your baby’s skin.
Bathing is an essential part of your baby’s hygiene and skincare regime. However, you must be careful of not over-doing things; otherwise, it may affect your baby’s gentle skin. We hope that the information above helps you to plan your baby’s cleansing schedule and to keep their skin healthy and happy during the winter months.
