Showers!! Bath Seats?

Hi to all mums and dads smile

I was wondering at what age you started showering bubs?

At the moment my baby is five months old and has out grown his baby bath, so I bath him with me.

It is getting more difficult to bath him, as he wants to lay on his back the whole time and he is getting heavier and by the end my arms are aching.
I don't mind though as he enjoys it so much.
(most times he spends up to an hour to an hour and half in bath and by then I have emptied out water and refilled with warm about 5 times LOL).
I would let him stay in there longer but by then we have both shriveled up.

Anyway, I know the the bath seats aren't all that safe, but I am thinking of getting one. And of course I would never leave him unsupervised or turn my back on him even for a second.

What are your opinions on bath seats and showering bubs?


All the best

Hi ZacsMum,

When my daughter was about 5 or 6 months old we started taking her into the shower with us. She loved the water streaming down over her skin and I think it was quite relaxing for her. I often found that if we had to go out somewhere if we jumped into the shower together it also made things a lot quicker for us. I personally don't think there would be any harm taking your 5 month old into the shower with you. The only thing you do have to be careful of, is bub getting slippery in your arms.

As for bath seats, I never used one. I had a bath matt - don't know what they are called, but it was a terry cloth cover over a wire frame, that you lay bub on, in either the baby bath or big bath, it is on an angle so bub's head is up out of the water, but his or her arms and legs are free to move and kick. It keeps your hands free to wash bub and it seems quite comfortable for them in that lying position. I bought mine in K-Mart and I am pretty sure you can get them in Target too. I used mine for my daughter until she was old enough to sit up in the bath... now I am due with my second bub this month and will use it again.

Enjoy your baths and showers with bubs...

Michelle.

Hi ZacsMum,
My daughter has been having showers with either me or her dad since she was about 3 months old. She loves them and tries to catch the water. Sometimes it's just easier or you're in a hurry.
The only thing I've found with showers is that you have to have the dressing gown ready for you or you'll freeze while getting them dressed and dried.
I don't use my bath seat much anymore, as we have had a couple of slips in it. I still use it sometimes, but prefer if she doesn't. But don't let me put you off, as we only had these slips once she reached 10/11 months and was able to move and bob around alot more.
Have fun in the shower!!!!

We hace been showering our daughter since she was born...she always hated the bath but loved the showers...and it was much easier too. Now she's not fussed so long as it means getting wet!

Hi Zacs Mum,
My son has been having showers with us since he was about a month or so old. We always had an effort with the bath but found the temp of the water in the shower stayed the same the whole time. Like a few other mums have said it is difficult to do on your own so its easier as a two person job, one to wash and one to dress.
I have a bath seat/ring for Liam and he loves it. We've never had a problem with it and it has made bathtime so much more enjoyable for him. As long as you're in arms reach, just in case, you should be fine. We actually tried to bath Liam tonight without it as we were at my in-laws and found it so difficult as he likes to stretch out, he actually slipped under for a second or so without the seat.
I think that the seats are a great idea, provided that they're used correctly. They seem to get a bad wrap after careless parents use the inappropriately.
Kristy

Hi all

I am a great fan of the bath seat. My little boy is 7 months old now and is not small! He moved out of the baby bath when he was 3 months and in to the big bath. We have used the bath seat in both baths.

I find that the bath seat was great when he was little cos he would totally relax and enjoy the water wash over him and it also was a godsend for me with my hands. I had carpal tunnel and have just had surgery.

Now at seven months he wants to squirm and get out of the bath seat so i do let him sit for a little while unaided but when i am washing him i still use the seat and it is also easier when i am lifting him out of the bath.

As for showers - we went away on holidays when he was 5 months and there wasnt a bath in the unit. We showered him then and he HATED IT!

HTH
Fee

Hi ZacsMum

I've used a bath seat with my son since he was 7 months old - when he grew out of his baby bath. The last couple of nights I've given him a bath without it and he wriggles around all over the place and stands up all the time and he's gone under a couple of times, so I've decided to keep using the bath seat until he starts protesting - at the moment he doesn't mind it at all. Personally I find it safer to use the seat for the time being. As someone else said they are usually only a saftey concern when not used correctly - ie when a baby is left unattended. I hope this helps.

All the best
Jasmine smile

Hello Zac's mum,
I used bath seats for both of my children when they were able to sit up (around 6 months) and are completely safe when they are being watched, whatever age your children are you should never leave them unattended which I think was the biggest problem with the bath seat issue, and the baby must be sitting first I think,you just make sure the bottom is suctioned to the bottom before putting little one in. As far as having a bath with them, I think it's magic, I have a disability with doesn't allow me to bath with my son as much as I did with our daughter but I love it when he lays on his back on my tummy, I do do it when my husbands home and can rescue me when the water goes cold LOL! Do what evers best for you I'm sure bub will love any, good luck!
Belinda

Hubby started taking our baby in the shower at about 3 or 4 weeks old.
We also had the terry-towling thing with the wire base but she is way too long for it now!
She is 10mths old. I just lay her on her back in the bath to wash her hair and privates. Then on her tummy to wash her back and bum. Then she sits up and loves water thrown on her. We've been doing that for about 4 months.
Bath seats are a waste of money I think. You are going to be there every second so why get a seat???

Hi
I think I used the baby bath about 5 times and then it was shower and bath from then on. When Jasper was about 4mths I would fill the bath a few inches and lay him it, he loved splashing around. He is 7mths now and for the last month we have been using the bath seat (best thing ever) not only in the bath, but I sometimes put it in the shower too and he just sits there with the water pouring over him.

Happy bath times ahead.......hehe

I found that my son will stiffen himself out quite quickly and has gone under a few times for a few seconds. This has usually happened at my in-laws or my parents where we don't have the seat.
I actually split the cost with a friend who has a daughter 12 months older than my son so she was definately finished with it by the time I needed it. I think of it as money definately well spent (even if I'd paid for it all myself).
If we didn't have the bath seat there my son wouldn't be able to sit and have playtime after he's been washed which is what he enjoys the most. Since using the seat bath time is much less of a drama, now if only we could do the same for getting dresed afterwards.
Kristy

My son outgrew his baby bath at 2 months. We began taking him in the shoer then. One of us holding him, and one "supervising" just in case of muscle cramps and sore arms. Now that he is able to sit by himself, we put him into a bath, but I hop in with him, just in case (he's still not too steady on his own). I lie him down into my lap when I need to wash his hair. And he leans back when he wants to see his feet poking up from the bubbles. Bath books keep him occupied, as well.