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Does Your Child Need A Bath Every Day?

Does Your Child Need A Bath Every Day | Growing Up Herbal | Did you know that giving your child a bath every day can have a negative effect on their health? Here's how to know when and when not to bathe your child.

Some parents swear by giving their kids a bath every day while others think once or twice a week is good enough.

So which option is the healthiest one? Nightly baths to help little Susie sleep or bi-weekly scrub downs whenever Tommy gets too dirty.

Let’s look at some important information below.

What’s The Point Of Bathing Anyway?

The whole reason behind bathing is to get clean.

Now 100 years ago (okay, maybe not even that long), and in some countries today, people only take baths once a week. You remember the Little House On The Prairie episodes where the kids would get their weekly bath on Saturday evening so they were clean for church on Sunday. Well, that was common practice back then. Now maybe the parents who were out working and sweating day in and day out took baths more frequently, but not the kids. In fact, I’d say it wasn’t too common for most people to have more than 2-3 baths a week then. Daily baths are more of a modern convenience that came about with indoor plumbing and cheaper electricity.

Now, I’m not advocating only bathing once a week. I’m just making the point that bathing is for cleaning the body. That’s the reason behind it. So if your kid is dirty, bathe him. The age of your kid and how active they are will play a big role here. Babies, they’re not going to get as dirty as let’s say a toddler will unless they spit up all over themselves or their diaper leaks.

Is There A Problem With Giving Your Child a Bath Every Day?

Giving your child a bath every day can be a problem, and there are a couple of reasons why.

  1. Drying to the skin
  2. Decrease natural bacteria count

Daily baths equal shampooing, washing the body, and soaking in warm water. Under normal circumstances, this doesn’t cause too much of a problem, but if you use a soap that’s not a mild or gentle soap, and water that’s too hot, it can pull too many of the natural oils out of your child’s skin causing it to dry out. People who suffer from eczema have also reported that frequent bathing leads to an increase in breakouts due to their skin becoming too dry.

Another disadvantage of giving your child a bath every day is that it gets their skin too clean. Too clean? Yes. Too clean. The skin needs to stay at a certain pH level in order to protect itself (and your body) from infections. By washing it with soap every day you’re removing a lot of the surface bacteria that keep the skin’s pH where it needs to be, and you can cause yourself (and your child) to be more susceptible to infections.

What About The Benefits Of Bathing Daily?

Of course, there are benefits to having daily baths. You always smell nice, your hair is always fresh and full of body, and you’re energized and ready for the day… or relaxed and ready for a good night’s sleep.

Speaking of sleep. This is the main reason parents choose to bathe their kids every day… to help them relax before bed and get a good night’s sleep. It’s usually not because kids are dirty and need to get clean. It’s because it’s routine and habit. It’s because this is what they were taught to do when they had a baby. You remember right? Give the baby a nice warm bath with chamomile or lavender essential oils to help them sleep well. I remember that… although I was too busy to actually do that on a regular basis.

If helping your child have a good night’s sleep is your main reason for giving them a daily bath, let me share some other ways you can help them relax and sleep that have nothing to do with a bath.

4 Ways To Help Your Child Relax Before Bed

1. Bedtime Massage

Kids of all ages like massages. It feels good, and it’s good for their skin and their mood. You can use oils, creams, or lotions on them before putting their jammies on, and this really sets them up to be relaxed and sleep well… especially if your oil or lotion has a nice relaxing scent using essential oils.

2. Essential Oil Aromatherapy

A lot of companies are now making essential oil diffusers these days.

But, I’m not sure how safe these are. I can’t speak negatively about them because I’ve not looked into them or tried them. I’m tempted to because I’d love to find a way to have more essential oil smells in my home, but my concern is with getting too much exposure to the oils at once. Essential oils are great, but they are strong and they can have negative effects on health if too much is used. They can be very cleansing to your home since many oils have disinfectant-type properties, but I’m not sure if constantly breathing them in would be no good. Like I said… I’ll have to look into this more. I just wanted to put that caution out there in case you were wondering about it like me.

Another way to use aromatherapy for your child is to use a linen spray for their sheets or to use an essential oil light ring. You can even wet a washcloth and put a few drops of oil on it and set it beside your child’s bed. The vapors will slowly release into the air as they sleep.

UPDATE: Since writing this post, I’ve done some research on essential oil diffusers and found that most aromatherapists recommend this type of application over many others as it’s one of the safest ways to use EOs. (Harris, 2013) My mother-in-law bought this essential oil diffuser for me, and I love it! However, I am still very careful about using it and the oils in a safe manner, especially with my children.

3. Bedtime Routine

Bedtime routines are probably the first place to start when trying to help your kids relax before bed. Part of your routine may occasionally be a bath along with the above options as well as a book or some one-on-one time with mom or dad talking about your kids’ day.

4. Bedtime Tryptophan Snack

You’ve heard about turkey meat and warm milk helping you to sleep, right? That’s true, and it’s because they contain high levels of tryptophan. Tryptophan is one of the 9 essential amino acids that your body needs as it helps the body produce serotonin .. a chemical that promotes a proper sleep cycle.

Snacks like poultry, nuts and seeds, dairy products, seafood, and legumes all contain higher levels of tryptophan with the meats being the highest.

So What Do You Say… Does Your Child Need A Bath Every Day?

Well, I’m not sure about you, but here we don’t bathe every day. I bathe my kids when they’re dirty, and that equals out to about 2-3 baths a week. One bath each week is complete with getting their hair and body washed with soap/shampoo, but the other baths usually are just with oatmeal milk baths or bath bombs. This way, their skin is getting clean, but also being nourished at the same time. They look and smell just fine, and I’m not worried about any harm coming from our bathing regimen.

Check out my Huffington Post Live interview with Nancy Redd and a couple of other bloggers where we discuss daily bathing.

So what about you? Do you give your kids a bath every day or not? What are your thoughts on this?
  1. Tara says:

    Hi I really agree with this. We only recently started giving our toddler a bath every night because we live in the Southwest and right now there is so much dust and pollen blowing around, we thought it would help him breathe better at night. We use a mild castille soap forshampoo and body so hopefully we aren’t drying out his skin. We also rub a couple drops of lavender essential oil in some evoo into the soles of his feet after his bath. It relaxes him so much.

    • Meagan says:

      I think castille soap is pretty much the mildest thing you can use, and I can see how getting the pollen and dust off his skin and hair could help him to breath better. I love lavender EO’s too. One other one you could try is do the same thing you’re doing except with Chamomile EO. Chamomile will help them relax, but it’s also an anti-inflammatory so it could help with allergy issues. Just make sure he’s not allergic to it first. Some people are sensitive to chamomile… it’s part of the ragweed family. Thanks for your comment Tara!!

  2. Alex says:

    I don’t think kids need the full scrub down everyday. Using only warm water will sometimes suffice. Personally I do bathe everyday, but I don’t wash with soap everyday. My skin gets so dry if I do! I’m also an in home childcare provider. I currently watch a little girl who has sensitive skin. Her mom doesn’t bathe her everyday and she smells bad. Her hair is long and pretty but caked with snot and food. It’s disgusting. I end up bathing her occasionally (I did every single day when she was a baby and would spit up all the time) and I don’t feel like this should be my job. I know all kids don’t need baths everyday, but some do lol great article! On another note, I use organic coconut oil about twice a week and I have zero skin issues now.

    • Meagan says:

      I’m sorry Alex. It’s a bummer that you end up needing to give the little girl you watch a bath. I’m curious what her mom says when you do. Is she upset or is she thankful? I’m also curious about what products she normally uses when she bathes her if she has sensitive skin. That could be causing a lot of the problems… or her diet lacking in healthy fats.

      It’s tricky because not all kids are the same. Mine get dirty, but it’s nothing that washing their hands and face won’t correct. Then when they do need a bath, we normally do a water bath with fun extras in it like bath bombs or salts. Those things cleans and nourish the skin too. We normally only wash with soap once a week. I’m sure that may be different if I had a little girl who’s bottom would need cleaned more and who’s long hair would need washed more… so all those little things do make a difference.

      BTW… are you using coconut oil on your skin like a skin oil or are you washing with a coconut oil soap?

      • Alex says:

        Well honestly her mother is neither upset or thankful. Unfortunately I’ve come to think she just doesn’t care too much which is really sad. I have no idea what soap she uses. Her grandma is a pediatrician. They’ve had her to the dermatologist and everything, but her skin clearsed up when I made sure she was clean and moisturized. When she was a newborn she literally had half dollar sized scabs on her skin. Usually on her face and in creases like behind her knees.

        I use coconut oil like a skin oil.

        • Meagan says:

          Oh my word… poor thing! That’s so sad… I really hope for her they find something that will help her. My nephew has terrible eczema from allergies, and he itches all the time because his skin is so dry. I can’t imagine living with dry, itchy skin day in and day out. As a parent, you want to do all you can to help find a solution or something to help your child to not be miserable. You have a good heart for going above and beyond your role to help her get clean and feel better. Hopefully one day, her mama will catch on.

          I see about the coconut oil… I’ve heard good stories about it. I’m glad it’s been so beneficial to you! Thanks for your comments!

  3. Meagan Renee says:

    I have a skin condition where I am allergic to the natural yeast on my skin, similar to cradle cap but I’m an adult! I’ve started taking more water only showers and only use soap when I smell or am dirty from gardening or something. I think I will probably do the same thing with my baby. I also have joint issues and a warm shower or bath really helps me relax at night. Coconut oil also helps if the PH on my skin gets out of balance. Great post!

    • Meagan says:

      That’s interesting Meagan… thanks for sharing. I heard from some people that cradle cap is a yeast issue, which I didn’t know. I just thought it was a build up of oils on babies head. I’ll have to look into it a bit more. It makes me curious. Anyway, yes! Gotta love warm relaxing baths, and coconut oil is a staple in our house!! I love that you can use if for everything!

  4. Friday Happy Hour #39 - Oh Lardy! says:

    […] that my kids are out of school, I am not too strict about a daily bath or shower.  Do you think your kids need a daily bath?  Why or why […]

  5. Amanda Cowgill says:

    I used to give my little ones a bath every night as part of their bed time routine. My son gradually had worse and worse eczema outbreaks. Eventually our pediatrician told us to stop giving him so many baths. We cut down to about 2-3 at most. Some times in the winter when the kids are inside and not getting sweaty or dirty we only do 1-2 a week (that probably sounds really gross). Since we changed my sons eczema has gotten so much better. I do wipe the little ones down quite a bit when they get messy- so I figure they are pretty clean anyway. Now for my older two boys (they are 8 and 9) they usually take showers daily in the summer. They get so sweaty and gross so I make them.

    • Meagan says:

      That doesn’t sound gross at all! Little one’s skin is so different, and daily baths can really dry their skin out… like you found out with your son. Plus, like you said, as they get older and with the weather (depending on where you live too) they can need baths more frequently. For some parents who like that nightly baths… I’d suggest skipping the soap and bathing with water only. You can always throw in some bath oil, a bath bomb, or some oatmeal milk bath to help clean and moisturize the skin without drying it out.

  6. Dessica says:

    I agree completely! I give my 2 year old baths every other day and generally only wash her hair twice a week with castile soap. The days I wash her hair I use the lather from the castile soap on her body as well; the other days are just warm water baths to rinse her off. I have very sensitive skin and deal with keratosis pilaris. I found when I bathed her daily she also would get little red bumps on the backs of her arms but since I’ve backed her down she hasn’t had any issues. We swear by coconut oil too!

    • Meagan says:

      Thanks for sharing Dessica. I’m just curious… for your daughters keratosis pilaris, have you tried dry skin brushing or using sugar scrubs on her? I’ve heard those two things can really help, but I don’t know anyone that’s tried them on children.

  7. Janelle B. says:

    We only do baths for our 2.5 year old about once a week, sometimes less if I’m too tired. We do hand washing a couple times a day, feet washing at the end of the day, and wiped downs before bed. But that routine can change if we went out of town or went to someone’s house.

    • Meagan says:

      Exactly Janelle. I’ve noticed with my kids, that our bathing routine definitely changes depending upon their age, the season, and what’s going on in our lives. My kids love baths. They like playing together, and I’m find with that. I just don’t feel the need to overdo it just for the sake of them “needing a daily bath.” Thanks for your comment!

  8. Patrice says:

    Thanks for this post! With each kid the baths have become less frequent. My 3rd is 7 months old and she rarely gets baths. I give her bum a little wash during a diaper changes when needed and I wipe her face, neck and hands daily and rub her whole body down with coconut oil most days and she still has a sweet natural new baby scent. I was worried that I might be pushing my limits but after getting my 6 year old and 2 year old in the bed I’m usually too pooped to bathe the baby. Thanks for this reminder that it is ok!

  9. Leonora says:

    Hello Megan,
    I must say that you have done an EXCELLENT job in putting this website together for all parents. God Bless you and your family abundantly for helping out.

    My daughter does have a skin allergy or rash or whatever , I am not sure cause no one gives a right answer but for sure I believe that whatever God has made has made it for us and also good our body and that I do not depend on any things which are made by man cause that makes matters worse. So, the first thing I did was changed her diet completely to making fresh food and no artificial or canned stuff second changed her clothing and linen material to only cotton. Trying to slowly discontinue all the harsh cleaning chemical that we use to clean the house also the air fresheners used to give our beautiful homes that fresh smell … that was the immediate reaction that I saw took place on her skin as soon as I turned it on. Now I stopped bathing her with soap everyday and just bath her for 5 mins but before that I oil her with pure coconut oil and leave the oil on her body to soak inside her skin for an hour. After bathing I apply Nivea almond cream rich in vitamin E as her Homeopath doctor recommended it and so far it has not done any bad to her. If I am doing anything wrong please do let me know or if there is something more I need to do please advise.

    She sleeps well and her itchiness during the night has decreased a lot and her skin does not feel rough too. I am from Canada and I feel it could be the water that we get here is hard water and that too could make her skin bad. So since I have read your article here I have decided to bath her every other day but give her a nice massage everyday.

    I have always prayed and asked God to help me to get through this crazy time that we are going through watching her itch all the time and every time I have asked him for help , I have always got my help in different ways and I guess you are the final one cause I have cleared up all other areas and now all I have to do is reduce her bathing and oil her more. This also reduces me from using cream all the time(back home I never ever used cream on my body but here in Canada my skin is so dry and if I do not use cream it gets all wrinkly.

    THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND KEEP CONTINUING DOING YOUR WORK. It helps a lot. I also love the way you respond back immediately to all the post .

    • Meagan says:

      Thanks for your kind words Leonora, and for sharing your story with helping your daughters skin issues. Skin issues can be a long, hard battle, but small, natural changes can help. I’m so glad you’re finding useful info on my site as well. And yes, when it comes to getting help for our kids, it’s nice when you can get a reply to a question fairly quickly so I do try to answer promptly.

  10. John Brunson says:

    I am against the use of essential oils. I am 34 years old and had my first allergic reaction to LAVENDER from a 100% pure essential oil. It was terrible. My entire body was covered in a large rash which looked like a bad sunburn. After 4 dr appts and a lot of prednisone my body pulled through. It took my body around 17 days to feel normal again.

    My point is this…… You never know what you’re allergic to until tested or having a systemic reaction like i experienced. Babies have sensitive skin and don’t need oils or fragrances.

    I did some research during my reaction about the diffusers and oils for my almost 2 year old. The information was great and helpful. I removed all oils and the diffuser from our home. I loved the smells but after reading how doctors felt about the oils and young babies and developing children i felt it was safer to remove them all.

    I hope this helps any undecided people 🙂

    • Meagan says:

      Thanks for sharing your story John, and I’m so sorry that happened to you. It just goes to show that essential oils are strong and powerful, and that every person will react differently to them. Most aromatherapists don’t recommend using EOs on children under 2 years of age. Herbs and herbal hydrosols are better for their bodies. However, it’s very important to study up on EOs before using them so you know you’ve got quality oils appropriate for the child’s age and diluted correctly.

      I will say that it seems your reaction isn’t the sort of thing that would happen to most people. Lavender EO is one of the safest, most used, most studied oils we have. There are a lot of things that can go wrong with using EOs such as the brand, how you used it, how much you used, and if any other oils were blended with it. I’m not an expert on EOs, but it sounds like you had a photosensitive reaction to it, and that’s not common with lavender.

      Also, most aromatherapists and natural doctors feel that diffusers are one of the safest methods of using EOs. (I’ve updated the post on this.) And I’m not sure that the argument of doctors feeling negatively about EOs is the best reason to get rid of them all and never use them. Of course they don’t care for them! I think it’s safe to say that the majority of doctors don’t know that much about EOs, and they certainly don’t make any money off of them. How many people have horrible reactions to medications that doctors give them? WAY more than they do to essential oils or herbs. Does that mean we should stop taking all meds and clear our home of them?

      My point is this. Many people these days are sensitive to things and have reactions to them(even natural things), and you’re 100% right to say research should be done first (and testing for reactions is a good thing too before slathering any EO on). However, I don’t think that would cause me to give up on all herbs or EOs and opt for medications instead. I appreciate you sharing your story, and I do hope in encourages those new to essential oils to dig further.

  11. Jeremy says:

    What’s considered “dirty” … my daughter is 7 years old and comes home from school smelling terrible every single day, her feet sweat like a grown man and she doesn’t do an awesome job at washing hands or keeping herself clean. She stays with her mother a majority of the time and they bathe every other day, I seem to always get her on the in between day and her stinch is unbearable at times. If she thinks it’s ok to smell that way, then what will she be like when she’s older? I shower every day, sometimes twice a day, and I don’t have health issues, but I know for a fact I don’t stink, ever … just curios as to who the lazy person was that came up with this idea of not bathing their children daily …

    • Meagan says:

      First of all… a 7 year old will not be that stinky because she didn’t take a bath every day. There’s something else going on. My guess is too many toxins in her body, and it’s coming out as stinky sweat. If it were my kid I’d clean up their diet and do a gentle detox to help clear the toxins out of her body.

      Next up, a 7 year old can be taught how to wash her hands and clean herself. It just takes time and consistency on the part of parents in teaching her. I didn’t say it would be easy, but teaching is a part of parenting so like you said, she doesn’t grow up thinking it’s okay to smell that way. And my guess is that she won’t be okay stinking. She’ll probably be embarrassed by it. Help her now before she becomes a teenager… and the easy answer is to make her shower everyday, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right or healthiest answer. That corrects a surface problem (the stink) not the root cause (the reason why she smells so bad). The average 7 year old doesn’t need to shower daily. Seriously… improving her diet and cutting out as many toxins as possible at home can help tremendously!

      Lastly, I don’t know who the lazy person was that came up with the idea of not bathing children daily, but I’m pretty sure that people for thousands of years have not bathed daily. That’s just plain common sense. It may also interest you that the MAJORITY of people in the world (including medical experts like the American Academy of Pediatrics) agrees that that is best for “most” people to not shower daily. It sounds like you have your mind made up which is totally fine. That’s you’re right, but I hope you do your part as a parent to help your little girl. CLICK HERE to watch an interview I did on the Huffington Post Live show if you’re interested in this topic.

  12. Iryna B. says:

    Totally agree with you! I do bathe my kiddo once a week and give her a quick wash in the shower if she needs it. Thank you for this post.

  13. Taryn says:

    Hi Meagan

    Thanks for your post. I wash my 7 months old 1-2 times a day. I used to also wash his hair twicw acday but now just once. He looks fresher and cleaner after the wash or else as if his face is dirty, I also clean his mouth twicw daily.

    I use mostly weleda bath and shampoo which is with calendula. I used to use johnson sleep time , blossoms and bebe dou which is fragranced, parabems and sls free. So far he seems fine. He only had a lil rash on he side of his torso, his paed gave me candid b which seems to be working.. My baby lovesx bath

    It’s a rotine for him to have a bath before bedtime.

    Thanks Zj

    • Meagan says:

      I’ve heard great things about Weleda. Obviously I think every parent should do what they feel is best as far as bathing their kids goes. If it works for you and your baby is healthy… all power to you. Thanks for your comment!

  14. The glorious month of MAY! says:

    […] Does Your Child Need A Bath Every Day […]

  15. Leslie says:

    I totally agree my six year old takes a bath once a week. He never has dry skin, rashes etc. Before I educated myself I bathed daily, but I had terrible dry skin and hay like hair. Now I bathe 2-3 times a week and my hair is so much better and my skin doesn’t itch and flake. I do spot clean daily, if you know what I mean lol. I use coconut oil in the winter on my skin and face and people are constantly shocked at how young I look. I’m forty four and don’t have any wrinkles now I used to have crows feet before but over the last four years they’re gone. I used to have dandruff too and since I went grain free thats also been eliminated. I just wanted to say about the comment with the extreme reaction to the essential oils that guy had is very rare. People have anaphylactic reactions with almost anything, at anytime no matter how long you’ve been using it and most of it has to do with toxic overload. Toxins in food, cleaning supplies, clothes you wear etc. People really need to educate themselves and find out exactly what they’re exposing themselves and their families too. Lastly about doctors recommendations, they should be taken with a grain of salt . They do run a business and when you visit they get paid. My grandpa was once hospitalized because his stool was dark and blood red and he was run through every test they could give him. He was there two days at the expense of thousands of dollars to find out he didn’t digest beets very well. BTW I was the one who figured it out.

    • Meagan says:

      Great points Leslie! Diet and what we expose our bodies too play huge roles in how our skin and hair look. They say your skin is the window of your health so if your skin isn’t looking too good, I think I’d be looking into some dietary and lifestyle changes. And I agree with the essential oil thing. We should educate ourselves, and we should always test things out before using a ton of anything right off the bat. I’m sorry about your grandfather too. That is a tough (and expensive) lesson!

  16. Michelle says:

    So I am so excited I found your site!! I read your ‘about me’ page and it was so fun how many similarities I saw between us. I also married my high school sweetheart, we have 4 kids too (3 boys and a girl though), I also homeschool, I’m also an RN but the last 4 years I’ve been so passionate about herbs, essential oils, fermented foods, and natural living. I have had so much success healing my family through it all. Can’t wait to read through more of your posts!!

  17. Ashley says:

    I feel like this is such a touchy subject for some people and I am always a little hesitant to admit how it works in our home But since you brought it up.. :p
    I use to bath my kids (girls 3&7) Every Single Day because I liked them to smell clean But when my daughter started school full time I found that by the time we got homework done and ate dinner their really wasn’t much time left to just hang out and play so I gradually started spacing out the time between baths so we could spend some time together. When I was bathing them everyday their skin was always dry and i felt like my 7 yo hair started to get greasy after just one day but now I bath them maybe once a week (while still wiping off faces, feet and private areas in between) and now her hair never gets greasy and I really don’t think she has ever had an odor. During the summer I’m sure we will do more baths because they love to play in the dirt and have fun outside but I don’t feel like I need to use soap as often. I will probably just let them soak in water to get the dirt off most of the time. Also I viewed this as a way to help prevent lice since there were several breakouts in our school this year and from what I can understand lice like Clean hair and so far so good. We managed to escape that nightmare for now 🙂 I think it certainly depends on the child but if you can maintain a fairly clean diet you can stretch out time between baths more than you ever thought.

    • Meagan says:

      I definitely agree that it depends on each child, their age, their activity levels, and more. Thanks for sharing Ashley, and I hope you all continue to steer clear of lice in school!

  18. Manishka says:

    I live in a hot and humid and dusty country. My husband , kids and I shower twice a day with soap, shampoo condition once a day and yet have oily skin and hair 🙁

    • Meagan says:

      Well, I’m not an expert on this, but I’ve read that if you bath too frequently your body responds by producing even more oil because your skin and hair need it to stay healthy and keep itself protected. Just something to think about. I’m not saying to shower less often, but maybe only use soap on the necessary areas?

  19. Felicia says:

    I give my boys 5&7 bath/showers every other night sometimes every night in the summer and every 2 days in the winter. My oldest sons hair gets really greasy if I go more than 1 night without a bath and my youngest is autistic and seems to always have sticky hair and be generally dirty most nights. Sometimes I just do face hands and wipe down with a wet cloth but I can’t get their finger nails clean with out bathing them. I’ve tried washing their nails with finger nail brushes cleaning with Q-tips or nail cleaning tool and nothing works like a bath. BTW dirty faces/noses and fingernails are a big pet peeve of mine.

    • Meagan says:

      I’m glad you’ve found a schedule that works well for you and your children, Felicia! And yes! My boys definitely get dirtier in the summer and need to wash more then. Plus, I’ve also noticed that they want to take more showers the older they’re getting which is a good thing. I’ve heard stories about teenagers who don’t want to bath! Eek!

  20. What I Loved in May - Homemade Mommy says:

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  21. Spelexilh, Anjeanette Dawson says:

    Yes they touch a lot of things all day long, if they are in daycare there’s a lot of germs on the toys, other children with colds. Especially for those still in diapers, it’s sickening if you don’t bath your then everyday to make sure they’re clean after being wet and muddy how many times a day. Regardless of culture, depended on access to water is probably why some didn’t bath everyday. In my culture prior to first contact. My people lived by the water and bathed every morning winter, spring, summer and fall. It was a teaching of cleansing your soul and spirit everyday. I’m a gramma now and I still pass those teaching down to my children and grandchildren. I feel dirty after being out in the city everyday and because of this filthy environment we live in today it’s very important to wash it all away everyday no matter how old you are.

    • Meagan says:

      I appreciate your views, and I’m sure daily bathing totally varies based on where you live, the age of your child, and how dirty they actually get! For us, we definitely don’t need daily baths. There are days, like in the summer when my boys are outside playing a lot, that they take daily baths, but most times they simply don’t need it. Thanks again for your comment!

  22. Anonymous says:

    3.5

  23. Anna Jokela says:

    I have more info on other cultures: In Finland, babies and children up to 12 only take one full-body bath or shower once a week. This is also recommended by the government. If kids do sweaty activities, they might use water and a towel to clean up the dirty bits.
    This is because Finland is a cold country, we need heating for about 5 months a year, and it really dries the skin. Even adults only shower 2-3 times a week. I know of no one that could wash EVERY day without losing their skin and hair.

    Now I live in Shanghai, that’s full on pollution and pollen, it’s a hot and humid country. Now that it’s summer, I have started washing my baby every day – but in lukewarm water, with no soap. I wash with soap once a week.

  24. Claire says:

    Our kiddo had terrible eczema all over her body & nothing was helping, not hydrocortizone or any other Rx cream/balm. Only after we used Foderma serum for a week did we start seeing some improvement. Now she’s doing much better and isn’t always itchy. My only qualm with this is that it’s on the expensive side to use this across the whole body (we basically need a new tub every couple of weeks), but it works wonders, so we’ll keep paying for it so that our kiddo doesn’t have to be uncomfortable.

    • Meagan says:

      I’m glad you’ve found something to help, Claire. Maybe you will be able to decrease the use of it as your child’s skin heals. Thanks for your comment!

  25. Loani Castilllo says:

    I want to have children very badly and not repeat the mistakes of my ancestors.

    I WILL USE NOTHING CHEMICAL IN THEM.

    Not only harmful for their health, BUT THE HEALTH OF THE PLANET. Without a healthy planet, no-one can be safe.

    thank you!

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