How Often Should You Bathe A Toddler | How Often Should I Bathe My Toddler?

Many parents ask “how often should you bathe a toddler” and it’s not always as simple as you might think.

Many different parents say many different things and sometimes it’s difficult to be sure.

In this article, we’ll put the rumours to bed and figure out once and for all how often should you bathe a toddler.

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How Often Should You Bathe A Toddler

Doctors say it’s fine to bathe your toddler every few days.

When answering the questions: “How often to bathe 2 year old?”, or “How often to bathe 3 year old?”, usually the answer is the same.

Some parents hit the ceiling at that recommendation and prefer to bath their toddlers every day.

There are occasions may you may have to bathe your toddler more than once a day as well.

With your toddler eating independently more often, exploring the home and constantly coming into contact with all sorts of exterior environments and habitats, it’s no wonder parents ask how often should I bathe my toddler?

Germs are everywhere and there can sometimes be more germs in a domestic house than outside on the street!

As long as your child isn’t getting too messy or dirty for too long there’s no need to worry.

Germs are an active part of a healthy and developing toddler lifestyle.

Your toddler needs to build up enough antibodies to fight off common viruses and bacteria’s so as hard as it is to say, sometimes they need to get a bit dirty!

How Often Should I Bathe My Toddler?

Therefore we suggest bathing one a day or once every 2 days depending on the level of activity and the general household setup.

On long summer days when your child has been out and has been playing all day outside then a good scrub may be in order.

On slower winter days when they have been inside all day mostly chilling or resting then you could skip a bath day.

If you have a busy schedule and forget to bath your toddler that day, don’t beat yourself up too much.

Toddlers don’t have the same need for a wash every day like adults do.

Try to ensure you get them all soaked up the next day.

Remember children need adult supervision at least until the age of 4 so you can spend more time with them doing something else instead.

Do I Need To Wash My Child Hair Everyday?

Parents frequently ask Do I Need To Wash My Child Hair Everyday? The short answer is no. The more detail answer is it will depend on your environment.

Sometimes children’s hair will get dirtier than others.

If your child has or is around someone with head lice, at school for example, then you may need to be more cautious about their hair washing routine. 

Surprisingly head lice prefer clean hair! So even in this instance, it may be best to leave it unwashed for a few days until the epidemic passes.

Some children don’t feel clean unless their hair is washed ant the same time as their body so if this is the case feel free to wash your child’s hair every day.

But remember babies do not need their hair washed daily and it’s recommended that you wash it only once or twice a week.

How Often Should You Bathe A Toddler With Eczema?

If your child has very sensitive skin or suffers from eczema it’s recommended that you shouldn’t wash their skin every day.

These types of conditions are usually worsened with constant contact with water.

If your child has a particular skin condition then try to bathe then every 3 days.

If you do decide to bath them every day then you can use lukewarm water with some gentle soap and once they are out of the bath pat them dry and apply any recommend medication.

Whether you decide to bath your toddler once a day or once every 2 days just remember to have fun and enjoy it.

Toddlers don’t stay this young and fun forever!

Bath Temperature For Toddlers

Safe bath temperature for toddlers is usually around the 37 – 38 degrees mark. (around 100 F) A new-born bath temperature should be set around the 36 degrees mark

• Get everything ready in advance

• Check the temperature of the water twice, once as you set it and again before you put them in as it’s likely to change

• Stay within arms reach of your toddler whilst they are in the bath for safety

• Older siblings should not be left alone with them

• Don’t get distracted by phone calls, doorbells or anything else.

• Empty the bath as soon as you are finished with it

• Belly button height is the recommended height for a bathing a toddler

Learning How Often Should You Bathe A Toddler is based around you and your child’s routine.

Doctors recommend once every 2 days but some parents may prefer more frequent washes for those dirtier days.

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