AIBU - The Baby Bath Incident

I presume she's sold the bath and thus, no longer has it to give to you.

She's being a dick. Maybe jealous you have the shiny new baby?

line the bathroom sink with a towel to stop slips and cradle baby in warm water. If not deep enough, use running warm water or even a warm wet towel you refresh to lay on his tummy. You could also maybe buy a washing up bowl or bucket?

good luck, colic is awful.

I’d leave it to your DP to deal with. Sounds he would be happy to go round and collect it. Seems a ridiculous thing for everyone to be getting het up about tbh.

Apparatus? Stop being so ridiculous and wash the baby in the sink ffs 😂

Blimey, what a bloody palaver!

Clean the sink
Rinse the sink
Place clean towel in bottom of sink
Fill sink with water
Add baby
Support baby's head and neck with hand
Gently wash baby with other hand
Remove baby
Dry baby

Job done
No bloody drama
Everyone happy

Hope that helps

Totally agree. “Apparatus”!!

eta: apols for repeat posting, wifi on blink

Totally agree. “Apparatus”!!

I was going to post the exact same thing. Since you say SIL's child uses the shower and you also say that baby bath's are expensive where your MIL lives, perhaps she sold it to raise a bit of cash. Does your SIL live locally to your MIL? Could your MIL (or DH) message SIL to say that it's fine that she still uses the bath, but could you perhaps pop round to her house to bath the baby at her house This should prove if she still has it,

Yes - amazing how the human race survived before the advent of specialist baby baths!

What's the problem with bathing in the sink? Very common practice right up until the 80s, I think you'll find. As a kid we LOVED having a bath in the sink, and your baby will never even know. Just look after him or her appropriately, it's not rocket science!

**
I’m sorry but I’m not washing my 8 week in a sink, where he will become slippery with the water and possibly aggravate any colic/reflux he has. I’d rather be safe and use the correct apparatus that are made for babies!

This is absolutely ridiculous. You sound obsessive.

Sink op

What do you think people dod before baby baths. Pop towel in and fill if your worried.

She said no the first time and you were rude to keep on pushing it, especially your DH.

Your SIL is being unreasonable. You have a colicky baby ffs, you’re desperate and she’s needlessly being a dick about it. I think people who have never had a colicky baby or have experienced severe sleep deprivation just don’t get it - it’s torture.

Maybe she sold it?
Or there's an unspoken resentment?
Do you get on?
To be honest I'd just buy one online - £25, if you think it will help with colic - not that much

Partner has OCD and will not use the kitchen sink as obviously, it where dirty dishes are washed.

Hang in a minute. So he won’t wash his child in the sink because dirty dishes are washed there? How does he bring himself to eat off the plates? Or does he insist on new plates every meal?

Maybe SiL has sold the bath?!?

It’s not her stuff when her mum bought it for her own house. Sil is being a petty child.

Millions of people.

I agree with you op . SIL sounds selfish it’s only for 2 weeks . Most family would bend over backwards to help when they hear a family member has a colicky baby and are sleep deprived . If the 2 year old is still using the bath they need to start getting into a proper bath or they could manage a shower for a couple of weeks. They can’t use a baby bath forever . This is the perfect opportunity for them to do so . I would not start a big row over it but I would lose a bit of respect for SIL over her selfishness after this.

Even if every single person agrees with you that you SIL is being unreasonable, it doesn't actually change anything.

She's not producing the bath. The reason for that, we can only speculate on.

So either you storm her house or you come up with another solution (multiple options have been suggested).

Not saying who is right or wrong, but just to mention my 2 year old was terrified of 'the big bath' and showers, so I ended up using a large baby bath for a while, otherise they would scream. I read it is a surprisingly common. Not sure if this is the case with your DN but it is a thing. It's annoying though that your SIL hasn't explained her reasoning for not sharing the bath. I hope your little baby feels better soon.

Yes she’s being really weird about it from this perspective. Did you make it clear it’s only for a week or so?

As many have said she likely doesn’t have it

It may not be possible where you are but cranial osteopathy solved our dc’s colic- she was really struggling and the day after her first treatment it miraculously stopped. Could be coincidence but I believe it helped.