By Susan Floyd
Every evening, around 7pm, I head upstairs to prepare the bath for my three children. This has been part of my nightly ritual since my eldest, now eight, was just a baby.
Like countless mothers, I adhere to the common parenting belief promoted by well-known childcare authors like Gina Ford and the Supernanny, which suggests that a consistent bedtime routine fosters relaxation and encourages a full night’s sleep.
Of course, cleanliness plays a role too, but honestly, bath time for us serves more as a transition between the end of the day and the start of night.
Thus, our routine unfolds each evening: bath, teeth brushing, milk consumption, story time, cuddles, lights out—task completed. See you in the morning at 7am. Gina and her peers would certainly approve.
Even when my oldest began developing small dry patches of skin diagnosed as atopic eczema, I stuck to the routine, opting to add an emollient to the bathwater instead of skipping bath time entirely.
Recently, after noticing my middle child was getting sore hands from making bubbles, I simply took away the baby bubble bath.
According to recent statistics, 60 percent of babies are bathed every night, spending an average of 15 minutes in the water. Additionally, one-fifth of infants receive baths every other night. It has become a standard component of bedtime rituals today.
However, during a party last weekend, I conversed with a mother who is a medical professional. Once we began discussing how to get our kids to sleep, she passionately argued that nightly baths not only waste water but could also lead to dry, damaged skin.
She concluded her point by revealing that her children bathe only once or twice a week.
So, are the rest of us overdoing it with our children’s baths?
Margaret Cox, chief executive of the National Eczema Society, affirms this, highlighting that as our bathing habits have evolved, so too has the prevalence of eczema, a dry skin condition that results in skin becoming red, scaly, and sore.
In the 1940s, only four percent of newborns experienced this condition. Today, it affects 25 percent of babies and one in five children.
Margaret states, “People are often unaware that bathing in plain water can lead to skin dryness, and not many realize the potential harm soap can cause.
“We should refocus on bathing as a means of cleaning rather than regarding it as a special experience, as I believe this may not benefit our skin.
“Very young infants do not tend to get very dirty except around their mouths and in the diaper area, so a daily top and tail with a cloth and warm water, along with a couple of baths each week, should suffice. Older kids should be bathed as needed when they’re actually dirty.
“If there’s any family history of eczema, asthma, or hay fever, I would recommend using an emollient bath oil and avoiding soap altogether.
“Having a routine is significant, and the time spent with mum is valuable, but that doesn’t necessitate bathing babies and children every single night.”
Professor Aziz Sheikh, head of the allergy and respiratory research group at Edinburgh University, directed a study showing a 41 percent increase in eczema cases per 1,000 individuals from 2001 to 2005.
He estimates the occurrence in British children to be one in three, making it one of the highest rates globally.
“Bathing can potentially heighten the risk by removing some of the skin’s natural surface oils. This appears to play a role not only in worsening eczema but may also increase susceptibility to other allergic conditions,” he notes.
Eczema sufferers can develop heightened sensitivity to additional allergens.Through their inflamed skin, he states, children are at an increased risk of developing allergies.
To shield the skin, Professor Aziz recommends that parents minimize the use of bath-time products and opt for only unperfumed brands. He suggests steering clear of bubble baths.
Additionally, here’s another study that should raise concerns.
Professor Michael Cork, who leads academic dermatology at Sheffield University’s School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, discovered that babies predisposed to eczema due to a hereditary gene defect could be sensitized by the detergents contained in even the mildest baby products during the initial six weeks after birth.
“We need much better, high-quality, randomized, controlled trials to determine which products are most suitable for the skin of young babies,” he concludes.
Regarding the frequency of bathing your children, common sense should suffice—much like Rose Allen, 34, from Hampshire, a mother to both a baby and a toddler.
“My son thoroughly enjoyed his nightly baths, but by the time he reached five months, he had developed very dry patches, which raised my concern about potential eczema,” she shares.
“I consulted the doctor, who prescribed aqueous cream; however, I chose not to use it. I noticed a significant improvement in his skin within weeks simply by reducing the frequency of his baths, and the eczema patches disappeared.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics advises bathing babies just once or twice a week.
So, do I have the courage to revert to the more traditional practice of the weekly bath?
I can confidently say that it’s rather straightforward to cancel bath time for the older children. They happily dart off to their bedrooms, relishing extra reading time.
However, I’m finding it increasingly difficult to make that decision regarding the baby.
She becomes so thrilled when she arrives in the bathroom at 6:45 p.m. to play with the plastic dogs and water wheel that I can’t bring myself to let her down.
Alright, I admit it. I also fear that she won’t sleep as well if I eliminate the aqua play. But tomorrow, I promise to pull out those flannels.
