OT-Bathing a older baby-- what do you do?

Patriot201

Car-Seat.org Ambassador
What have you all used when your babies outgrew the infant bathtub but were not yet able to sit up well enough to sit in a regular bathtub?

I have heard a couple of ideas from people and wanted your opinions on these:

1) Bath Ring. I have several concerns about bath rings. First, the baby is not able to sit up very well on her own. Second, I have heard that, even with strict supervision, if a baby/toddler leans over, the ring can "un-suction" and topple over.

2) Bumbo Seat. I heard a couple people say that a Bumbo seat works well in the tub. But it doesn't secure to the tub, so I'd be worried about how safe this it.

3) Inflatable Tub. A few people have recommended those small inflatable tubs that make the big bathtub usuable. But the baby can't sit up well yet. Will those inflatble tubs work?

4) Just hold the baby up. This is what I have heard most people say to do... just sit the baby up in the regular tub and hold her upright while bathing with the other hand.


What did you all do?

Thanks!
 
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Kellyr2

New member
Thats one reason why I bathe with the baby for the first few months. I hated the baby tubs too, so I did it in the newborn days as well. I sit in the bathtup with the baby, with the baby sitting in my lap. I have my knees bent a bit, with my feet flat, and the baby reclines right there on my legs, with the head at my knees. Works great.

With my ds, I did have one of those inflatable tubs that goes in there and it worked well, but I"m pretty sure he was sitting up before we started using it. Its been so long I cant' remember.
 

jenny03

New member
I used to bathe my babies' in the sink when they were too little to sit in the bath ring. It's not as hard on mom's back. ;) I guess the bath ring could topple over, but I always had to yank mine out of the tub. Must depend on the brand. Mine was The First Years.
 

TXDani

Senior Community Member
I use the kitchen sink in the interim between baby tub and the big tub! Works great and you don't have to slouch over.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
We never had an infant tub. She got a sponge bath at the kitchen sink until her stump fell off (stubborn thing took over two weeks) then we just bathed in the bath together until she was over a year old and it started getting crowded.

Wendy
 

Michi

Member
I sat my kids on a small towel in the tub, (so it wasn't slippery) and I used a handheld shower to wash them.
 

rachel3612

Senior Community Member
I had a baby bath tub that had a hamock for a little baby but big enough for my one year old to sit in after she outgrew the hammock. I used that on the bathroom counter.

With my DS I didn't have a bathroom counter big enough so he went in a mesh sling and took a shower with me and my 2 year old! It was a lot of work but I didn't have to worry about what the 2 year old was doing to the baby while I took a shower and all three of us were clean! Or I would take a bath with both of them, I don't like baths for getting clean so the shower was our usual.

I do not like the bath rings and refused to ever use one.

Rachel
 

Dreaming_of_Speed

Senior Community Member
We use the eurobath from BRU, its bigger than an infant tub with multiple places to put the baby as she/he grows. We used to use the kitchen sink (b/c my mother told me a baby tub was a silly invention when we became her foster family) but i didnt like it (kitchen sink is supposedly dirtiest place in the house for germs, not to mention if she potties, she'd doing it when i plan on washing our dishes! :eek: ) My is great in my garden tub (i love my tub, its the ONLY thing i like about this apartment) b/c i cant put it in one end and sit in the other with my legs crossed (or i could, i havent given her a bath in about a month, DF loves bath time so he does it for me)

You might try the safe bather its a floating cushion that helps support baby in the big tub, i didnt care for the idea as we have a large very open garden tub with no way to secure it so it wouldnt float around.

A baby seat like this,http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2373665&cp=2255976.2256088.2256094&pg=1&parentPage=family, might be a good option for sink baths b/c she'll have some sitting up support while you bathe her. This one isnt the best on the market but BRU BM stores have more options.

Can you even buy bath rings anymore? I used to babysit for a family that had one for their first child and asked me to use it for their youngest when i bathed them (Ekk! I was twelve with 2 kids in the tub!!!) Its suction cups would suction so well they required a butter knife to pry them off but the little plastic clips that held them on werent as strong and it would break free sending baby Colin head first into the bath. Then i'd have to try to force it back on or bathe him without it. Not fun. I used to fill the tub too high so he wouldnt try to stand up in it too (and so his 4 year old sister had more than 2 inches of water to play in). Wow. Scary.
 

jenny03

New member
Yes, they still sell bath rings. I wouldn't have used something from the '90's...

Like I said, it depends on the brand. Mine was great for that time when they couldn't quite maintain balance in the tub, but of course you'd always sit *right there*.
 

Lea_Ontario

Well-known member
I very rarely used an infant bath tub with either kid - just seemed like too much hassle.

While they fit, I used a Daphne bath seat - but since both my kids quickly outgrew the weight limit on it (only 17 lbs !! - about 3 months for each of my babies) - it was of limited use as well.

Mostly I bathed with them when they were really small. I did use a bath ring seat with Bug - but not until she were sitting very stable on her own. At that point, I started bathing the kids together, and the ring seat was more to keep Boo from knocking Bug over than it was to help her sit up.

I would NOT use one with a child who couldn't sit on thier own.
 
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thepeach80

Senior Community Member
For AJ I would just lay a towel in the bottom of the tub, put just a tiny bit of water in there and just lay him on the towel. I never did that w/ Evan. Evan has hardly ever had a bath, lol, he's been in the shower since birth. You get in to shower, put baby in the bouncy seat, and then bring them to you when you're ready for them and then back in the bouncy seat till you're done!
 

melaniev

New member
I loved the inflatable bath from BRU - around $12. I actually went thru 3 of them and used it far beyond it's usefulness (3 1/2yrs!)
the sides are very cushy and can help support the baby as long as he has good head control. of course you would only put a small amount of water in and hold him with 1 hand pretty much. I also found the shower sprayer nozzle invaluable (still do).
once my kids could stand i found it easier to take them into the shower with me. we still do that on hot days or when we're in a hurry, to save time and water. (yes, it is a little crowded but thankfully we have a large shower).
 

Simplysomething

New member
I got in with them

Well, I did. Of course, if you don't have a tub, it's a little harder. lol.

But yeah, with my kids, I just brought them in the bath with me, and held them up. Had a bouncy seat or something right next to the tub and once bath was over, I would plop 'em in there, so I could get up...and not slip and fall and hurt anyone.

Then when they were older, I still brought 'em in the shower with me, if I had no one to watch 'em for me. lol (older is older baby, younger toddler, I don't bring my 6 year old in the bath with me. LOL)
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
I had a mesh water sling to wear Leila in the shower because she didn't like sitting in the tub with or without me ... it worked really well for us!
 

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