Page 2 | partner left 1 yr old in bath for minute alone

squeakytoy · 21/02/2011 22:19

I would leave a 3 yr old. At that age they are washing their hands alone and should be aware of hot and cold taps, and know not to touch. I certainly wouldnt leave a 1yr old.

Its not difficult to take the towels into the bathroom BEFORE you put the child into the bath.

MaxiCosy · 21/02/2011 22:28

I had a scare with my 1 year old last year, I hadn't left her but just turned around to get the towel from the radiator behind me, she started to get up, slipped, hit her head and was knocked out, slipped under the water. I turned around to see her go under and grabbed her out.

I only turned my back and only for a matter of seconds , if I had left the room ... well actually can't even bring myself to think about the 'what if' scenario.

What it taught me is that a situation can go from a sat on her bum playing with a rubber ducky to unconscious in something like 2-3 seconds. Terrifying.

anonacfr · 21/02/2011 22:30

Toddler don't struggle under water either. If something had happened he wouldn't have heard a thing.

Underachieving · 21/02/2011 23:03

I think we've all forgotten the towel sooner or later, so you just have to carry the dripping child to the airing cupboard don't you. Or pull the plug and leave them for that one minute after the water's gone (if they're old enough to be trusted with taps). I find that being honest and saying "uh oh, Mummy made a mistake" is a great leveller, and usually we laugh about it.

Most of what we do as parents is to teach our kids by example how to be adults, wether we realise it or not. When my kids are adults and make a mistake I want them to think of a way of dealing with it that doesn't involve taking risks. Which means I have to.

Rindercella · 21/02/2011 23:23

I would have flipped.

DH used to bath DD1 and following a thread such as this on MN I asked if he would ever leave her alone for a minute or two. He looked at me like I had gone mad. He wouldn't, just like I wouldn't. For me this issue is non-negotiable. Bath time is fun and it takes but a few minutes.

All it takes is a few moments and your child is gone. For what? If you forget the towels then take the wet child to where the towels are. Better the baby catching a chill than the other alternative.

I would be interested to know what was so important that your DP had to leave his baby alone in the bath, even for a moment?

MoonUnitAlpha · 21/02/2011 23:27

MaxiCosy that's so scary

I can't fathom why people would take such a risk to leave the room for something when the consequences can be a dead baby.

Aims80 · 21/02/2011 23:29

I would go absolutely mental if my boyfriend did this.

mmsmum · 22/02/2011 01:13

Don't leave them alone until the hit puberty and are old enough to tell you to get out. Seriously. It happens all the time, some poor child dies because no one was looking after them. A bathroom is an incredibly dangerous place.

MaxiCosy · 22/02/2011 12:47

Moon Yeah, it really was and it was quick, really quick. I can't stress enough how wrong it all went in a matter of seconds, I didn't even leave the room, I just turned around.

Like others have said, I sometimes leave the towel in the other room but we just make a joke of it. I cuddle her as she gets out and she likes seeing my clothes get all wet and then we quickly go to her room 'before you turn into an icicle' and every time she is disappointed that she didn't get to turn into an icicle because mummy got her warm and dry too quickly. She loves it if I forget the towel!

TysonNobdie86 · 22/02/2011 12:49

YANBU I still sit with ds the whole time, he is 2.8 years. Ive never left him on his own and prob wont till he is 18

Bideyin · 22/02/2011 12:53

Dp left Ds2 in the bath alone while he went get a camera when he was 1 WEEK OLD!!! I went mental, he still doesn't really understand why (arse).

TysonNobdie86 · 22/02/2011 13:00

@ bideyin's dp

nailak · 22/02/2011 13:02

my bathroom is next to my kitchen, i leave my 4 yr old and 2.5 yr old in bath while doing washing up and cleaning kitchen, also if my baby 6mnths starts crying i leave them to go and get him, the only other alternative would be to let him carry on crying till ive got them out of bath?

Bideyin · 22/02/2011 13:07

Tbh I still feel white hot anger/fear when I think about it now (Ds2 is 5 1/2).

mummysweeangel · 22/02/2011 13:08

I find that story about that poor baby that drowned in the bath with his older brother really sad and disturbing, especially being that it says he was in EIGHT inches of water

I have only just started allowing my DS who will be 3 in August- to sit in the bath without his safety seat thing - but i only put just enough water in to cover his " boy bits", and absolutely no more than that, so the water sits just at his belly button really. I have to admit that i leave him unattended whilst i go to get his Towel, PJs, or answer the phone etc etc, but my house is all on the one level so i would be in the bathroom within a couple of seconds, not having to go up and down stairs etc etc.

But its really frightening how fast accidents can happen :(

LouMacca · 22/02/2011 13:26

One of my neighbours left her 5 year old and her 2 year old in the bath together to pop in the bedroom to get their pj's.

When she got back into the bathroom the 5 year old was holding his brothers head under the water. He had his hand over the back his head and had pushed him face first into the water. Scary to think what could have happened.

YANBU OP, I would be fuming.

Original poster

mopsera · 25/02/2011 16:15

hi thanks. have been unable to get to pc but; to answer he left to get something from the kitchen.I dashed into bathroom instinctivley as he's switched off before (reads paper while she bathes and he just caught her trying to climb out.)
i did read the horrer story thanks ; and i did say seriuosly never ever do that again; which he angrily reacted to as he thinks he knows best as he had 2 boys already...

OP posts:

Original poster

mopsera · 29/04/2011 03:01

thanks. well, he had gone to get something, cant remember. but he's pretty switched off sometimes and there have been moments where other incidenets have made me think he's just a bit too slapdash sometimes; he says im uptight but id rather be safe than sorry!

OP posts:

FurKnickersAndNoCoat · 29/04/2011 03:03

well im not an OTT jump on bandwagon type but at one yo...you can't leave a 1yo for 1 second. yanbu. perhaps handcuff him and leave him in bath with tap running? well no seriously at 1yo thats just ridiculous. (still panic at leaving youngest in bath alone - shes 8 haha!)

blindmelon · 29/04/2011 09:46

I used to be v relaxed about leaving DD1 in the bath while I popped in and out ... Then one day DH left DD2 age 10 months for a second to get a towel, came back and she was underwater. Never again, it still turns me cold thinking about it.

Ivette · 29/04/2011 09:51

i dont know why you kreaked out. ive been leaving my little one since she was10 months to do stuff at home, she was babbling away all the time so i dont see the problem really

hoops997 · 29/04/2011 10:02

another one here who leaves my 1 yo in the bath to do jobs, I live in a flat and can always hear him.......another thing is I have taken DS to waterbabies since he was 7 weeks old so if he ever went under he would hold his breath, babies and children should have respect for water but not fear it, too many kids are terrified of water due to over-reactions like this IMO.

Southwestwhippet · 29/04/2011 10:47

Leaving a 1yr old to go downstairs and get something from the kitchen - NO, def would not do this, also one minute is a very long time.

Popping out to grab a towel from the cupboard outside the bathroom door or to pop PJ's on the radiator - I do this sometimes with my 16 months DD, she is in an over-the-bath-baby-bath, can't reach the taps and water not deep and I'm out of the room for 5 or 6 secs maximum.