Media personality and Nollywood actress Toke Makinwa has sparked debate online after advising nursing mothers to stop bathing their newborns every day, claiming it could harm their skin.
In a video shared on her social media page, Makinwa, who recently welcomed her first child at age 40, explained that babies do not need frequent baths because they are naturally clean and not exposed to dirt or sweat like adults.
According to her, the womb where babies develop for nine months is not a dirty environment, making excessive bathing unnecessary.
“I really think bathing babies actually causes problems. Babies are not dirty. They have been inside the womb for nine months. Inside the womb is not dirty,” she said.
Makinwa added that she does not bathe her own baby daily, preferring instead to wipe the infant’s body gently.
“Babies are not on the floor; they are not dirty or sweaty. So, why are you excessively putting water on their skin? Their skin is fragile. You can wipe them instead of bathing them every day. This helped me, so I’m just putting it out there,” she said.
