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Bathing / Top and Tail question

Hi all (again),
When do you find the best time to bath little one and how often do you bath as opposed to just top and tail. Seem to have no time in the evening once OH come home what with feeding, trying to get dinner for us and preparing bottles etc for night. Any thoughts ?
Thanks S X

Replies

  • During the week when hubby is at work we aim for 6:15pm when he walks in the door. I like to let hubby do the bath time so that he has some quality time with Brody at the end of his day. On weekends, if we are able to we will try to do it a little earlier - say 5ish.

    I get the bath ready and work in the background while hubby bathes him.

    We do bath him every day, even though he isn't really dirty. I like to bathe everyday (in fact twice) and he loves the bathtime so that's why we give him the pleasure as well. We always follow with a baby massage before dressing him.

    I used to wake and feed him before bath time but my mw advised that this can upset their tummy. So now I feed him after bath time instead, when it's wind down time then off to bed.

    As for our dinner (hubby and me), Ive had my mum here the whole time taking care of that, she is leaving tomorrow, so I will try to either prepare something before he wakes up or at least have it ready for hubby to do after bath time while I am feeding Brody. That's my plan anyway!

    xx
  • We tend to bath every day too in the evening, and top and tail in the morning (mind it is usually late morning by the time I get myself turned around!!). I like to bathe Sophie every night so she smells nice and her hair is clean etc.

    I am bottle feeding Sophie which I think makes a bit of a difference from the breastfeeders. O/h and I had it in our heads that we would bathe Sophie at 6, feed her and then when we eventually start to "put her up to bed" on her own, her bedtime would be 7pm.

    At the minute, the 6pm bath time is too early. We find that if Sophie gets her bottle between 7 & 8 pm she normally goes a good 4 1/2 - 5 hours before wanting another one, which then leads to less feeds during the night. Plus it means that o/h and I can get our tea before putting Sophie in the bath, as o/h comes in from work between 5.30 & 6.

    Think its just trial and error as to what works best for you really. We will probably change again once Sophie starts to sleep through the night (pray!!) but 7pm bath time works for us at the minute!

    Hope this helps.

    Nici and Sophie - 3 weeks old today!!!
  • i bath her every other day as she had dry skin so HV said best every other day i bath her at 645pm just before 7pm feed while daddy put toddler to bed and other 2 are watching tv downstairs x
  • I go for a bit later than these lovely ladies. Jak gets his bath everyday at 7.30pm. He started off having baths and now he's coming round to them, which is great! The theory behind the timing is that then I can get him started on his feed at around 7.45-8pm so he gets his story and bedtime before 8.30. If we try any earlier he ends up waking really soon after going to bed, so it works for us. We're trying to get him to feed every 4hrs in the night, so 8pm, midnight, 4am then whenever he wakes and is hungry come morning time. It's worked a few times so we're just persevering!

    Em + Jak x x x
  • Oh Em.. you are already reading bedtime stories ;\) So sweet! I'm not yet, in fact I don't even have any to read yet. Note to self: add to christmas list.

    xx
  • I tend to bath Lily every other day as she has dry skin, top and tail on the day she doesn't have a bath. I do this in the morning- take older children to school and do it when we get back in, feed her, then put her down for a sleep so I can catch up with washing/ironing etc. I'm Breastfeeding too, so it can be a bit hit and miss. Bath time in the evening would be difficult to fit in with homework/dinner/after school clubs/bedtime etc. Hubby is on alternating shifts, so I just do my own thing anyway. If he's here it's a bonus.

    Alison & Lily (5 weeks) xx
  • No books sim75! That's sacrilege in my world image I'll send you some if you like as my house is coming down with them and oh is always complainging. You should join a book club, they do good offers. Books for children and red house are great and really cheap x
  • sorry hikacking!

    Just wondering how long is too long between baths?
  • Hi Girls

    Just wanted to ask, if your wee ones are sleeping & its bath time do you wake them up for the bath or wait until they wake up themselves. We have been leaving Jack to wake for his feed then put him in the bath then feed him after. He usually screams the place down until he gets his bottle. but by doing this there isnt any routine with his bath/bed time (it can be anytime between 7pm & 9pm) & some nights we find it takes about 2hrs from his feed till get goes to sleep.

    Thanks
    Stacey & Jack
    xx
  • Stacey last night we woke Dylan for his bath, we went on our evening family walk and got back at 7:30 (slightly later than usual) took him upstairs and bathed him. It was his feed time also, he loves the bath but screams at the undressing and dressing part whether he is awake or not as he is hungry. We then gave him his feed at 8 and put him dow he didnt go to sleep till 9:30 and we woke him at 22:45 for another feed, he then slept till 5!!!!!!

    This is the latest he has slept its usually 4, but we find the routine works for us

    Em and Dylan x x
  • Thanx Em

    I think we will wake him from now about 15-30mins before his feed & bath him. we always thought we should leave him to wake himself but its not practical if we want him in a routine

    Stacey & Jack
    xxx
  • hi stacey i wake toula for her bath but ialso wake her for her feeds too else she would sleep allday and wake all night as she was to start with lol but its worked as for the last 4 nights has slept from 10pm til 3/4am til 7am.
  • Thanx amanda

    Defo going to wake Jack now before his feed, bath him & feed him after image

    The last couple of nights Jack has had his last feed between 8-9pm (didnt go to sleep till about 10.30 though) then his next feed was about 2-3am. Just need to get him sleeping just after his feed so we get the benefit lol. Hopefully having his bath before it will help

    Stacey
    xx
  • i bathe my dingalingimage

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