If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re supposed to keep up those nightly baths once winter arrives, here’s a little relief for your already-full mental load: your baby does not need a daily bath in the colder months.
In fact, bathing less often can actually help protect their delicate skin from dryness, irritation, and those mysterious red patches that like to show up the minute the temperature drops.
This is one of those parenting truths that feels almost too good to be true. Fewer baths? Less time hovering over the tub while your coffee gets cold? Sign us all up. But there’s some real science behind why bathing less in winter is better - so let’s walk through it together, mom-to-mom.
Baby skin is naturally more sensitive
A baby’s skin barrier isn’t fully developed yet. It loses moisture faster, becomes irritated more easily, and has a harder time recovering from dryness - especially when cold weather and indoor heating join forces to steal every drop of hydration.
During winter, the skin’s natural oils become even more essential. Daily baths can strip those oils away, leaving your baby’s skin trying to catch up. Less bathing gives their skin a chance to stay supple and protected.
Cold air + hot water = double trouble
Winter already dries out your baby’s skin. Add warm bathwater to that, and you get a recipe for parched, itchy, flaky patches that make diaper changes or bedtime fussier than usual.
Skipping baths every now and then helps keep their skin calm and comfortable, instead of working overtime to rehydrate.
Babies don’t get “dirty” the way toddlers do
A newborn or younger baby isn’t rolling in playground mulch, painting the sidewalk with chalk dust, or making sandwiches out of sand and snack crumbs. Most winter days, babies don’t get truly dirty. They just need simple, gentle cleansing where it counts.
Which brings us right to…
Where spot cleaning shines
This is the time of year when spot cleaning becomes your best friend:
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Face
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Neck folds
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Hands
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Diaper area
A soft cloth, warm water, and a gentle, oil-based cleanser make quick work of the areas that need attention, without drying out the rest of the skin.
And yes, this is exactly where La Petite Crème Diapering Lotion pulls double duty. Its gentle, hydrating formula cleans, moisturizes, and protects all in one go. Perfect for winter days when a full bath isn’t necessary (or when you’d rather spend that time drinking something warm while it’s still warm).
How often should you bathe your baby in winter?
Two to three times a week is plenty for most babies during the colder months. On non-bath days, stick to gentle top-to-toe wiping and extra moisturizing wherever skin feels dry.
If your little one struggles with eczema or sensitive patches, even fewer baths could be beneficial - your pediatrician can help you gauge what works best.
Petites pensées
Winter brings enough challenges - stiff fingers, dry air, and a baby who somehow senses exactly when you sit down. Let this be one thing that gets easier. Fewer baths don’t make you less attentive; they make you wise. Trust your instincts, protect that precious skin, and let the season be softer for both of you.