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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...to leave my 14 month old unsupervised in the bath while I do some jobs?

105 replies

Ilikegreenshoes · 06/03/2011 20:15

Ok, before you all call SS, there was no water in the bath. She'd had her bath, I'd emptied it, but she didn't want to get out and was playing quite happily with her toys.
I could hear her from where I was, there was nothing within reach that could have been dangerous, but I still felt like it was a bad mummy thing to do.
Thoughts?

OP posts:
bupcakesandcunting · 06/03/2011 20:15

Hot taps are within reach, presumably?

NestaFiesta · 06/03/2011 20:16

If the bath is empty and on the floor, YANBU, but I personally don't like leaving my 15 mo where I can't see him.

MrsGravy · 06/03/2011 20:16

Couldn't she slip and hurt herself? I know of a mum who's child of a similar age slipped in the bath and knocked their front teeth out on the tap. Also, how hot is your water? Couldn't she turn the tap on?

ObscureReference · 06/03/2011 20:16

Hmmm. Was it dry? Were there still slippery bubbles?

griphook · 06/03/2011 20:16

please please don't do this, I know a child that was burnt by turning the hot tap on.

bupcakesandcunting · 06/03/2011 20:17

Oops pressed send before I finished typing! Meant to say, make sure the taps are fully closed/tightly turned to off.

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 06/03/2011 20:17

Apart from the hot taps being wthin reach and the risk of slipping, wouldn't she be getting cold?

activate · 06/03/2011 20:17

fine if she can't turn on the hot water tap

sourdoughface · 06/03/2011 20:17

i wouldnt do it, its too dangerous

Minshu · 06/03/2011 20:17

I wouldn't, 'cos it would be slippy (she could lift the mat) and she could bang her head, get her finger stuck somewhere (my DD managed that with Daddy supervising yesterday Hmm).

And she'd be getting cold, if she'd just had her bath, wouldn't she?

WhiteTrash · 06/03/2011 20:17

I wouldnt, only because its really slippy in there when its wet. Plus, at that age ds would eat anything and everything. Turn my back for a minute and he would be doing shots of bubble bath.

shinyshoes · 06/03/2011 20:17

isnt it very slippery?

Plus she'd be freezing surely

NestaFiesta · 06/03/2011 20:17

Sorry, misunderstood OP- you obviously mean the big bathroom bath, not a baby bath. YABU- its slippry and she could bang her head on the taps or turn the taps on and scald herself, or hurt herself trying to climb out.

ashamedandconfused · 06/03/2011 20:18

I would also worry about them toppling out headfirst onto the floor - don't do it! Its not nice and soft if they fall!

SilveryMoon · 06/03/2011 20:18

So she was still wet?
I wouldn't do it, purely because I hate being wet and cold.
I suppose in general though, it's not too bad, doubt she'd be able to turn the taps on, but tbh, I pretty much work in that if I tell my ds's to get out the bath, they will get out of the bath and i will ignore the tantrums whilst I get them dry and dressed

EsioTrot · 06/03/2011 20:21

I'm with the general consensus, I wouldn't do it. Too many potential hazards and cold.

TrinityIsABunnyMunchingRhino · 06/03/2011 20:23

I wouldn't do it

too cold
too dangerous

MadamDeathstare · 06/03/2011 20:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

gizzy1973 · 06/03/2011 20:25

I wouldnt leave my 14 month old in there as he can turn the taps on, stands up and slips over and could really hurt himself
I do however sometimes clean the bathroom while he is in the bath but then again its so small I can still touch him while doing that and easily grab him

ICanPluck · 06/03/2011 20:25

Nope, sorry, not worth the potential risks. I'd much rather get her out, dried and dressed and then done my jobs than be rushing around doing them and worrying whether she was okay or not.

VajazzHands · 06/03/2011 20:25

thats what play pens are for. Hot taps are not toys

DonMcLeansSecretLover · 06/03/2011 20:26

I wouldn't do it tbh, surely too cold and slippery and as other posters have said, risk of scald from hot tap

HeartSkipsABeat · 06/03/2011 20:27

YABU it's dangerous, Nuff said IMO!

saffy85 · 06/03/2011 20:28

I wouldn't personally, would much rather get her dried straight away and in her pjs. Also like others said, she could slip or turn the taps on.

What so important you couldn't put her safe and dry in her cot first? Confused

EricNorthmansMistress · 06/03/2011 20:29

I slipped in the bath aged 8 and broke my front tooth. Hurt like a bitch and I have to pay £££ to have it repaired every few years. In a wet and slippery bath is possibly the worst place you could leave a baby - possibly the top of some stone stairs or outside on the pavement might be dafter...honestly. Did this really not occur to you? I know every parent makes errors of judgement at times but this one seems so obvious...