How often should you bathe your child?

For some parents, the daily struggle to bathe their kids can be tough: they'll do anything to avoid getting in the tub. Other children, really enjoy bath time. 

But do kids really need to bath everyday? The short answer is: it depends.

Pediatrician David Gellar, MD, told BabyCenter: “Bathing is really necessary only to clean your child off when she gets dirty.”

How often should you bath babies and toddlers?

Some babies love the bath; and, while it’s an excellent way to relax them before bed, they don’t need to be bathed every day.

If your baby is a newborn, a bath two or three times a week is enough. However, their face, hands, diaper area and folds under the armpits should be wiped every day.

For some, bathing more frequently can irritate the skin.

The Washington Post reports: “While it may seem counter-intuitive, over-bathing your child can lead to problems with the skin as the natural oils are stripped away by the soap and warm water.”

How often should older children have a bath?

As for older children, The American Academy of Dermatology says kids between the ages of six and 11 only need to bath one to two times week, or when they are dirty and smelly.

Once puberty hits, tweens and teens should be bathing or showering daily.