# S/O What are your family's bathing habits like? What do you tell your kids about bathing?



## BroodyWoodsgal (Jan 30, 2008)

I dislike bathing every day....in fact, I'd say that I bathe, mmmm probably to be very very honest, a tad bit more than once a week. On average...probably every five days. My DH bathes every. single. day. To me, this feels bordreline CRAZY! That's just sooo much!

I used to bathe more. I mean, as a kid not as much...we didn't shower daily in our house...we would wet and style our hair, lotion, things like that...but actually washing everything was not so much...my mother said it was bad for the natural oils in the skin/scalp and I believed her.

Now that we have DD, I can see that children require much more cleaning..so she gets a warm washcloth "rub down" once or twice a day...and a nice olive oil or some other sort of oiling/lotioning...about daily. She is clean and smells sweet like a flower....so do I, for that matter! DH smells wonderful...we don't like lots of perfumed soaps, etc...he just smells clean all the time.

Now, DH gets smelly and gross at work all day, plus taking a shower is a nice way for him to unwind...so I get that. But I'm realizing more and more, that his way, the daily shower, is the norm! I feel embarassed sometimes around other mamas, because I can tell that a daily bath is a huge part of a lot of family routines...seems every parent I know bathes their kiddos daily, a lot of them as a before bed, wind down ritual.

What do you mamas and papas do? Do any of you bathe less? I'm not stinky, I swear! No one I know IRL, except for DH, really knows or would guess that I'm not a daily showerer. I mean, I do a nice rub down with a hot cloth, etc. if it's a hot day...but for the most part, like I said...every 4-5 days is my normal. Is this normal for any of you?

Am I missing something with my DD, neglecting something I'm supposed to be teacing her, by not bathing her daily?? She likes baths...but she definitely does NOT get a bath every day.

I enjoy bathing, DD does too..she loves water...but I do not think it's so good for the body to be soaping up all the time like that. Don't ven get me started on shampoo...I'm very suspicious of shampoos.

Thoughts...any of you??


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## Slabobbin (Jan 29, 2004)

I could have written this post myself. Word for word. That is how we do it in our house.


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## BroodyWoodsgal (Jan 30, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Slabobbin* 
I could have written this post myself. Word for word. That is how we do it in our house.









Cool beans...glad to know it!

It's a pain to be wet like that all the time...plus I feel like my skin would feel tight or something...I don't know. My skin is prettier and my hair much nicer when I don't bathe as often...but I do have curly hair...I know some people with straight hair get oily if they don't wash it every day?? I think anyway...

But glad not to be alone! THanks!


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## funkymamajoy (May 25, 2008)

We started bathing DS#1 everyday when he was a baby because he spit up all the time. If we didn't wash him, he started growing neck cheese. So it became part of the routine with DD as well. DS#3 (6 months) gets washed about twice a week. He'll get washed more often when he starts playing in the dirt.

DH and I try to wash everyday because we get sweaty and dirty, but sometimes we're too tired or there just isn't time.


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## mirlee (Jul 30, 2002)

I bathe at minimum once per day which generally includes a hairwash. If it's a work day, then it is first thing am. If I don't have to work, then it's after I have taken care of morning chores. On really hot days, I will probably have a quick rinse before bed. I sleep so much better. Everyone else in the house bathes at least once per day. Just our preferences.


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## EFmom (Mar 16, 2002)

We all shower daily, kids included. In the summer, if it's really hot, I may even take a quick second shower right before bed to cool down.

If I can't get a shower every morning, I can't stand myself for the rest of the day. I just feel disgusting.


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## bezark (Mar 17, 2009)

DH and I both bathe every day because we _need_ to. I smell like a man by day 2, and with how hard DH works, he smells like a Mexican lunch cart by dinner time on day 1.
DS gets a water-only bath every night and a soapy bath only once a week. We only bathe him nightly because it's part of his bed time routine, and without it it takes a lot longer to get him to sleep.
However, I see no problem with only bathing every 4/5/6 days if that's all your body requires. My cousin, for example, only takes 1 shower per week, and sometimes washes her hair even less. You would never know it if you didn't know her well enough to be familiar with her hygienic habits.
I'm a firm believer that the more often you bathe, the more often you _need_ to bathe. I didn't use shampoo for _years,_ just conditioner and a good rinse, and probably only bathed every 3-5 days during that time and my hair was never oily and I hardly ever smelled bad. It wasn't until I increased the soaping frequency that I developed those problems. I think the more oil and bacteria you wash away, the more your body feels it needs to produce.


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## kirstenb (Oct 4, 2007)

I shower every other day here. I don't get smelly, and my hair and skin dry out if I bathe every day. In the summer if it's sticky or if I have been working out hard, I'll usually shower off at the end of the day. DS gets a bath maybe once or twice a week if I remember, lol. He gets wiped down with a wash cloth all the time but doesn't need a bath unless he is particularly grimey.


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## churndash (Mar 25, 2009)

We shower daily. It takes me less than ten minutes to shower. It's just part of my morning routine. Shower, brush teeth, get dressed.

I don't like taking baths per se - to me it is basically sitting in a tub of my own filth. But I would feel yucky if I didn't shower each morning.

The kids take showers at night. They switched from baths to showers around age 5 or so. It's not a rule in our house, and sometimes they will skip it if they are tired or we've stayed out late.


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## mama_daba (Dec 7, 2004)

i think i shower about once or twice a week and my son gets washed with a wash cloth when he visibly needs to and isn't running away to fast for me to catch him. he gets a shower about once a week. when we lived in a house with a bathtub i bathed more often. we do have a bathtub here but it is outside and sort of a pain to use all the time. anyhow i am not stinky my son is not stinky and no one would guess how much we do or do not bath. my dp showers when he gets stinky which tends to be more often than me. the one time i shower more is after doing hard exercise where i am really sweaty after and then it is not just to not be stinky anymore but because it feels so good after a really like bike ride or hike to take a nice long bath or shower.

i was once a once a day bather and i once thought that it was nesesary to be clean to bath that often but my skin was less healthy and my hair was less healthy and overall i think i look healthier when i shower less.

also when i have lived in very hot climates i would shower a lot more often to cool off.


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## Alyantavid (Sep 10, 2004)

We bathe every day. Or every other day at the most. Its just how we are.
.


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## sisteeesmama (Oct 24, 2008)

I am happily settled in the once or twice a *week* camp. I have gone longer, it is really just not a big deal to me, no excuses for why, either.

I have several reasons some of which have already been mentioned:
1. I think soap can be damaging to the skin.
2. I do not shampoo my hair plus I am on the way to dreads so I don't comb it and I have coarse curly hair so I really don't do much with it except occassionally when I bathe I oil it.
3. I think it is a monumental waste of a finite resource to bathe often unless you have a low flow shower head.
4. I don't feel I want to allocate the time everyday, I would much rather collage, bead or sew.
5. DH already showers most days so to me that is a lot of water being used.
6. I would rather have the option to occassionally run the dishwasher.
7. Hot showers make me tired and cold showers aren't as practical in my new colder locale.
With dd I bathe her if she needs it. That could be 3-4x a week or none, depending. She loves baths but she also loves the wading pool we have in the back yard.
If ever her need to shower grows bigger than what I feel is appropriate I will just allot her a certain number of shower/bath minutes a week and she can use them whenever she wants to meet her needs. We will not be a 'showering for the fun of it', or even a showering twice a day kind of home, to me that is wasteful. But I can handle it if she wants to shower/bathe 5-6x a week, no prob. I can't see us ever being a shower every single day kind of family.


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## cappuccinosmom (Dec 28, 2003)

For me, I start to feel pretty gross if I get below 3 showers a week. I sweat, drip, and stink. bleh. Just a quick shower is all I need, but I need it. And if I neglect my hair too many times, I end up with horrible outbreaks of what I think is probably fungal something or other.









My kids, however, do fine with the once a week bath in the winter. In the summer, they get absoultely filthy, though. The only set bath is Saturday night, otherwise I just wash as needed. Sometimes that's just having them sit on the edge of the tub and scrub their feet and fingernails, and other times they need a quick shower. So, when they get a lot of outdoor time, they might get "washed up" in some way nightly, but not the long, drawn out, total body baths that some people do. My husband is in the once- a week camp too, although he's realize that he really *stinks* after some remodeling work and has to shower in order to show up inoffensive at work the next day.


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## e(Lisa)beth (Aug 17, 2007)

I have always hated bathing/showering - or, rather, not the bathing so much but being all wet afterwards, having to dry my hair and the struggle to pull on clothes over my still-damp body. I especially hate it when I'm away from home and might not have my own towel and body wash.

I was raised in a household where one showered every day, or at the very least every other day, and even though I hated the process, anything less than every other day made me feel gross. I think the feeling was more mental, based on the environment I was raised in, than physical. So that was my schedule until about three years ago when I finally outgrew that feeling and slowed down to every third day. In these last few months it slowed down even more to twice a week and then even more - right now I'm at about once every five days.

That being said, my normal schedule is sitting around in the A/C all day. If I do anything that makes me sweat profusely - which, in Florida, means anthing more than walking from the house to the car, pretty much - then I will usually shower afterwards. I don't sleep well otherwise.

My DH does shower every day, no matter what. It seems a little nuts to me, but it's a personal decision and it makes him happy, so whatever!

Not sure yet how I will handle bathing for our baby when she arrives.


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## BookGoddess (Nov 6, 2005)

We all bathe daily. DH bathes twice a day regardless of the season. DD typically bathes once a day in the evening unless she's dirty from playing outside in the morning or afternoon. Then she bathes twice a day. I bathe at least once a day. Sometimes twice a day if it's a really humid day. The temperatures here get into the high 80s and low 90s in the summer. It's unbearably humid. I can't imagine not bathing in this kind of sticky hot weather we have here.


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## Oonah (Jul 28, 2004)

DH and I shower daily, the kids take a bath or shower usually just once a week..more if needed but usually just once weekly. Their skin and hair look great. I have tried and tried to shower and shampoo less frequently but it's a tough habit to break, my skin and hair are used to it.


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

I would call our bathing habits "relaxed."







I bathe a few times/week. Dh showers almost every day. The kids a few times/week. Last year on our summer vacation at a very nice, super-clean lake, the kids didn't bathe at all. In the summer, we definitely bathe less because we go to the pool a lot. I don't require baths on pool-days!


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## BroodyWoodsgal (Jan 30, 2008)

Very interesting...man, so a lot of you sweat, huh? Everyone's always talking about sweating...I don't sweat a ton, I guess!

If I smell bad, I'll shower...during the summer that is more often...and I can tell that as DD is playing more and dirtier outside, she's going to need more actual baths...but a warm water bath would probably do it, not all that soap.

I'm very interested in the replies...it seems we are mostly squeaky clean








gals here on MDC...but I'm glad I have a few "relaxed" ladies with me on this!!


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## greengirl_ (Nov 12, 2006)

DH and I have always been the shower every day type. But lately I've realized that I don't require a shower every day, maybe every other day and wash my hair about once a week. DD gets a bath about once a week too. Like the OP, I do a quick wash-up every day but not a complete shower routine. This has all been evolving as our family life and routines have changed over time.

For me, daily showering and smelling like some exotic flower are not a priority for me anymore. DH on the other hand, would be a stinky smelly mess if he didn't shower daily. To each his own.


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## mamadelbosque (Feb 6, 2007)

Neither DH nor I shower every single day... If I get 3 showers in a week, I feel like I'm doing pretty good, though I probably average closer to 2. DH gets showers slightly more often - he probably averages every other day. If we're going out somewhere nice or doing something vaguely special we'll try to shower the night before/morning of... but otherwise I don't worry.

DS gets a bath probably ever 2-3 days, about like DH. I just don't see the point in bathing him more often than that. Yeah, he gets dirty, but a quick wipe down with a wash cloth/wet wipes while changin diaper usually suffices...









ETA: And theres also the fact that we have a shallow well (55-60' deep), so we don't have too much water. So, if you take a shower, nobody else generally can for at least 30+ minutes, unless you want to risk running out of water... which sucks to no end if your all soaped up!! And this time of year, with trying to keep a garden watered & dishes & laundry done showers are kind of, for me at least, secondary...


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## AndrewsMother (Jul 30, 2007)

DS and DH bathe or shower every day. I shower sometimes twice a day, but atleast once a day in the morning. I have to wet my hair to comb it.


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## sahmmie (Jan 13, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bezark* 
I'm a firm believer that the more often you bathe, the more often you _need_ to bathe. I didn't use shampoo for _years,_ just conditioner and a good rinse, and probably only bathed every 3-5 days during that time and my hair was never oily and I hardly ever smelled bad. It wasn't until I increased the soaping frequency that I developed those problems. I think the more oil and bacteria you wash away, the more your body feels it needs to produce.

Hmmm...what an interesting concept. I'd love to give up the daily shower. I hate the time and effort it takes. DH showers twice a day, minimally. I used to shower once a day religiously until I had children and began to find it harder to squeeze it in. Surprisingly I noticed I didn't stink like I thought I would if I skipped a day. Now I shower every other day except in the summer months because I do sweat profusely when it's hot. As for the kids, in the winter months they usually get 3 baths a week. In the summer I begrudingly bathe them daily because I hate to send them to bed covered in sunblock and bug spray.


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## alicia622 (May 8, 2005)

I take a shower daily- soemtimes twice a day. DH as well. DS usually takes a bath daily but we will go everyother day for him in the winter when he's not getting filthy from playing outside!

I used to wash my hair daily but now I go several days between washing since discovering the flat iron! I use a shower cap which DH continues to laugh about.


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## aniT (Jun 16, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 
Don't ven get me started on shampoo...I'm very suspicious of shampoos.










What is to be suspicious about?

I take a shower every single day. If I don't, I feel gross. This includes washing my hair. DH takes a shower every morning before work, but unless he gets gross can and will go all weekend without one.

My teen takes a shower every day. My 10 year old takes one two to three times a week when I tell her too. My five year old takes one about the same as the 10 year old. My 2 year old HATES HATES HATES baths.. (he hates the kiddy pool too.) So he only take a bath about once a week, or if he gets really gross. I would love for him to take one more often cause his hair is thin and gets natty and greasy looking if not washed more often.. but it's not usually worth the fight.


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## OkiMom (Nov 21, 2007)

I work out daily which means I sweat daily. I don't sweat during my normal every day activities but when I run or do cardio in the morning I sweat. I don't necessarily use soap every day though and I don't wash my hair every day. Ill do a quick rinse down so I don't have sweat all over me. It also helps wake me up if the working out didn't. Every few days I take a bath since I find baths relaxing but no soap.
DH showers once or twice a day depending on how many times that day he worked out or if he worked with ammunition that day (hes an ammo tech for the Marine Corps and ammo stinks and you end up stinking when you work around it).
DD1 gets a "bath" daily but hardly ever with soap. I maybe wash her down with soap every week to two weeks. When she starts to smell I wash her down. DD2 is almost 8 months old and I have used soap on her maybe 5 times since she was born. She just doesn't get dirty. She will join me in the bath or shower maybe once a week.


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## pinksprklybarefoot (Jan 18, 2007)

In the summer and when in the later stages of pregnancy, I shower just about every day. I also shower after working out. If my hair is long, I don't wash it more than a couple of times a week if I am planning on wearing it up. It looks better that way.

DH showers approximately every other day, and after working out.

The kids get baths when they need them, which works out to 2-3 times/week. This will probably get more frequent with DS now that he is getting older and into getting dirty outside. He likes to take baths and showers, and I do let him stand in the shower with me often - I don't always soap him up though. There is no way we could do a daily bath routine - it always takes forever.


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## seaheroine (Dec 24, 2004)

We bathe and shower everyday, occasionally twice in a day if we're feeling particularly dirty/were active outside/etc. I definitely feel gross if I don't...triple that when I'm pregnant. We don't use our AC either, so right now it's in the 100s and showering/bathing is a nice relief. I can't sleep when I don't feel clean. Plus, I'm a glass of wine and book in the bathtub type of person!









I usually wash my hair every other day as it's really long and a pain to manage. While working, I washed it everyday.

I bathe DD with baby wash every night, occasionally in the morning too if we go to the park early and get sweaty/dirty. She manages to get quite grubby during the day. I feel better when I feel clean and can only imagine she does too. She loves bathing...it's a struggle to get her out of the tub! She'll usually go right to sleep after a warm bath, too, so I think she finds it relaxing like us.


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## mommysarah5 (Jun 22, 2009)

I bathe when my body signals it's time...
My children get bathed when they need it or ask for a bath.


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## Amylcd (Jun 16, 2005)

We bathe daily.


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## Healthy_Baby (Sep 15, 2007)

i too could have written the OP.

I've never had an oder issue. it's only my hair that gets oily.
i shower either Friday night or Saturday morning. by Wednesday i usually wash my face thoroughly (exfoliate, moisturize ect.) sometimes i'll also wash my hair over the tub if i have a particular reason (ie. place to go).

i noticed a HUGE difference in the health of my hair since doing this - far less damaged broken hair, and now britle ends are beging to grow out.

i have "sensitive skin". the recommended twice daily washing you ALWAYS hear from Dermatologists have never helped me only aggravated breakout and redness. i've seen improvment as i've lessoned my washing - but i can't be sure it that's not pregnancy and nursing hormones









either way i like the results!


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## Maine Mama Doula (Sep 6, 2007)

I bathe every 3-4 days, either if I get sweaty or if my hair start to feel like it might get oily. DH does the same. I bathe my two older children (3 and 2) everyday to every other day. We use shampoo every other day at most; otherwise they just play in the water as part of the night routine. My youngest (6 months) is bathed less - about twice a week. I'll increase this when she can sit up on her own.


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## Smokering (Sep 5, 2007)

I'm anti-daily bathing in theory - well, not anti-bathing, but I do think washing too frequently in hot water isn't the best for the body's natural oils, especially with soap - but I love my showers, so wash once a day if possible.

We don't bath the baby nearly that often - at this stage it's still mostly just her hands and face that get dirty. Plus, we tend to forget.







I'm pretty sure our in-laws still think we bathe her once a day though, _the way Jesus was bathed_.









ETA: Forgot to add that I do natural haircare. I have hair long enough to sit on, and when I did WO washing I could get away with washing it every 7-10 days. Now I pre-oil it and use baking soda/ACV, which makes my hair much happier but means slightly more frequent washing - every 5-6 days? The "the more often you wash, the more often you'll need to wash" rule is definitely true for hair, and I'd add "the more harshly you cleanse" to that as well. So it makes sense that it'd also be true for skin, and I believe that's fairly well-known. Why are acne-infested teens warned not to overcleanse? Because harsh cleansers strip the skin of its natural oil, and the skin responds by overcompensating, producing more sebum and perpetuating a cycle of too dry - too oily.


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## Aleo (Jan 1, 2009)

We bathe daily.


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## NotBroken (Oct 4, 2007)

I *wish* I didn't have to bathe so often. I usually bathe every 2 days, but if I am going somewhere I have to shower.

My hair and scalp get super smelly and oily, and the lady parts need a good washin' at least once a day.


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## SunshineJ (Mar 26, 2008)

Dh and I generally shower every other day or so. I also wash my hair and shave, so in the summer if I want to wear shorts it's kind of important around here. Through the school year we bathe the kids every 2 days or so (unless otherwise warranted), however in the summer it's more like once a week. Yeah they get sweatier and dirtier but they also spend hours near daily playing in the pool (inflatable non-chlorine) and little water slide out back, so I figure that's a pretty good rinse!


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

I usually bathe every other day. I think dh does, too. (He usually showers in the morning before work, so I don't actually know for sure how often he takes one.) We both up that a little bit if we're really hot and/or have been unusually active (demanding bike ride or a long hike or something). We have no routine for the kids - usually a couple of times a week, but not on a set schedule. If they get really filthy, they get a bath more often, but I don't think they need one every day. I don't really enjoy the bathtime thing, so we don't do it that often.

I let ds1 take care of his own hygiene. I have no idea how often he showers, but he never looks dirty or smells, so it's often enough for him. I'm sure he takes more showers when he's being very active (eg. during Ultimate season) or it's very hot.

I bathed every week night when I WOH, mostly so my hair would look totally clean every work day. I usually skipped Friday nights, though.


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## claddaghmom (May 30, 2008)

I was raised similarly. It made sense to me that bathing frequently strips the oils. Of course we were allowed to bathe as much as we wanted when older, but I didn't want to. I have sensitive skin and swimming or bathing frequently dries it, cracks it, inflames it etc. I typically take a full shower once a week and wash my hair twice a week. If I am exercising, I'll shower quickly to get the sweat off afterwards.

DD got mostly cloth baths after birth...I think she got a true soak once or twice a month. After the winter months though she began to bathe more frequently. She loves going to the pool 2-3xs a week. And we do EC on a regular toilet and I just wash her off in the tub when she's done....

DH takes a shower everrrryy day too. TETO. It would drive me crazy.


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## snoopy5386 (May 6, 2005)

DH and I shower daily, on occaison twice a day if we have a really gross day. I honestly cannot imagine not bathing daily. We both wake up really stinky - my pits and crotch reek and my hair is gross and oily. DD gets bathed every other day, but more often in the summer - I always want to bathe her if she wears sunblock that day to wash it off. That happens more often in summer obviously. We also spend a lot of time in areas with ticks (DD had lyme disease earlier this summer) so we bathe and do a tick check at the same time to minimize ticks.


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## straighthaircurly (Dec 17, 2005)

Our household is almost exactly like the OP. DH showers every night (a car mechanic so he needs this), I shower about once every 5 days, more if it is super hot, humid weather. DS bathes about the same as me, but we wash his feet, knees, and face more frequently depending on how much time he spends in the dirt that day. In the winter around here my skin gets too dry if I shower more frequently.


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## greenmamapagan (Jan 5, 2008)

I shower daily. I don't feel I've really gotten out of bed if I don't. Sometimes I skip it to save time but not if I'm going anywhere important or we have visitors. I get stinky but I don't need a lot of soap, just a little under the arms. DH showers everyday. DD normally showers everyday too because she likes to get in with one of us. Lately I've been bathing once a week with DS (5 weeks old). I have dreads and only wash my hair with shampoo once a week or less but I water wash it everyday or it feels gross.


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## LaLaLaLa (Oct 29, 2007)

Oh, how I LOOOOVE to shower. Really. I could spend hours in a hot shower every day and never feel like a single second of that was wasted. I just feel better about things, more alert and upbeat and refreshed and _myself_ right after stepping out of a hot shower. So I shower every morning as a way to start my day. If I spend the afternoon working out in the garden or doing anything else that's likely to get me especially sweaty/dirty/covered in poison ivy oils, I'll shower again before dinner.

DH showers every morning before he leaves for work.

My kids have a bath pretty much every night, as part of the evening routine. If one or both are especially opposed to bathing I'm often flexible about skipping it, although less so if they are visibly grimy or covered in bug spray or sunscreen. Both of them like baths, so it's usually not a fight.

When they get older I'll hand over more control to them, although I suspect they've inherited my love of bathing.


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## mata (Apr 20, 2006)

It varies-sometimes I shower daily, other times every other day. I don't wash my hair everyday-sometimes every 3 days, sometimes I just use conditioner. I also use dry shampoo, which is way cool. I have so many other things to do than to blow out my hair daily.


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## sewchris2642 (Feb 28, 2009)

If it makes you feel any better, I only wash my hair about once a week. And I've been known to go 2-3 weeks between hair washings. And I haven't used soap (or any cleansers/moisturizers for that matter) on my face since mom stopped washing my face some 50 years ago. Only a wet washcloth and hand towel to dry. No one else uses them. But I bathe (I only shower when I wash my hair) every night. Can't go to sleep without a good long soak in the tub. It warms me up in the winter and removes the stickiness in the summer. Dh takes a daily shower in the morning. Dylan takes either a shower or bath in the evening. Mostly as part of winding down, relaxing before bedtime. But now that he is in the pool every day, he needs to wash the chlorine off his skin and hair.


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## CatsCradle (May 7, 2007)

I WOH so I shower every weeknight. It's not about me...it's about the people I work with. DD goes to school and is covered in paint and subway crud every day, so she gets baths often. DH bikes 20 miles every day and is covered in stinky sweat...so I'm glad he takes showers. I tend not to shower on the weekends but feel pretty smelly by Sunday. I'm allergic to perfume, so I can't mask my body odor. I'm around a lot of people daily....I gotta think about their rights too (right to be free from my body odor).


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## Sailor (Jun 13, 2006)

We both bathe/shower twice a day. In the mornings, I shower but I run between 8 and 10 miles per day. So, I am sweaty, stinky, and disgusting after that. A washcloth won't cut it. My partner cycles 60 - 100 miles in lycra. So, again, he needs it in the morning.

In the evenings, we take a bath to wind down and because I sleep better when "clean."

Also, we live near the beach. We often go into the ocean in the afternoons, and all that salt water dries out my skin. So, I have to get it off of me.

I figured we'd bathe our kid daily too. Or at least hose them off with the garden hose.


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## mamadebug (Dec 28, 2006)

DH and I each bath every day. DS usually gets a bath every day in the summer - I like to get the sweat, chlorine and sun screen off. In the winter, he usually gets a bath every other day. If he gets really dirty, which he loves to do, he gets bathed more often. I think I gave him 3 baths in one day once.

Also, just a question - for those who don't bathe daily, how do you know you don't smell a little funny? Or, do you not mind if you do? I know sometimes, at the end of a hot day, I don't notice that I smell bad, but DH notices it. We also had some really close friends stay with us for 4 days, and each of them bathed twice during that time. They both were a little stinky at times.


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## salmontree (Mar 29, 2004)

I relate just about completely to the OP. Except the part about your husband. Mine works a job that isn't very physical so he gets away with showering about as often as I do.. every five days on average. In the summer on hot days we'll shower more often.

I also think that the more often you wash your hair the more quickly it gets greasy. My hair doesn't get start getting greasy until about day 5. I've never been a daily showerer. I prefer just spot cleaning with a washcloth as needed between showers. The kids are the same. They all get wiped down before bed and bathe every 5 days or so unless there's some kind of extreme dirtying event.


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## ann_of_loxley (Sep 21, 2007)

I shower every morning. I can't go without a shower - mostly for my hair. I have very thin blonde hair and a very greasy scalp. I have tried 'no poo', etc... Doesn't work. I would love to not have to wash my hair everyday!...So I just shower every morning. DS has a bath quite often. Not every night but often. It depends on how dirty he is. Most of the time I would be happy to just get a wet cloth and wipe him down - thats all he would need tbh...but he HATES that and would rather get in the bath so bath it is. He HATES showers - so thats not happening for him lol!

We all know that we shower/bathe to get clean and smell nice - simple.


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## Smokering (Sep 5, 2007)

Quote:

Also, just a question - for those who don't bathe daily, how do you know you don't smell a little funny?
LOL! That's a tad existential, isn't it... how do you _know_ you don't smell funny? Ah, but do you really _know_?

Like I say, I generally do shower daily because I love showers; but on the occasions I've skipped a day or two, I've been as confident of not stinking as any other day. I know what I smell like when I'm genuinely stinky, and I know I don't smell like that.







Plus, I have a dutiful and adoring husband who'd tell me. It really does vary from person to person according to a whole bunch of factors - what they eat, how much they sweat, what kinds of fabrics and clothes they were, what deodorants/anti-perspirants they use, presence or absence of body hair, whether or not they smoke... Some people are able to get away with it when others aren't, is all.


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## Quindin (Aug 22, 2003)

I shower twice a day: in the morning and before going to bed.
I just need a shower in the morning to wake up, and I can't go to sleep without feeling squeaky clean.
Most people bathe twice in my country.

Edited to add: My hair is curly and very thick. I can only comb it if it is wet, otherwise it looks horribly freezy. So another reason to shower every morning









DH started showering more since marrying me.
I would say that he showers every other day or everyday as needed.
The kids shower every other day like DH or as needed. My oldest boy HATES showering, so sometimes he managed to sneak away showered once a week!

I am teaching my 11yo daughter to shower daily and use the bidet for her personal hygiene.


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## meemee (Mar 30, 2005)

my mom would be horrified to learn i dont bath every day or that neither does my dd.

however we are a seasonal family. winters we bathe less. summers - depends. baths mainly means playing in the water. which could happen multiple times a day.

the longest i can go is 3 days. that's how long my hair will allow me in summer. by the 3rd day my superfine thin populated hair looks like somebody took a gallon of olive oil and poured it on my hair. so i have to 'shampoo' my hair ever second day. HOWEVER some days i just wash my hair in the sink.

we've had some really hot sweaty days so i have had to bath every alternate day.

my dd nearly 7 just started with BO. so i make sure she washes her underarms and bottom everyday.


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## durafemina (Feb 11, 2004)

since dd has become a messy toddler we have implemented an almost-nightly bath - mostly to get the food/dirt/etc out of her hair. _But_ we never use soap or shampoo.
Several times a week I may jump into the bath with her (I'm pregnant and it relaxes me). Once a week I have a shower, wash my hair with shampoo & armpits with soap.
Dp showers every day that he works - but he also needs to shave every day so I guess it goes hand in hand.

I find if I bathe any more than that I get really dry & itchy. My hair is always super healthy too. . . works for us.


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## Jannah6 (Aug 29, 2007)

I shower everyday, because I suffer from boils







. My DH doesn't have a scheduled shower, so it's whenever he wants to. Oldest DS showers everyday, sometimes twice a day in the summer. I've been having 8 yr old DD shower everyday in the summer, because she can get stinky. I bathe 5 yr old DD every other day because she needs it, she started having stink underarms at 4 1/2







. I'm more relaxed with 6 yr old DS, like his dad he doesn't have a schedule(he doesn't really like baths and he HATES showers). I bathe 21 month old DS everyday sometimes twice because sometimes I clean his butt in the tub after a diaper blowout. My 5 month old DD doesn't have a schedule. I wipe her down with a baby wipe or two. When I think she needs a bath I give her one, she's another one who hates baths.

Sorry for the thesis,


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## onlyzombiecat (Aug 15, 2004)

Dh showers/bathes daily.

Dd and I shower/bathe about every other day. Like a pp, we have fine straight hair that gets visibly oily and 2 days is about the time it starts looking and feeling bad. I also have a skin condition and if I go longer without bathing it gets worse.

Sometimes dd would go longer between full baths when she was younger but she needs it more often now.

We do use minimal soap on our bodies and not a lot of other products on our bodies.

In hot weather I take cool or cold showers/baths to help cool off.


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## hibiscus mum (Apr 6, 2009)

I shower daily. I try to go without some days but I can't stand the feeling of my greasy hair touching my face. If I workout, I'll take another shower, usually just to rinse off. DH showers once a day too, some days twice if he plays baseball or is especially sweaty.

As for the kids, we've sort of settled into a routine of bathing them every second night. The baby just gets a sponge bath.


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## kalimay (May 25, 2005)

I rinse off every day, wash my hair every other or third day. My kids get a bath or shower once or twice a week unless they are really muddy, sandy or covered in something else I don't want in bed with me. Then they get washed before bed.

For the people who do wash clothes every day I would think that would be about the same to the skin as a rinse in the shower, or maybe not.

Also, as an aside, my inlaws shower maybe once or twice a week but do the wash cloth wipe in the morning. When we get in the car with them the smell is really gross to me. My older child always asks what that yucky smell is, I have to keep the windows opened. I don't notice it too much otherwise, except if I am hugging them or standing really close but confined it is powerful. They are oblivious. Is there some way to gently ask them to shower or bathe more frequently when they are here?


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## purplepaperclip (May 19, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sisteeesmama* 
I am happily settled in the once or twice a *week* camp. I have gone longer, it is really just not a big deal to me, no excuses for why, either.

I have several reasons some of which have already been mentioned:
1. I think soap can be damaging to the skin.
2. I do not shampoo my hair plus I am on the way to dreads so I don't comb it and I have coarse curly hair so I really don't do much with it except occassionally when I bathe I oil it.
3. I think it is a monumental waste of a finite resource to bathe often unless you have a low flow shower head.
4. I don't feel I want to allocate the time everyday, I would much rather collage, bead or sew.
5. DH already showers most days so to me that is a lot of water being used.
6. I would rather have the option to occassionally run the dishwasher.
7. Hot showers make me tired and cold showers aren't as practical in my new colder locale.
With dd I bathe her if she needs it. That could be 3-4x a week or none, depending. She loves baths but she also loves the wading pool we have in the back yard.
*If ever her need to shower grows bigger than what I feel is appropriate I will just allot her a certain number of shower/bath minutes a week and she can use them whenever she wants to meet her needs*. We will not be a 'showering for the fun of it', or even a showering twice a day kind of home, to me that is wasteful. But I can handle it if she wants to shower/bathe 5-6x a week, no prob. *I can't see us ever being a shower every single day kind of family*.

I can understand wanting to conserve resources, but what if your dd really feels like she needs to shower daily when she gets older? Would you not allow her to? How will you ascertain what amount of minutes is appropriate?


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## itsrtimedownhere (Jul 18, 2008)

i shower 2-3 times a week and wash my hair on saturdays.

dh showers every morning. sometimes in the evenings after work too. he washes his hair 2-3 times a week.

the boys get bathed after we swim to get the chlorine off. probably 4 times a week. they get soaped about once every 2 weeks.

to answer the stinky question, yes, i smell. no, i don't care.







if it's really bad, i'll rub some baking soda in my pits.


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## aniT (Jun 16, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *salmontree* 
I also think that the more often you wash your hair the more quickly it gets greasy.

I think it depends more on your hair. DS's hair is thin like mine as is DD1. DD2's is curly and think like DH's and DD3's is really curly but thin.

DS and DD1 need to wash their hair more often. Since DD1 takes a shower every day I can't speak for her (but do know if she skips just one day her hair is looking kinda gross.) But, DS hates baths and only gets one once a week or if really needed. By the morning of day three his hair is not only looking greasy but it's frizzy in the back where he sleeps on it or from his car seat. No amount of combing with just a wet brush helps. However since he hates baths so much I just deal with his greasy hair for several more days.

It really depends more on your hair type and not how often you wash it.


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## holyhelianthus (Jul 15, 2006)

We bathe when we need to which is different for all of us. For me it's daily as I have strong BO, lots of unruely hair, and itchy skin when I don't shave. For DH it is when he is dirty. He works outdoors in the desert heat and sweats a lot but amazingly doesn't smell. However he gets lots of dirt on him. My girls use to bathe like 3 times a week (except our DD with severe eczema who we rarely give a full bath as it hurts her and inflames her) but now our oldest gets pretty dirty during the day (she is active) as does our 2 year old.

My first 2 DDs when they were infants only needed to be wiped down. They never really got full on baths until they were 8 months or so. But DD3 always got breast milk and spit up everywhere. To this day I can't figure out how but the girl got it in every nook and cranny and smelled sour if she wasn't bathed daily.


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## Hoopin' Mama (Sep 9, 2004)

My bathing schedule depends on my work schedule. Generally every other day. If I have several days off in a row I bathe when I feel I need it. When I am doing fieldwork I have to shower every day after work.

Ds bathes every 2-3 days. I use soap on him in the bath maybe once every 2 weeks and shampoo maybe once a month. Now that it is summer we take foot baths in the sink before bed if we haven't taken a bath.

I think our society is a bit bathe-crazy. I've had visitors who showered before bed, then woke up and showered before we leave for a hike or some other similarly sweaty activity, and then shower again after the hike. Wake up next day, shower, repeat. It would never occur to me to shower before a hike.


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## Livviesmom0207 (Mar 21, 2007)

DH and I both shower every night, he right after work, and I right before bed. I'm not ginormous, but I am overweight and I feel disgusting if I don't shower. DH is a diesel mechanic, so yeah.

DD takes a bath as part of her nightly unwind ritual, although when she was younger, she got a bath once a week or so (I'd say until she was 2). She won't go to bed without a bath now though, it's an important part of her routine. She does NOT get washed with soap or shampoo every night though, maybe once a week. She just likes to sit and splash, haha.

I only wash my very curly hair once a week, though. I put it up so it doesn't get wet in the shower every night.


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## limabean (Aug 31, 2005)

DH showers every workday but might skip a day on the weekend. I shower about every other day -- sometimes daily, but usually not. I do a "kitty-cat bath" in the sink on non-showering days.







:

DH is in charge of bathing the kids -- he does it every other day. Every once in a while he'll go an extra day between baths, and every once in a while he'll do it daily (like if they've worn sunscreen that day or gotten particularly dirty) but not usually.

I remember as a preteen, I would sometimes go quite a long time between bathing, and my mom never said anything about it. Once I was about 13, I decided it felt nicer to shower more often, so I started doing that. I like that she left it up to me. She's always amazed me in many overt ways, but often I find myself now noticing the great strength she had in just staying silent. I think of that strength often when I find myself about to open my mouth to get on my kids' case about something.


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## shayinme (Jan 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Hoopin' Mama* 
I think our society is a bit bathe-crazy. I've had visitors who showered before bed, then woke up and showered before we leave for a hike or some other similarly sweaty activity, and then shower again after the hike. Wake up next day, shower, repeat. It would never occur to me to shower before a hike.

I sweat a lot even in the winter time and at night, especially in the summer its quite possible for me to bathe before bed and wake up sweaty. Perhaps your guests are like me, bathing often is a necessity for me. The only time I ever skip bathing daily is when I am sick and even then a point is generally reached where I get some smelly that for my own comfort a shower is needed.

In our family everyone more or less bathes daily, my eldest at 17 seems to have taken after me and not showering is not an option. The little one we allow to skip baths on weekends but on daycare/work days she gets a daily bath too. I find that she plays hard at daycare and needs a bath at the end of the day.


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## LionessMom (Mar 12, 2008)

DH takes a shower when he gets home from work. He is a carpenter and sometimes gets insulation and other stuff on him. So he showers before he even touches anybody. if he is not working or has not worked that day then it doesnt matter.

I like to shower every 3 days. More often if i did something that made me dirty or sweaty.

i bathe my kids when they are dirty. usually every 3 days. in the summer it can be more frequent. In the winter less frequent. in the summer somtimes they just like to play in the sprinkler or the splash pool in the yard. but if we go to the public pool i like to wash the chlorine out.

eta. i forgot to add. what i tell my kids...

i tell them when they are dirty it is time for a bath. if they ask for one i ask if they feel dirty. not b/c i want an answer but b/c i want them to stop and think about their body. i always give them one when they ask for one.


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## mommy2abigail (Aug 20, 2005)

My dh is neurotic about bathing. He will sometimes take 2 a day! Granted he gets very sweaty at work, and can shower there before he gets home.

I would love to shower/bathe daily, but it just doesn't happen.







I'm more like 4-5 times a week. The kids bathe as often as I do, since we are usually together! They LOVE baths, showers, everything. In the summer, I try to AT LEAST wash them off with water, since we swim daily and I don't want the chlorine/chemicals on their skin all the time. Of course, if we've been outside/sweaty/especially dirty we will of course shower or whatever, but if it was a rainy/boring/indoor day, we might skip it.

Oh and we usually don't use soap or shampoo, that only happens 1-2 times a week.


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## limabean (Aug 31, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Hoopin' Mama* 
I've had visitors who showered before bed, then woke up and showered before we leave for a hike or some other similarly sweaty activity, and then shower again after the hike. Wake up next day, shower, repeat. It would never occur to me to shower before a hike.

Yeah, showering before exercise is kind of odd. Even just from a water-waste standpoint, I think I'd just wait an hour to shower afterwards if I was the type of person who liked to shower often.

I try not to be critical of my guests' habits, but I did have one extended (6 weeks) guest who liked to shower often, sometimes twice a day, and liked to use a new towel for each shower! Since we only had 6 towels at the time, this meant that my DH and I were often left either using the same towel for more days then we'd wish to, or that we were all left without a towel at all while they were in the washer. What a pain!


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## JennTheMomma (Jun 19, 2008)

We all shower or take a bath every other day. Some times its every day if we went to the beach or was out and got real sweaty. Hunter loves playing in the bath tub.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamadebug* 
Also, just a question - for those who don't bathe daily, how do you know you don't smell a little funny? Or, do you not mind if you do?

I have a reasonably sensitive nose, so if I don't smell funny to _me_, I don't worry about it. Honestly...aside from alcoholics (the ones who have old boozy-smelling sweat pouring out their pores all the time), I find the people who smell the "funniest" to me tend to be regular bathers, because _so_ many of them use scented products. I'd much rather smell day old sweat than the layers of scented soap/body wash, scented deodorant, scented shampoo, etc. etc. that many people are wearing.


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## mommysarah5 (Jun 22, 2009)

I also have a sensitive nose, so I can smell myself before anyone else does. I can even smell bread and tell you that it is about to go stale. I have smelled bread that has smelled moldy to me, though there was no mold on it, and no one else could even smell it but I could. This is why I have to do the shopping and I smell the bread to make sure it wont be going stale anytime soon. A little off topic, but yeah, I have a sensitive nose. As long as I shave I can go a couple days between showers without smelling.

also for me, sweating has nothing to do with it. I very rarely sweat.


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## mommysarah5 (Jun 22, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Storm Bride* 
I have a reasonably sensitive nose, so if I don't smell funny to _me_, I don't worry about it. Honestly...aside from alcoholics (the ones who have old boozy-smelling sweat pouring out their pores all the time), I find the people who smell the "funniest" to me tend to be regular bathers, because _so_ many of them use scented products. I'd much rather smell day old sweat than the layers of scented soap/body wash, scented deodorant, scented shampoo, etc. etc. that many people are wearing.

certain scented soaps and colognes and such smell really terrible to me. like a perfume version of bad BO... i don't know why that is, I guess it smells chemically to me. So I agree with you...

its funny too because so many people compliment me on my really clear skin... but then they think its weird I don't shower every day.. and I just don't see why I would shower if I am clean? i don't want to throw off the natural balance of my skin and hair


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## Honey693 (May 5, 2008)

I shower in the morning every day. It helps me wake up. On the rare occasions I skip the shower or took one the night before I feel half awake and weird all day.

Dh showers every day. Sometimes it might not be until he's been up for 4 hours, but he showers every day.

DD gets a bath every 7 or so days, usually once she gets stinky or spits up beyond a quick sponge bath.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

I notice lots of people like morning showers, to wake up. That's probably another reason my bathing habits are different from a lot of people's. I _hate_ morning showers. I'm rarely in the mood for a shower at all, and never in the morning. I like a bath at night. It feels better - and I get the bonus of being able to let my hair dry all night, and not having to go out with wet hair or use a hair dryer. I hate hair dryers.


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## sunnymw (Feb 28, 2007)

DH showers daily, but if he has a day off work he might skip a day. If he gets an office job I see him going back to every other day. Labor jobs, daily or more. 'Cause it's 114 after the heat index here some days with 100% humidity, and that makes him naaaaaaaasty!!









I shower every other day. Sometimes I don't get a chance on the "other" part and it's every 3.

We put the boys in the tub every night but don't "bathe" them. Maybe once a week their hair will actually get wet & shampood.







Most things come clean with just water anyway. We do it as part of a calm-down-before-bed ritual.


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## MCatLvrMom2A&X (Nov 18, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Storm Bride* 
I notice lots of people like morning showers, to wake up. That's probably another reason my bathing habits are different from a lot of people's. I _hate_ morning showers. I'm rarely in the mood for a shower at all, and never in the morning. I like a bath at night. It feels better - and I get the bonus of being able to let my hair dry all night, and not having to go out with wet hair or use a hair dryer. I hate hair dryers.









: I am not in any way shape or form a morning person. I take baths at night to read and wind down and will stay in there as long as the kids and dh will let me. Sometimes 4+ hours.

I cant seem to get my bits rinsed off well in the shower so I usually end up burning because I left soap residue.







I only shower when I wash my hair.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MCatLvrMom2A&X* 







: I am not in any way shape or form a morning person. I take baths at night to read and wind down and will stay in there as long as the kids and dh will let me. Sometimes 4+ hours.

Oh, my - that sounds heavenly. I'm usually somewhere between 30-45 minutes (depends how good my book is







). Right now, I'm on showers, because of the c-section...and really, really looking forward to a bath!!


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## kblackstone444 (Jun 17, 2007)

I shower every night as part of my nighttime routine and in the morning as well, if it's especially hot in the summer or if I sweat alot at night. I wash my hair every time I bathe, because I have very thin, fine, straight hair and it starts to look dirty approxamately 18-02 hours after I wash it. (And no, not shampooing doens't seem to work.) Also, I have a very sensitive nose and I can tell whether or not someone's in need of a shower or not, if you know what I mean. I'm sure I never SMELL, but I hate being able to "smell" myself, if you know what I mean.

My Hubby showers every morning and sometimes at night if he's been working on the car or doing yardwork. I've honestly never smelled him, though. (Oh, I envy him!) I'm pretty sure he washes his hair each time as well.

My son (14) showers and washes his hair every evening as part of his nighttime routine, and sometimes a quick rinse in the morning if he's sweat alot at night.

My little girl (8 1/2) recently began showering and washing her hair every night. When she (and my son) were younger, they would mostly bathe every other night, unless they got really dirty, but as they got older, we started to get them in the habit of showering more often, before the "teen stink" begins. Bathing either child was never a problem, though- they're both water babies.


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## mommysarah5 (Jun 22, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Storm Bride* 
I notice lots of people like morning showers, to wake up. That's probably another reason my bathing habits are different from a lot of people's. I _hate_ morning showers. I'm rarely in the mood for a shower at all, and never in the morning. I like a bath at night. It feels better - and I get the bonus of being able to let my hair dry all night, and not having to go out with wet hair or use a hair dryer. I hate hair dryers.


HA me too... interesting


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## Asher (Aug 21, 2004)

I was also curious how those that don't bathe often know that they don't smell. People generally tend to get used to their own smells after a time and may not realize. Just saying.

We do daily here. The kids do every other or as needed (i.e at least every other, but possibly more). Newborn is every few days, depending on if he needs more.


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## mama_daba (Dec 7, 2004)

i have friends who i trust to be honest with me and not fear hurting my feelings that i can ask about how i smell.


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## mrs*kewpie*pie (Mar 1, 2009)

i'm like you op.

so is my husband.

but we have the kids bathe daily. they go outside and play in the dirt and get sweaty and stuff....and its time for us to be awake together w/o the kids

i don't feel like we get as dirty as the kids do, i don't have the motivation to stand on my feet after a long day at work, or to get up before work and do it, and it is drying to my skin


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## Sorin (Nov 7, 2005)

My job requires me to be "on stage" the entire time, and while I am not nervous, I do sweat. Let me tell ya, don't *nothin* smell as bad as nervous sweat! So, yeah--I shower every day.

DH is a mandatory morning showerer. He has a hard time getting up in the morning and must shower to wake up. On the rare occasions when he showers before bed, he showers again in the morning. I tease him about it, but it is his crutch. Mine is coffee.

I wash my hair once a week on the weekends, and DH doesn't have any to worry about. Sometimes, during the winter, we will go Friday to Sunday without showering, but if this happens, DH will often say on Sunday afternoon, "We stink! Let's take a shower!" (And he's right, we do!)

We don't have any kids yet, but for us, bathing is a nice ritual and a good habit to get into, so I anticipate having baby skin meeting water fairly frequently.


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## hibana (Jun 9, 2006)

We all shower daily. Dh, because he's tidy sort of person, me because I need to rinse my hair every day (I use nothing but warm water on it) and dd because we can't keep her out of the shower with us. She usually needs to wash off anyway, with all the stuff she gets into. I can go longer without a bath in the winter, because I don't sweat as much then. We have no AC, so it's not like we exist in a 60 degree environment year-round.


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## Tigerchild (Dec 2, 2001)

I shower every day, but only shampoo twice a week. Even when I was on a month long primitive camping experience (it was always near water), I loved taking a dip in the river/lake every day even though it was ice cold and I wasn't allowed to use soap or anything like that.

The kids bathe as needed. All three are water-lovers like me though, so they like taking a daily bath (shared water), but since they have drier/more sensitive skin than mine we limit shampoo to once a week unless something unusal happens, and soap every few days.

The odd thing is that I dislike long "luxurious" showers. I just love a quick 5 minute spray in the face and body. But when there's a warm rain, I can go be outside in it as long as it lasts. Alas, we have lots of rain in the PacNW, but not really daily afternoon warm storms like in the south.


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## benj (Jun 4, 2009)

Shower everyday, wash hair every other day. Same with the boys.

We live in Arizona---very hot, dry, dusty, and dirty.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Tigerchild* 
The odd thing is that I dislike long "luxurious" showers. I just love a quick 5 minute spray in the face and body. But when there's a warm rain, I can go be outside in it as long as it lasts. Alas, we have lots of rain in the PacNW, but not really daily afternoon warm storms like in the south.









This is funny. I don't like showers at all, but I love going for walks when it's pouring rain. It doesn't have to be warm - cold and windy is the best.


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## liberal_chick (May 22, 2005)

I bathe and wash my hair everyday. I must be a violent sleeper or something b/c I wake up stinking with hair sticking up in every direction!

Dh bathes every day as well.

My 4 year old typically gets a bath every other night unless he's done a lot of playing outside and the baby gets a wash down twice a week.


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## RunnerDuck (Sep 12, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Asher* 
I was also curious how those that don't bathe often know that they don't smell. People generally tend to get used to their own smells after a time and may not realize. Just saying.

I dated a guy once... we started dating in winter. Didn't have a problem with him. As spring and summer came on.. he started to stink. I couldn't understand it, he showered every day. I peeked in the shower and everything was natural health food store type shampoo and whatever and let's face it, some of those things don't work (I've bought a lot of yummy smelling soaps and shampoos with lovely sounding words on the labels that did not work...). I blamed the products. It was very awkward. How do you tell someone they stink? Finally it came up one day and it turned out none of that stuff was his, it was his house mates'. He didn't use ANYTHING ... just rinsed off. His logic was perfumed stuff smells nasty and you shouldn't be ashamed to smell like yourself.

Well... his self wasn't doing it for me. He STANK. We broke up... hygiene was one factor.

My husband for a while was pulling the shower with no soap stunt which drove me CRAZY. He didn't stink but his towel did. I couldn't figure out why his towel would stink so badly when mine didn't smell at all. Came to learn he wasn't using soap, just rinsing. Didn't want to dry his skin. I started buying moisturizing soaps, he started using them, his towel stopped stinking.

I'm not a fan of the no soap in the shower thing. Someone or something is bound to stink.









I generally shower once a day in the summer, sometimes twice a day if I happen to shower in the morning and then work out later in the day (but usually if I know I will work out later in the day I don't shower in the AM) For me it's as much about stink as it is about presentability, I have thin flat hair and I feel better if it is clean.

In the winter I will go longer without showering.

I wish my kids when they need it.







Ie when they stink... or get into something... not every day by any means.


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## LDSmomma (May 11, 2009)

As a kid, I begged my mom to "skip a bath," and those days felt like holidays to me. I bathed every.single.day. and hated it, and my family used soap all over my body. I can even remember a soapy washcloth in and behind my ears daily. As a teenager, I looked forward to bathing, especially in the winter as a way to warm up (my parents kept the house very cool) and relax. I also used shampoo/soap regularly, all over my body. Then, as an adult that became less important to me, mostly because I prefer to shower in the morning, but I didn't feel like getting up early enough to bathe daily. My hair gets very oily when it isn't washed, so I would strive for a daily hair washing, though I didn't wash my whole body anymore, just visibly dirty/smelly spots.

Once I was pregnant, though, and I began reading about not washing my nipples, as they could clean themselves, I rethought using soap at all. Now, I bathe maybe once a week, and use little soap.

I know many people avoid using shampoos and soaps altogether, and they don't smell and their hair isn't overly oily looking. How can I get there, when I've been using shampoo & soap? Will my body figure it out, or am I stuck in a soap rut?


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## _betsy_ (Jun 29, 2004)

DH works in close contact with people every day, he showers, shampoos and uses soap daily. Sometimes before bed, too.

I WOH FT and while it's not with the public I do share close quarters with people, and I have a tendancy not to be able to smell much of anything. So I shower, with soap, shampoo and conditioner every day. In part because I fear stinking, in part because I love a hot shower, in part because it's just part of my routine and I feel off if I don't shower, in part because my toddler loves to shower with me, etc.

DD1 (33 months) showers with me daily. Dr. Bronner's soap for body and hair maybe twice a week. DD2 (6 months) is lucky if we remember to bathe her once a week.


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## mama_daba (Dec 7, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LDSmomma* 

I know many people avoid using shampoos and soaps altogether, and they don't smell and their hair isn't overly oily looking. How can I get there, when I've been using shampoo & soap? Will my body figure it out, or am I stuck in a soap rut?

yup! i used to have really oily hair and skin and now i use very little soap on my body and only really in my pits and baking soda and vinagar for my hair and my hair is less oily pretty much right in the middle of oily and dry so average i guess? my skin also looks better than it used to. i tried doing no-poo cold turkey the first time but i couldn't deal with the greasy faze then i tried again and i just slowly tapered off using less and less soap and shampoo on my body until it was almost no soap and no shampoo or other hair products.


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## liliaceae (May 31, 2007)

I'm really surprised by the number of people that shower twice a day! I didn't know people did that.

My DH and I shower probably every 2-3 days, we give the kids a bath once a week.

So is anyone else concerned with water conservation? Haven't seen anyone mention that, and I thought that might be a concern with MDC mamas........


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## holyhelianthus (Jul 15, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *liliaceae* 
I'm really surprised by the number of people that shower twice a day! I didn't know people did that.

My DH and I shower probably every 2-3 days, we give the kids a bath once a week.

So is anyone else concerned with water conservation? Haven't seen anyone mention that, and I thought that might be a concern with MDC mamas........

Yes. When I shower I get myself wet, turn the water off, soap up, shave, and all that, then turn the water on to rinse. My DH sets a timer for 3 minutes and speed showers. He is often done before the timer goes off.

I find keeping up with showering makes this easier to do whereas when I don't bathe for a few days I have more to scrub.


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## RunnerDuck (Sep 12, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *liliaceae* 
So is anyone else concerned with water conservation? Haven't seen anyone mention that, and I thought that might be a concern with MDC mamas........

I am a fast shower-er - under 7 minutes for everything unless I shave - and i turn the water off if I do.

My pet peeve is low flow shower heads that make it take longer to shower - I think you end up using just as much water, and taking more time in the shower. The water pressure in our current shower head kind of sucks. I used to be able to do everything in 5 minutes.

I like to get in, get out, and get on with it.


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## mummyofan (Jun 25, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *EFmom* 
We all shower daily, kids included. In the summer, if it's really hot, I may even take a quick second shower right before bed to cool down.

If I can't get a shower every morning, I can't stand myself for the rest of the day. I just feel disgusting.

me too, evening bath/calm down for our children. books, milk and bed. lovely routine. makes me calm anyway!
just our preference.


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## seaheroine (Dec 24, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *liliaceae* 
I'm really surprised by the number of people that shower twice a day! I didn't know people did that.

My DH and I shower probably every 2-3 days, we give the kids a bath once a week.

So is anyone else concerned with water conservation? Haven't seen anyone mention that, and I thought that might be a concern with MDC mamas........

We don't take long showers, I'm usually out by six minutes max. A bath will last longer but there is no water running.

In general, we're pretty good about water conservation -- running only full loads, we don't use our sprinkler system, xeriscaped yard, don't wash cars/hose concrete, etc. There is a lot of public emphasis/regulation of water usage here in southern California. So, I definitely consider us water aware. DH is also a pipefitter so he is adept at piping for conservative usage.

That said, bathing/showering is an important part of our family's personal hygiene and is probably one of, if not THE, highest priorities for our water usage. I think cleanliness plays an important part in personal health and with DH and I both being raised with daily, soapy bathing, I'm sure that has something to do with the high personal priority we place on it.

Interestingly, I don't remember ever not wanting to bathe as a child. It was always a really fun, relaxing or imaginative (with toys) experience. Even now we - both of us - do "spa days" for ourselves with pumice stones, loofahs, etc. DH and I often bathed/showered together before DD was born...especially after a long day at work, we'd reconnect. That is something I really miss and look forward to again as our kids get older. We don't use stinky soaps, either, FTR. I like unscented olive oil soaps and quality shampoos...


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## claddaghmom (May 30, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Storm Bride* 
I notice lots of people like morning showers, to wake up. That's probably another reason my bathing habits are different from a lot of people's. I _hate_ morning showers. I'm rarely in the mood for a shower at all, and never in the morning. I like a bath at night. It feels better - and I get the bonus of being able to let my hair dry all night, and not having to go out with wet hair or use a hair dryer. I hate hair dryers.

wow i am not alone yay


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## SparklingGemini (Jan 3, 2008)

I have to shower _every morning_. For one, I feel icky if I don't And also because I have hard to manage, long, curly hair that has to be wet to be combed and to soothe the frizz from the day before.

Because I'm SAHM, with a partner who gets up and leaves before DD or I awake, DD typically climbs into the shower with me.

But she's a busy little girl who tends to be dirty enough at night to warrant bathing. So, we shower/take a bath again at night most of the time.

However, we use shampoo or soap maybe once a week?

Like PP, I love my nighttime baths too. That's my alone Mama time, when I can start and finish a book in one sitting without any interruption.

And yes, water conservation is a concern so we essentially "borrow" it from other places to support or bathing habits. For example, if I took a lengthy bath the night before, we'll shower super quick in the morning. But truly, most of the showering we do is very quick.


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## holyhelianthus (Jul 15, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *SparklingGemini* 
I have to shower _every morning_. For one, I feel icky if I don't And also because I have hard to manage, long, curly hair that has to be wet to be combed and to soothe the frizz from the day before.

<snip>

However, we use shampoo or soap maybe once a week?


This is me as well! Really my hair cannot be managed without being soaked.


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## lovebug (Nov 2, 2004)

Me- i shower 1-3 times a week sometimes more if need be, but most of the time is around that. i wet my hair to style and such on the no shower days. if i shower to much my skin and hair get very dry! i cant stand the feeling a shower everyday gives me. i sometimes only take a shower 1x per week if i dont this i need more then that. i do a kitty bath on the off days too sometimes.

DH- he showers everyday and sometimes 2x a day it just depends...


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## lovebug (Nov 2, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Storm Bride* 
I notice lots of people like morning showers, to wake up. That's probably another reason my bathing habits are different from a lot of people's. I _hate_ morning showers. I'm rarely in the mood for a shower at all, and never in the morning. I like a bath at night. It feels better - and I get the bonus of being able to let my hair dry all night, and not having to go out with wet hair or use a hair dryer. I hate hair dryers.

me three!


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## holyhelianthus (Jul 15, 2006)

re: water conservation- I totally forgot to mention that all 3 of our girls bathe together (when DD2 bathes that is) and often times with Daddy or I though not always. We have a shower here that was built for an elderly man in a wheel chair and all 5 of us including my huge twin belly can fit in it at the same time.


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## Cascadian (Jan 28, 2009)

Wow - I seriously didn't know people didn't bathe every day! Not a judgement 'wow', mind you, mor a curiosity one!

We bathe every day. I bathe at bedtime - can't imagine my feet and pits in bed without a shower. DH bathes 2x a day...the dreaded wake-up shower, and a bedtime rinse. The kids every.single.day. I couldn't imagine them going to bed with their dirty bums and hands/feet/faces (even if it's just imaginary dirty to me







) I grew up in a hot place where I bathed 2x a day without fail - just needed to.

OTOH...I HATE soap...hate the slimy way it feels on my skin..bleh. That's a whole nother convo.


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## Snuzzmom (Feb 6, 2008)

* Me: Every other day, wash hair 2-3 times a week depending on what sort of social things I have going on.

* DH: Every day. He rides his bike to/from work and needs it.

* DS: Two times per week... anything more exacerbates his eczema. We don't use soap on his head/ face for the same reason, but I do use it on his body.

I found it interesting that one PP says she doesn't require baths on pool days... those days are the only times I WILL use soap on DS's head, to get rid of the chlorine and stuff.

I grew up in Dallas, TX and went to college in Austin and bathed every day, sometimes more in the summer, because the heat and humidity were terrible. It wasn't until I had DS and couldn't bathe everyday that I realized I didn't need to (here in SF).

I do take baths occasionally but those are more for relaxation than cleansing purposes.


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## mistymama (Oct 12, 2004)

I bathe at least once a day, sometimes twice if I work out.







:

Everyone I know makes fun of me for it, but I feel so good after a nice warm shower - to each his own I guess. I don't wash my hair every time I take a shower, usually every other day or so.

Dh takes a shower about every other day - sometimes daily in the summer if he's sweated a lot.

Ds takes a bath every night as part of his bedtime routine - it's always been soothing for him and most days, he needs it! That little guy can get so dirty so fast!


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## ExuberantDaffodil (May 22, 2005)

I bathed mostly every other day when I was working. Now that I stay at home, I don't really see the need to bathe unless I feel/look/smell dirty. Which most days, I do not.







The natural pattern emerging seems to be bathing about every two or three days or so. My skin is clearer and softer, and my hair doesn't look so dried out, either.

I don't bathe my son unless he looks/feels/smells dirty, either. He gets a bath usually once a week. If I bathed that child every day his skin would look ashy and dry (even with some kind of lotion) and his excema would flair up.


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## sisteeesmama (Oct 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamadebug* 
DH and I each bath every day. DS usually gets a bath every day in the summer - I like to get the sweat, chlorine and sun screen off. In the winter, he usually gets a bath every other day. If he gets really dirty, which he loves to do, he gets bathed more often. I think I gave him 3 baths in one day once.

Also, just a question - for those who don't bathe daily, how do you know you don't smell a little funny? Or, do you not mind if you do? I know sometimes, at the end of a hot day, I don't notice that I smell bad, but DH notices it. We also had some really close friends stay with us for 4 days, and each of them bathed twice during that time. They both were a little stinky at times.

I really do not like the word stinky. I might have a natural odor, but I like that actually, so to answer your question, no, I don't care about that personally, or on DH.


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## smeisnotapirate (Aug 24, 2007)

So neat. I never thought people didn't shower every day. I'd LOVE to not shower every day, but I'm a sweaty mess by 8am in the dead of winter. Any tips? Do you just washcloth every day? Lotion? What about your hair?

I already don't use soap or shampoo, and have found that it works soooo well for my skin.


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## sisteeesmama (Oct 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *suebee79* 
I can understand wanting to conserve resources, but what if your dd really feels like she needs to shower daily when she gets older? Would you not allow her to? How will you ascertain what amount of minutes is appropriate?

I would try to firstly understand what the reason was. Then, like I said, if she needed to shower everyday I would allot a certain amount of minutes for the week and she could use them to her own discretion. I think something like 60-75minutes a week would be all I could really afford. I guess I would have to assess that at the time, though. It would also depend on where we lived. I am flexible and would want to work with her to reach something we could both agree on, of course. But it would not be a free for all.


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## siobhang (Oct 23, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 
Very interesting...man, so a lot of you sweat, huh? Everyone's always talking about sweating...I don't sweat a ton, I guess!

Where do you live? I live in an area where if you go outside at all during the day in the summer, you WILL sweat (high heat + humidity). If you are not sweating, there is something seriously wrong with you (like heat stroke).

We shower daily - it is how I wake up. I need to wash my hair daily b/c it is very fine and gets very greasy if I don't wash it daily.

DH showers daily but he only washes his hair weekly or so (he has long curly hair). the kids bath nearly daily or every other day. I find it easier to throw 'em in the tub at the end of the day than to do a wipe down (I have two VERY messy boys - stickiness and mess get everywhere!).


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## sisteeesmama (Oct 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Hoopin' Mama* 
I think our society is a bit bathe-crazy. I've had visitors who showered before bed, then woke up and showered before we leave for a hike or some other similarly sweaty activity, and then shower again after the hike. Wake up next day, shower, repeat. It would never occur to me to shower before a hike.

A big whoppin yes to this! I have had guests and roommates that I too thought were bath-OBSESSED. To me it's very interesting to wonder how this develops in people's lives. Esp. the idea that they are dirty if they don't shower everyday or that they smell if they don't shower twice a day. Of course people who run several miles or the like are excluded from this as they truely might be dirty, lol!


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## sisteeesmama (Oct 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *liliaceae* 
I'm really surprised by the number of people that shower twice a day! I didn't know people did that.

My DH and I shower probably every 2-3 days, we give the kids a bath once a week.

So is anyone else concerned with water conservation? Haven't seen anyone mention that, and I thought that might be a concern with MDC mamas........

I mentioned it on the first page, lol! But you're right, no one else seems to worried about it, a few comments but not many.


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## sisteeesmama (Oct 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *magstphil* 
Yes. When I shower I get myself wet, turn the water off, soap up, shave, and all that, then turn the water on to rinse. My DH sets a timer for 3 minutes and speed showers. He is often done before the timer goes off.

I find keeping up with showering makes this easier to do whereas when I don't bathe for a few days I have more to scrub.

I do not find this to be true for me. I actually never scrub anything.....I rarely use soap except for in the pits and down below if truely needed....like after a lot of sex.....or something like that.


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## LuxPerpetua (Dec 17, 2003)

I bathe every day, usually once unless I get really sweaty or yucky (if I'm planning on working out, I usually just wait and shower afterward, or I shower in the morning and just wash off with a warm wash cloth afterward). I wash my hair everyday, and so does dh. My hair looks horribly greasy and yucky if I don't, and I can't stand how it feels.

DD, we bathe 2-3 times per week, washing her hair with each bath.


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## ExuberantDaffodil (May 22, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *smeisnotapirate* 
So neat. I never thought people didn't shower every day. I'd LOVE to not shower every day, but I'm a sweaty mess by 8am in the dead of winter. Any tips? Do you just washcloth every day? Lotion? What about your hair?

I already don't use soap or shampoo, and have found that it works soooo well for my skin.

If my face feels sweaty, I splash some cool water over it. If my pits feel sticky, I used a damp cloth to cool them down and freshen them up. My hair used to look greasy after only one day of not washing it, but my hair dresser told me that by washing it every single day, I was stripping the scalp's natural oils, which in turn caused my scalp to try to make more -- so it was a vicious cycle of me drying out my hair and scalp and it trying to recoup lost moisture. After a while, my hair has definitely gotten used to only being washed maybe once or twice a week.


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## LVale (May 4, 2004)

We live in Houston. Walk outside because of the humidity, you break out in a sweat. My husband works in a professional environment, and I don't think his clients would like him being stinky. We are shower crazy people here. We bathe every day, sometimes twice. When our sons were little ones , they are now 31 and 28, we never restricted their water usage. And let me tell you, there is nothing worse then little boys who having played outside, they smelled like wet dogs. And I did not want them sleeping in their beds, all dirty and yucky. I would rather pay the water bill. Oh it is not correct to say that is it?


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## katiesk (Nov 6, 2007)

i shower every other day or so. sometimes every day...but we go swimming alot and really don't need many showers largely due to that.

but when i do shower, i rarely use soap. and i don't wash my hair more than once a week or so.

dd loves baths and takes them often - every few days and frequently showers with me, but she does not use soap either unless she is sticky and stinky!


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## ElliesMomma (Sep 21, 2006)

i like to shower. i like to go to bed "clean." i like the feeling of clean feet on clean sheets. i guess you could say i'm "into" that.

DH, not so much. i notice he bathes several times a week. when he works out in the garden *all day,* he does shower. in the winter, when he's inside more, he will shower on the sunday night before a work week begins, then perhaps not again until near the end of the week.

as for what i tell my daughter, i guess she gets more of a message from me, since i'm with her all the time, so i guess she's more used to bathing a lot than not. although in the winter, i don't shower her every day (she does get some issues with eczema and not bathing a lot helps her skin). now that it's summer, and she's out in the backyard, running around barefoot, and at the pool, etc., i do bathe her almost every day. a quick shower and she's ready for bed. i feel that it "calms" her to have that "cool" feeling at the end of a hot day.

JMHO.


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## ShadowMoon (Oct 18, 2006)

I very rarely shower everyday. Every other day or every 2 days is more like it. Dp showers less than I do. Ds gets a bath twice a week. In the summer we spend a lot of time swimming in a lake by my parent's house, and I often a shower for that. If it's a hot, humid day I might jump in the shower to rinse off but nothing more. I'm a minimalist at heart I guess.


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## muldey (May 8, 2002)

I shower every day.Occasionally I'll skip.I also wash my hair everytime.Dd bathes daily,ds almost every day.I just feel gross if I don't.I wish I could skip more often,it's such a pain to shower every day.


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## BroodyWoodsgal (Jan 30, 2008)

So it would seem we have a vide vareity of bathing preferences here...hmmm! Very cool!!

I will say that DDs baths are coming at more regular intervals, as she is mobile and gets into more and is beginning to be more of an outside dweller....this is her first summer as a standing, walking person...last summer she was BORN! So...I'm sure she will begin to get more in the way of warmish baths as the summer progresses and she is more and more filthy by the end of the day! But she will NOT be soapy....no soap for her but every once in a great great while.

I will also comment on the "going to bed clean" feeling. I DO love the feeling of going to bed squeaky clean...it's like "clean sheet night"....in fact, if I have clean sheets on the bed, I HAVE to go to bed clean!!







It's not that I don't love showers and baths...I do, very much....I have just found that they are not necessary....the most wonderful change has taken place in my hair and skin since I stopped all the showering...not just the soap, but really the whole kit and kaboodle...my curly wild hair is sooo much healthier and my skin, the same. Also, FAR fewer yeast infections for me...even though it's been since I was a kid that I used soap on my vulva/vagina...somehow, the water, or maybe soap dripping down, was irritating my lady parts...yeast has always been a problem for me...but not so much since my showering habits changed! SO...for me, it works....that being said, I DO get a wash cloth nice and steaming hot and hit the "hot spots" so as to stay feeling fresh....but only with a steamy hot cloth....it's nice. I wash my feet too...so I can keep from sullying up my bed linens...but beyond that, I'm very happy with my bathing schedule!!

Oh...and I live in New Hampshire...another mama asked that a few posts up. It becomes opressively hot and humid during the summer here....winter my bathing sloooooows way down, during those cold harsh months I bathe more for warming, comforting purposes than anything else...in the fall and spring I am a moderate bather...but during the summer months, it will step up a bit more...with a body rinse more than anything...but still, not REALLY showering.

Cool to know this about you mamas....the answers are actually a bit more toward the bathing everyday side than I thought it wouldbe!!! Learning new things every day about my MDC mama friends!!


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## Pirate Nicole (Oct 20, 2008)

I am an every morning showerer. I use soap, shampoo and conditioner every time. I am in the fine/thin straight hair club, and it gets gross and greasy if I don't wash it. Sometimes I will skip one day if I get up late or something. But, that is more likely in the wintertime. lol Summer is hot and sweaty here. DH showers/washes every weekday but will often skip it on the weekends. I notice he does smell when he skips though. I shower the kids a couple of times a week. It's usually just an as needed thing with them. The only 'scheduled' one is Saturday night DH bathes the two big ones, and occasionally the babe will jump in with them too. My showers are typically pretty short, around 5-8 minutes. DH takes long-like 20 minutes showers. I can't get on with my day without my shower and coffee. lol.


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## kirstenb (Oct 4, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 
I have just found that they are not necessary....the most wonderful change has taken place in my hair and skin since I stopped all the showering...not just the soap, but really the whole kit and kaboodle...my curly wild hair is sooo much healthier and my skin, the same.

You know, the same thing has happened to me. I first started showering every other day when I was in college and couldn't drag my butt out of bed early every morning, lol. Back then I needed to wear my hair back on the second day because it got pretty greasy and gross looking. As time went on though and it adjusted it started to get a whole lot healthier. Same thing with my face- I am prone to breakouts but I get them infrequently now. I do believe that it is because my face isn't drying out daily in the shower.


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## Oztok5 (Mar 25, 2008)

I shower every day, but I do not use soap. I've washed my body with water only for as long as I can remember. I do shampoo my hair about once a week, and I use conditioner on the ends nearly every day. I have curly hair, and it's very difficult to deal with if I don't get it wet in the mornings. I wash my face with honey, and I will add in some baking soda once or twice a week. I will occasionally rub with some baking soda on other parts of my body, but that's pretty rare.

Edited for typo.


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## SaraMum (May 17, 2009)

I tend to shower/bathe every 2-3 days and my 2 year old about once a week. DP showers daily (weekdays) because he is a mechanic. I must also add that I noticed a huge improvement in my hair when I stopped using shampoo as frequently - I wash my hair about once a week still.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ElliesMomma* 
i like to shower. i like to go to bed "clean." i like the feeling of clean feet on clean sheets.

I have to say that I've occasionally taken a bath "out of sequence", just because we happened to wash the sheets that day, and I really enjoy that feeling of slipping a freshly bathed me between freshly laundered sheets. I loved it when I was a kid, too.


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## holyhelianthus (Jul 15, 2006)

Aw the simple comforts in life. I also love this.


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## mistymama (Oct 12, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *magstphil* 
Aw the simple comforts in life. I also love this.









Me too! There is nothing like sleeping on clean sheets, right after a nice warm shower. Mmmmm. You guys are making me want to wash our sheets!


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## BroodyWoodsgal (Jan 30, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *magstphil* 
Aw the simple comforts in life. I also love this.









Amen...aaamen.


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## ~PurityLake~ (Jul 31, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 
I dislike bathing every day....in fact, I'd say that I bathe, mmmm probably to be very very honest, a tad bit more than once a week. On average...probably every five days. My DH bathes every. single. day. To me, this feels bordreline CRAZY! That's just sooo much!

I used to bathe more. I mean, as a kid not as much...we didn't shower daily in our house...we would wet and style our hair, lotion, things like that...but actually washing everything was not so much...my mother said it was bad for the natural oils in the skin/scalp and I believed her.

Now that we have DD, I can see that children require much more cleaning..so she gets a warm washcloth "rub down" once or twice a day...and a nice olive oil or some other sort of oiling/lotioning...about daily. She is clean and smells sweet like a flower....so do I, for that matter! DH smells wonderful...we don't like lots of perfumed soaps, etc...he just smells clean all the time.

Now, DH gets smelly and gross at work all day, plus taking a shower is a nice way for him to unwind...so I get that. But I'm realizing more and more, that his way, the daily shower, is the norm! I feel embarassed sometimes around other mamas, because I can tell that a daily bath is a huge part of a lot of family routines...seems every parent I know bathes their kiddos daily, a lot of them as a before bed, wind down ritual.

What do you mamas and papas do? Do any of you bathe less? I'm not stinky, I swear! No one I know IRL, except for DH, really knows or would guess that I'm not a daily showerer. I mean, I do a nice rub down with a hot cloth, etc. if it's a hot day...but for the most part, like I said...every 4-5 days is my normal. Is this normal for any of you?

Am I missing something with my DD, neglecting something I'm supposed to be teacing her, by not bathing her daily?? She likes baths...but she definitely does NOT get a bath every day.

I enjoy bathing, DD does too..she loves water...but I do not think it's so good for the body to be soaping up all the time like that. Don't ven get me started on shampoo...I'm very suspicious of shampoos.

Thoughts...any of you??

I shower just about every single day. I don't soap up every time, though. I do shampoo my hair at least every other day. If I don't, my head stinks something awful. I also have to apply conditioner every time I shampoo to avoid the tangles. But I do feel yucky if I don't shower once a day. This is mostly just rinsing my body off of dirt and sweat. That doesn't require soap to accomplish.

My daughters shower with me most of the time. Sometimes, they just want to take a bath to play in the bubbles. I use a hand soap as a bubble bath because it makes big bubbles, was really cheap, I have it already and their skin is so soft afterward. I rarely shampoo their hair. I condition their hair at least once per week. If I use too much shampoo/soap, it seriously dries out their skin and hair so that is why it's only done as little as possible.


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## ~PurityLake~ (Jul 31, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Oztok5* 
I wash my face with honey, and I will add in some baking soda once or twice a week.

I've always just used water to wash my face. I've used face lotions on occasion, on and off. A face washing thread here on MDC recommended using honey as a face wash. I went out and bought some honey. I washed my face with said honey, following all the MDC tips on how to. It dried my skin so terrible. But I had honey for baking and cooking for a long while after that.


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## BroodyWoodsgal (Jan 30, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *~Purity♥Lake~* 
I've always just used water to wash my face. I've used face lotions on occasion, on and off. A face washing thread here on MDC recommended using honey as a face wash. I went out and bought some honey. I washed my face with said honey, following all the MDC tips on how to. It dried my skin so terrible. But I had honey for baking and cooking for a long while after that.

I'm intrigued by this honey face washing....I think I may try it, for the fact alone that I'm an absolute fiend for honey....mmmmm


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## Apple Girl (Nov 2, 2007)

We have to bathe every day before bed. DH has cat allergies, and we all cosleep, so we have to wash off any allergens before getting into bed. We use the nightly bath as a relaxing bedtime ritual.

I personally also like a shower in the morning to help wake me up - something about the water on my skin just helps revitalize me and gets me ready to face the day. So, before marriage I took 1 shower a day, now it's always at least 2 showers a day.


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## ShantiJourney (Oct 10, 2008)

I am also an infrequent bather. I average a shower about once a week and use a hot facecloth on the in-between days. When I do shower I only use homemade soap and even then it is only on my sweaty parts, oh and I don't use shampoo. My DS, who is 3, has a bath about once a week as well and washes himself in the sink nightly with warm water and a facecloth. We do wash our feet about 2-3 times a day because we like to be barefoot as much as possible even outside. My DH on the otherhand showers almost everyday, not out of necessity but as a relaxing way to start his day. We are definitely not a stinky family, we are always "clean" and "fresh" smelling, most people would never guess our bathing habbits. We also enjoy the water very much but just don't enjoy a shower everyday, if we do it makes our skin very dry and itchy. I guess everyone has a different comfort zone when it comes to bathing.


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## Smokering (Sep 5, 2007)

Oh, another variable I forgot to mention for stinkiness is where you live. Not just weather: pollution. I visited Sydney a couple of years back and it was GROSS - after walking around the city I'd get this fine, sticky film on me. I felt grimy the entire time, and the water actually ran off me dirty in the shower. It was nasty. Oddly, I visited Melbourne on the same trip and it didn't make me noticeably dirtier at all. There was a plague of moths in Sydney at the time, too, which may have had something to do with it.

So it's possible a person living in, say, Chicago might need to bathe more often than someone living in a small town in Kansas.


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