How to take care of baby skin at night

Delicate baby skin needs extra care and attention – not just during the day, but at night-time too, when it can be prone to dryness. We asked three dads how they take care of their little one’s skin into the night – and their soothing sleep routines might even help your baby sleep through, too.

We know that baby skin is delicate: it’s 30% thinner and loses moisture more quickly than ours – especially during the night. “At night, the body temperature drops and increases the sleep hormone melatonin to help baby sleep”, explains Tracey, children’s nurse and mum of two. “But their skin will probably be affected by the change, too, in terms of hydration.” Which means that the moments before bed are a particularly important time to moisturise.

Some parents have found the easiest way to do this is a routine that involves a bath before bed. Others have focused on what to use on baby dry skin, finding night time baby products to ensure their delicate skin is cared for throughout the night. But there are many ways to care for their skin before putting baby to bed: we asked three dads to share their top tips for baby bath and skin care, to help you make an overnight baby care routine that suits you.

1
A caring bath.
“I love bath time with my son because after a hectic day it’s a chance to catch up and spend some time together, as well as keep him clean and look after his skin,” says Chris, dad of one. Using a gentle baby bath wash with a soothing scent during their bedtime baby bath – like Baby Dove Calming Nights Tip to Toe Wash – can do just that. Hypoallergenic and free from dyes, parabens and phthalates, this gentle formula contains 100% skin-natural nutrients* to help delicate baby skin retain its natural moisture all night long. With a calming scent of warm milk** and chamomile and our ¼ moisturising cream, this will clean and nourish skin while creating a relaxing atmosphere before bed
2
More moisture.
Bath water can dry out your baby’s delicate skin, so following with nourishing baby skin care products, like a night time baby lotion, can help replenish and maintain baby’s skin-natural moisture overnight. “Before bed, we coat our son’s skin in baby body lotion. We cover his legs and arms especially,” says Cameron dad of one. Adding Baby Dove Calming Nights Lotion to your routine will gently soothe and hydrate baby dry skin, helping to support its natural development while your baby sleeps peacefully through the night. Adding its calming scent to your soothing baby massage can help them relax before sleep, too
3
Stay cool.
Just like us, little ones sleep easier in certain conditions. Once you’ve decided what should baby sleep in, it’s time to master your optimum baby sleep temperature. Hot temperatures can dry baby’s skin out: to keep them and their skin comfortable, experts say to stick to within the range of 16-20°C – apparently the optimum temperature