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Original poster

Bathed baby in bath too hot!

55 replies

Kudds · 06/10/2024 14:29

I am revisiting something that happened a few yrs ago as it has sort of become relevant.

When my some was around 1, I had accidentally bathed him in very hot water (1-2mins at a time) every day for maybe a week or two. It was maybe 40-42 degrees. He usually would scream when we initially out him in bath so he did that as usual but these times he kept screaming and we just thought he didn't like that bath (I literally can't believe we didn't consider it was too hot!!).

I was using a digital bath thermometer that was apparently not working properly and reading below the actual temperature as I found out later. My hands were very dry and couldn't distinguish water temperature accurately so I had relied on that.

I am revisiting this now as he is now suspected to have ascending testes. During consult with dr we talked about how testes high up are under higher body temperature and so can become impaired. I am now worried that his exposure to hot water baths in the past could also have impaired his testes function.

Has anyone else bathed their kids in such hot water by accident?

OP posts:
BertieBotts · 06/10/2024 17:49

I think people are totally overreacting, 40-45 degrees is a normal adult bath temperature. And OP doesn't even know it was over 40, she is just guessing based on the fact the thermometer was broken.

Most people have hot water set to something like 55-60 degrees because that's the right temperature to prevent Legionnaire's disease. You can have it lower if you have an instant water heater, but 42 is basically comfortably warm, not hot. (I appreciate that children are more sensitive to bath water temp and might experience it as hot, but adults being like 😯 I could not possibly! Are overreacting, IMO.)

doodleschnoodle · 06/10/2024 17:52

42 is my ideal bath temp! Yes it's too hot for a baby especially plunging them straight in but it's unlikely to have caused any lasting damage years later.

But always check the water first and don't trust thermometers, which I'm sure you've learned now.

doodleschnoodle · 06/10/2024 17:54

@oakleaffy You bath in 30-degree water? Confused That sounds horrible!

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Thfrog · 06/10/2024 17:54

How regularly did this happen? This sounds neglectful.

Thfrog · 06/10/2024 17:55

lightsandtunnels · 06/10/2024 16:01

And her hands were too dry to feel the heat of the water? Really 🙄

Show quote history

People have all sorts of disabilities so this is plausible.

Washingupdone · 06/10/2024 17:59

Many many moons ago young mothers were taught to dip their elbows into the bath water before putting the baby in. It helped to judge when there isn’t a thermometer handy, the temperature.

BurbageBrook · 06/10/2024 19:25

It's not just that you ran a too hot bath for a WEEK, but it's also really worrying you didn't immediately whip him out of the bath when he screamed in pain. My one year old cries in pain and I know she's in pain. They aren't newborns where you can't figure out what's going on. There are so many things to be concerned about with your post I don't know where to start tbh. Poor baby.

greglet · 06/10/2024 20:37

I accidentally put my DS in too hot bath water once. He was about 20 months old and we were staying at a friend's house. I ran the bath with the same ratio of hot and cold water as I would have done at home, then stupidly plopped DS straight into it without checking. Friend's boiler was clearly more efficient/ran hotter than mine, because he immediately started shrieking to be picked up.

It's absolutely not a mistake I made again, so I’m surprised you'd do the same thing repeatedly, but equally you'd probably have noticed redness on his skin if it was hot enough to burn him.

HappierTimesAhead · 06/10/2024 20:48

We all make mistakes when we are sleep deprived beyond belief and utterly overwhelmed with motherhood. Every mother on this thread will have done something they feel guilty about (I'm sure some of them will be along shortly to proclaim, "Oh but never as bad as this").
You don't need more judgement because you will have judged yourself a million times over. We inadvertently harm our children physically and emotionally. We also love them and care for them and keep them safe the majority of the time. Go easy on yourself.

Disappearedwife · 06/10/2024 20:57

Once is awful but lots of times?

also I find a bath over 40 far too hot for me as an adult.

Reugny · 06/10/2024 21:00

Normallynumb · 06/10/2024 15:50

Surely you don't rely on a thermometer though, you use judgement as well
I used to dip my elbow in and run more cold in and swish if in doubt
However my DC are 30/ late twenties when logic was normal

My DD is 6.

I never had a bath thermometer I used my elbow.

However at least a couple of times she went red and screamed so I knew the water was too hot and added extra cold.

Reugny · 06/10/2024 21:04

@Hairyfairy01 you don't use your hands to test bath water temperature as they can take a much higher temperature than other parts of your body. So whether the OP has dry hands or not is irrelevant.

@greglet apparently some boilers will give you hotter water in slightly warmer weather.

Thfrog · 06/10/2024 21:06

HappierTimesAhead · 06/10/2024 20:48

We all make mistakes when we are sleep deprived beyond belief and utterly overwhelmed with motherhood. Every mother on this thread will have done something they feel guilty about (I'm sure some of them will be along shortly to proclaim, "Oh but never as bad as this").
You don't need more judgement because you will have judged yourself a million times over. We inadvertently harm our children physically and emotionally. We also love them and care for them and keep them safe the majority of the time. Go easy on yourself.

Edited

Every day, for a week or two?

BlouseyBrownMalone · 06/10/2024 22:22

Has anyone else bathed their kids in such hot water by accident?

I'm sure they have bit not over and over and over again, most people would have worked it out after they put their baby in the very first time.

My cousin had her toddler removed from her because she put her in a too hot bath feet first and her feet were burned. They took her to hospital and the hospital called the social services and they came to the hospital and took the child straight into care.

oakleaffy · 06/10/2024 23:01

doodleschnoodle · 06/10/2024 17:54

@oakleaffy You bath in 30-degree water? Confused That sounds horrible!

Shower..I have never been able to tolerate hot water- If I stay at a friend's house, their shower is invariably set far too hot -
and they find mine too cool!

Hotter baths as a child used to make me feel faint.

oakleaffy · 06/10/2024 23:05

BlouseyBrownMalone · 06/10/2024 22:22

Has anyone else bathed their kids in such hot water by accident?

I'm sure they have bit not over and over and over again, most people would have worked it out after they put their baby in the very first time.

My cousin had her toddler removed from her because she put her in a too hot bath feet first and her feet were burned. They took her to hospital and the hospital called the social services and they came to the hospital and took the child straight into care.

Mum had a friend {now retired} who was Nursing Sister at a major burns unit.
Babies and toddlers scald so easily.

From NHS website.

A baby's skin is 15 times thinner than an adult's so it is very easy for them to get badly hurt. Young children also do not have the reflex to pull away from something that is burning them, it's something that we learn.

Hot drinks - can scald a baby even 15 minutes after they have been made. They are one of the most common causes of burns and scalds. Never hold a hot drink while holding your baby or pass a hot drink or dish over a child, and put hot drinks well out of reach away from the edge of tables and worktops.

Bath water - it takes just 5 seconds for a toddler to suffer a severe scald from too hot bath water. Never leave a child alone in the bath and always put in the cold water first before topping up with hot, mix it well and test the temperature before letting your child get in the bath. The temperature should be 37-38 degrees C.

2boyzNosleep · 06/10/2024 23:32

Your post is a disturbing read and hard to understand from your POV how it happened more than once.......

OP, be honest with the medical team. It's unlikely to be the cause of the current issue, but they should be made aware of what happened to see if they need to monitor anything further.

QueenBitch666 · 07/10/2024 00:00

JFC
I don't have kids and even I know to test the water with an elbow

WhimsicalMoth · 07/10/2024 00:17

TheShellBeach · 06/10/2024 16:06

I'm horrified.
You must have noticed that the baby was distressed.

To be totally honest, I know many many babies that would be distressed in the bath. Because they hate the bath. Whether that be in 20° , 37° or 42° water!

Yes it's awful in hindsight, but we can't just be outright horrified and suspect abuse from this.
OP made a mistake which she has recognised and rectified presumably.

AlwaysGinPlease · 07/10/2024 09:38

This is very disturbing. How you didn't realise is beyond me. How could you not feel the temperature , you can't have checked it at all. He would have been in obvious pain and his skin bright red. I hope you are a much better parent now.

Original poster
Kudds · 09/10/2024 22:32

I think I am thinking back on it with the worse possible lens.. my hands and arm were really dry and damaged so I don't think I could have bathed him in 42.. and he didn't squeal a huge deal so might have been 40 .. I have a bit of anxiety so I do catastrophize things a bit.. there was no steam and we are of Indian descent so we don't get red easy but there wasn't much red as I remember it.. I know these things but I tend to make it the worst conceivable scenario

OP posts:
Original poster
Kudds · 09/10/2024 22:49

And I didn't test with elbow which I really should have cos I was relying on the device .. which I feel terribly guilty for.. I did finally test with elbow and got another thermometer and compared it.. the one I was using was showing a lower number but I can't remember how much the difference was.. hence the catastrophizing and making the difference as big as possible..

I thought maybe he had a cut or something.. but couldn't find anything.. tbh he used to cry every time we dipped in bath but then he would be fine and play but these times he just kept crying and it was a louder cry.. as I said before my rational brain knows I am catastrophizing and it probably only happened a few times not for as long as my anxious brain is thinking.. and as I said there was no obvious redness.. maybe just a little bit but nothing like omg he's red.. this just popped back in my brain cos of the current situation with a potential retractable or ascended testes and it just makes me I'll to think that could have something to do with it.. In my gut I don't think so but again my anxious brain is overactive when it comes to my kids.. I guess I just wanted some reassurance

OP posts:
Bardolier · 09/10/2024 22:52

Please don’t worry, op. There’s no basis to think it could have done any long term harm.

You’ve had a hard time on this thread, I think from people who haven’t really understood what you’re asking about.

GrettaGreen · 09/10/2024 23:14

If you're catastrophising to the extent in your OP when really it was no big deal to start with, it is probably worthwhile booking in with your GP to talk about potential support as that's not good to be going around thinking that you're a perpetrator of abuse etc until rationally challenged by others.

Also be mindful, if that was the case, in what you share with others if it's potentially rooted in anxiety etc and not a reliable resharing. If I heard you sharing that at work or in social skills, I would strongly consider reporting you to social services.

I hope you feel better soon OP Flowers

GrettaGreen · 09/10/2024 23:15

*in social settings