It's hard to beat the sweet smell and silky feel of a freshly bathed baby. And getting her that way can be half the fun. "When I give Kya a bath, I think of it as a playful bonding time rather than a chore to hurry through," says Jessica Reedy of Decatur, Illinois, of her 1-year-old. "And we both end up singing and laughing."
Many parents use a bath as part of their baby's pre-bedtime ritual. Washing up at the same time each day can be a relaxing routine, but you needn't feel that you have to give your infant a bath daily. Two or three soaks a week -- with spot sponging of her face, hands, and diaper area in between -- will do, especially in the cooler months.
The how-to's of lathering up your baby are the same as she grows, but where she sudses up will change as she gets older:
Karen Miles, a mom of four, has written for Parenting for a dozen years.
