There's no need to bathe a baby every night. Newborns and young infants generally only require one to two soapy baths per week.
The Importance of Timing
Frequent bathing can actually dry out a baby's delicate skin. Instead of daily baths, focus on keeping your baby clean by regularly washing their face, hands, and diaper area.
When More Frequent Bathing Might Be Necessary
As your baby becomes more mobile and starts eating solid foods (around 6 months), you might find yourself needing to bathe them more often to clean up inevitable messes. Even then, a nightly bath isn't necessary. You can increase the frequency of sponge baths or tub baths as needed to keep them clean and comfortable.
Consider these situations:
- Messy mealtimes: Solid foods often lead to more spills and sticky situations.
- Increased mobility: Crawling and playing increase the likelihood of getting dirty.
A nightly bath isn't recommended, but increased bathing frequency to remove dirt and food residue as needed, is reasonable.
