The Importance of Bath Time Routines for Babies

Bath time is essential for babies: it keeps them clean, healthy, and provides a multi-sensory experience that boosts cognitive development. While bathing a wriggly new baby can feel overwhelming to any new parent, creating a routine for your baby will make bath time less stressful for everyone (and it’s a perfect way to wind down and get ready for bed). We’ll show you how to begin a simple bath time routine for your baby with our best tips and tricks for ending a busy day with a calming sleep-promoting routine.

Why Is Establishing a Bath Time Routine Important for Parents and Children?

Yes, baths make babies smell delicious and are prime time photo opportunities, but they also support your little one’s cognitive skills, enhance motor development, and are amazing opportunities to bond with your little one.

Big time bonding: You may find that bath time quickly becomes a favorite part of the day, for both of you – it’s serious QT, between just the two of you. Care taking activities, like bathing, show your baby just how much you love him. Smooch that yummy nose, count those pudgy rolls, tickle those itty bitty toes, and sing silly nursery rhymes. Feeling your gentle touch and hearing your voice promotes bonding and healthy social-emotional development.
Brain building: Water play stimulates creativity, curiosity, and sensory processing. Demonstrate cause-and-effect by hitting the water and creating a splash, or learn the names of body parts as you wash. Add some bath toys and your baby or toddler can boost cognitive function while working on fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
Soothe fussiness: At the end of a long day, few things are as glorious and relaxing as a nice tub soak, and your baby agrees. Warm baths are calming and comforting, and they’re a great way to soothe a fussy baby. All the post-bath cuddles are a bonus, too.
Bedtime routines: A bath is a smart way to establish a separation between ‘awake time’ and ‘sleep time.’ The warm soothing water will help get your baby in the mood for sleep, and actually help your baby fall asleep faster.
Promote hygiene: Regular bathing removes dirt, bacteria, and sweat from your little one’s skin, reducing the chance for skin infections and reinforcing that bathing is part of adult routines (though your teen may forget).
Eliminate future power struggles: Introducing a routine (and making it a fun and positive experience) will reduce the chances of a bath time rebellion once your infant is an opinionated toddler… who can run away from you.

When Is the Best Time to Bathe Your Baby?

There’s no one-size-fits all answer about when to bathe your baby (your baby’s temperament and your family’s schedule play a role), but generally, incorporating bath time into your baby’s bedtime routine can result in less stress and more rest for everyone. It also reinforces the wind down transition and signals to your little one that it’s time to relax and get ready to snooze.

How Often Should You Bathe Your Baby?

Babies do not need a bath every day—in fact, bathing too frequently can dry out sensitive skin and cause irritation (similarly, use bath gels and shampoo sparingly). As long as you make sure to keep those dirt-prone areas clean (diaper area, face and neck, hands, etc.), you will only need to bathe your baby two or three times a week. And don’t worry about shampooing during every bath, either (a real hair wash with shampoo can be done just weekly).

Bath Time Safety Tips

While bath time is a fun experience for both babies and parents, you’ll also want to make sure you’re doing it safely.

Bath water should be warm, but not hot. The water temperature is best described as lukewarm (you can test with your elbow or wrist—they’re more sensitive than your fingertips), right around 100°. When you’re baby proofing your home, go ahead and set your water heater below 120 degrees to prevent accidental scalding.
Fill your tub or sink with just enough water to cover the bottom of your baby’s body, and always keep one hand on your baby’s body.
Any time your baby is in water, they should be under constant supervision—don’t step away from the tub or take your eyes off your baby, even for a moment.
Prevent slips by adding a non-skid bath mat to your tub, and cover your faucet and any hardware with guards, rubber, or washcloths.
Drain your tub entirely when you’re through bathing (babies and toddlers can drown in just two inches of water). When you’re done getting your little one squeaky clean, close the door and install a doorknob guard or latch to keep children out of the bathroom while not in use.
Take shorter baths in the winter or when the temperature drops. Soaking too long during cooler weather can dry out your baby’s sensitive skin, and make them itchy.

Bath Time Must-Haves

Having these basic essentials on hand will ensure bath time is enjoyable and stress-free for you and your little one.

A baby bath tub. While you can bathe a newborn without a baby tub or support (bathing with your infant in the bathtub or using a sink are two options), tubs designed for babies can make that first bath less daunting and more enjoyable for the both of you. Plus, some parents really like having a dedicated tub for baby baths that is easy to keep clean.
A super gentle body wash, shampoo, and baby lotion. Look for toiletries with limited ingredients you can pronounce and that are fragrance-free to avoid irritating your little one’s skin.
Baby washcloths and a hooded towel. The washcloths you use are a little too big (and fluffy) to wash your baby effectively—although you can soak them in the bath water and place them on your infant’s tummy to help them stay warm. And a hooded towel helps your baby retain heat and stay cozy once you get them out of the warm water.
Bath toys. Bath toys can help keep your baby engaged and distracted while you get them clean. Plus, water play is a serious brain boosting activity that gives babies the opportunity for multi-sensory exploration.

A Step-by-Step Guide for Establishing a Bath Time Routine

Ready to splish splash? Here’s our step-by-step guide for creating a relaxing bath time routine.

Plan to bathe your baby two to three times a week, and ideally, at the same time of day each time. Predictability and consistency are key in helping your baby set expectations, and will reduce fussiness and resistance.
Before you even begin running the water, gather all the bath gear you may need: your baby bath tub, body wash/shampoo and lotion, toys, washcloths and a towel, a change of clothes, and a diaper.
Begin running the bath water before undressing your baby. Having a little extra time makes it easier to get the temperature just right, and some babies are startled by the loud sound of water running.
Double check the temperature of the water, then undress your little one and slowly lower them into the tub.
Use a washcloth to clean your baby. While the face, neck, and diaper area are the most important areas to focus on, sometimes it can help to begin at the top and work your way to the bottom. Wipe your baby’s face, neck, and behind their ears, then move to the chest, belly, and back. Wash your baby’s arms and hands (don’t forget the fingernails!), and then lift their arms to wipe the armpits. Wash their diaper area thoroughly, and wipe down the legs and feet, making sure you get the grime between toes.
Take some time to bond! Sing nursery rhymes and talk to your baby while you wash them (baths are a great opportunity to help your baby learn names for body parts and to practice counting fingers and toes), smile and encourage them to mimic your facial expressions.
Don’t skip out on the fun! Making bath time an engaging and positive experience will ensure your baby looks forward to it. Play with bath toys (you can keep it simple—if you don’t have any bath toys on hand, plastic measuring cups and spoons are great for water play), splash around, and get silly.
Once you’re done bathing your baby, carefully lift them out of the tub (babies are slippery!) and dry them off, paying special attention to areas that are trickier to dry, like their armpits, neck, and between their legs.
Apply baby lotion while your little one is still damp so that moisture is locked into your baby’s sensitive skin.
Diaper and dress your baby, and run a comb through their hair. Hooray! Bath time routine complete.

By following these steps and keeping your baby’s bath time routine consistent, you can make bath time a relaxing and stress-free experience that’s full of opportunities to bond with your little one.

Babies thrive with structure, and creating a bath time routine will help keep your baby’s schedule predictable and will reduce bath time resistance in the future. Plus, it’s a wonderful way to spend quality one-on-one time with your baby and to have a little fun at the end of the day.

Finding What’s Right for You

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