How often should you bathe your baby?

Taking a shower is an act that we perform every day and even twice a day for some. When you come home from work in the evening, it’s a moment of pleasure, for yourself, both energizing and relaxing. This interval of time when one takes care of one’s body can also be taken in the form of a bath. Hot water will stimulate production endorphinshormones which play a key role in the central nervous system of humans and which are involved in the circuits of reward and pleasure.

So for the babies, how is it going? Should we wash it frequently? Does he take pleasure as we can? To answer these questions, we turned to Nadège Pétrel, childcare nurse and author of the book “50 keys to help a child who does not want to sleep” (Eyrolles) and she gives us her advice.

How often should you bathe your baby?

This is a question that many parents ask themselves, because in the end, many are those who do not do it every day. “So not everyone agrees on this.”, begins the child care nurse in a light tone. “For mothers giving birth in maternity, there is usually a first bath on siteto show and explain to parents the process.” When you return from the maternity ward, it is therefore not essential to wash your newborn immediately.

“Otherwise, it is not necessary to bathe your baby every day, the first weeks of life. Once or twice a week is enough.”, she specifies. “Afterwards, it all depends on whether we are in summer, in winter, if the baby has regurgitated, if he has perspired, if he has had overflowing stools…“Finally, giving a bath to your baby also depends on what the parents want: “Some like to bathe their child every day, as it makes them feel clean. There’s no problem with that, you just have to know that it is not a necessity.”

Does the soap damage the skin of toddlers?

“It is true that soap can bring a little aggressiveness to the skin. We can also take a fun bath, just with water, and rub with our hands on our baby’s little body.”, explains Nadège Pétrel. The pediatric nurse recommends one use of soap per week over one of the toilets.

Should you give your baby a bath every time you wash?

“In reality, a small toilet may suffice”, tells us the specialist. “We take a small soft cotton that we pass under lukewarm water then we clean the folds : the neck, under the arms, the fold of the groin.”

How long should you take to wash your baby?

For toilet time, your child’s age is to be taken into account. “During the first few weeks, the body still has trouble regulating its temperature. Baths of 5-10 minutes are preferred. Afterwards, you can lengthen the toilet according to your baby”, advises the child care nurse.

Several measures must be taken into account: room temperature (between 22 and 25 degrees), the water temperature (at 37 degrees) and the baby behavior. “You have to be attentive to your child: is it a moment of pleasure? Does he seem comfortable? Does he play? Do you manage to communicate with a smile, a look?”

To make sure her baby is having a good time, pay attention to her cues. “In general, the bath is a moment of pleasure because the baby regains sensations in utero. Children also appreciate it because they can have fun, splash around, hit the water…“But it happens that for some children, this moment is not pleasant. In the latter case, it may be interesting to get help from a child care nurse to observe and understand.

What precautions should you take when bathing your child?

“To wash her child in peace, we prepare all the equipment in advance : clothes, nappies, towel, soap nearby… Check the temperature of the room and the bath and keep your baby’s head out of the water when you wash him, while leaving his body in the maximum submerged”, explains Nadège Pétrel calmly. “At the end of the bath, I like to take him out on his stomach rather than on his back as we usually see him so that he can regroup when you put him on the bath towel and put him on his back. ‘envelope. We wait a bit, we talk to him and we dry him quickly so that he doesn’t get cold..”

At what age should you switch from bath to shower?

Firstly, it is possible to take a shower with your baby. “We first run the water to make sure it is neither too hot nor too cold, then we go into the shower with our infant in our arms. You can start with wet his back, shouldersbut not necessarily the head (wait two, three months)”, advises the specialist.

For her child to take a shower alone (but always under supervision), Nadège Pétrel recommends waiting until he is able to stand alone in a seated position (around 8 months). In particular, it is possible to install bath rings that will prevent your baby from slipping and falling.

Parenting writer

On the lookout for news and the latest discoveries, Carla puts her pen at your service. Passionate about science and medicine, she brings another perspective in …