How often do you bathe your newborn?

[htcmom]

My DS is 5 Weeks old. And after about 4 days he gets stinky, especially in his diaper area. So how often do you give your baby a bath?

[jgallagher66]

I didn't bathe them too often. Every 4 days sounds good. You can always do a sponge bath. If you bathe them too much they tend to get drier skin. Whatever works to keep them clean and comfortable. I avoid soap and prefer just water most of the time.

[JamieCatheryn]

I clean his diaper area every change of course, but only bathe him in plain water about once a week. He's breastfed and wears cloth diapers (prefolds and wool pants) if that makes any difference.

[htcmom]

We are the same...breastfed, cloth diapers. But he only poops every few days so I have not been wiping him with every change. Maybe that would help!

[katelove]

I bathed my newborns about once a week as well. Both exclusively breastfed. We used cloth for one and disposables for the other but we always wipe them with very nappy change.

[LilyTiger]

We only bathed our daughter about every two weeks when she was brand new, but she was wiped with every diaper change.  Once she started spitting up a lot, we started bathing her a little more frequently or doing sponge baths.  Usually just with water or a tiny bit of Dr. Bronners.  I agree with PP that their skin gets dried out very easily.  And since they're not super dirty from crawling around or anything, it's not like you need lots of soap or scrubbing. 

[LivingSky]

We bathed DS about once a week. I did give him a wipe down with every diaper change, less to worry about him being clean and more to make sure that all those little folds of skin get opened up to air out a bit.

[Alenushka]

I did every day. It was nice activity that my kids loved. They seem to sleep better after a bath too. We did not use any soup except Ph balanced soup in the diaper area.

[CookAMH]

It was about once a week. All my kids get bathed once a week, at the most, even as babies.

[maos211]

Every two days or so... My 2nd loves baths, she relaxes in the water so I bathe her everyday

[MrsGregory]

Once her cord dried up and fell off, I bathed Little Miss every day.  We don't use soap on her every day, unless she needs it.  As a toddler, she needs it. 

I oil up her skin afterwards to counteract any drying effects.  We shampoo her every other day or as needed as well. 

[thezoolife]

We bathe our 8 week old about once a week but since we EC I stand with her at the sink so often that I end up washing her diaper area with water at least once a day.

[Alenushka]

Another reason I loved daily baths it because it was an amusing play time for the baby and also getting used to daily baths. My kids take a bath or shower every day,

[InspiredCT]

When our baba was newborn we started bathing him almost every day after about 3 weeks. This would usually mean DH or I in the bath with babaloo playing, and gently "floating" him in the water - he absolutely loved being in the bath and I guess it was a way for us to establish a loose routine at least for ourselves. When he was that little we never used soap on him and only "washed" in between the folds (underarms, neck) using fragrance and colour free aqueous cream. Sometimes I would even BF him while we were bathing and it was a nice time to bond and cuddle skin to skin.

[MaddMom41]

We just started giving DD a bath nightly w/o soap though and she's 12 weeks. She's started a teething cycle I think and is suddenly cranky before bed and since she loves the bath we take one with her each  night. Before this though I only bathed her every 3-4 days or so when she got super stinky and wiped her down each morning in her neck folds and under arms to get out the breast milk she had spit up.  Bath time is fun and DH loves to take one with her, its a great time for them to bond since he's so busy with school and work and i get her all day right now. 

[MichelleZB]

We did about twice a week.

But yes, do wipe down after every change. Old pee has a stinging effect on the skin. We just wipe him with a wet washcloth at every change.

[Chloe'sMama]

I dont use wipes on DS' skin when i change his diaper... i rinse him off under the sink, so he has not gotten stinky at all yet.  He is 2 weeks old today and I may give him his first bath tonight.  

[htcmom]

We don't use wipes either but wet washcloths. I have been wiping him with one every diaper change and the stinkiness has gotten better.

[rnra]

I'm an every-day bather for the kiddos, usually in the evening before bed.  If there's a reason why a bath doesn't happen that day, then I do "tops and tails" meaning I wipe down their head, ears, nose, face, neck, mouth, etc. with one washcloth and their diaper area with another washcloth.  It's a mini sponge bath.  I sleep better when I know they're clean.  I feel better when I've showered/bathed, so I feel like they would feel better being clean too!

[skreader]

It's been years (my youngest baby will be 15 tomorrow)  but, since you asked:

       Daily - usually after the big morning poo.

We lived (and still live) in a hot and humid climate and it helped the BBs be more comfortable.