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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to bring my baby in the shower with me?

181 replies

Flingmoo · 09/02/2015 22:02

He's 8 months old and I am fed up with being stinky and greasy where I seem to have no time for baths and showers these days, he sits, crawls and climbs things so can't just stick him in a bouncy chair for the duration. He's a light sleeper so can't make noise showering or bathing while he's asleep.

DH and I usually bring him into our bath but won't be practical if I'm home alone. Wondered if shower would be possible though as it's an enclosed en suite shower so maybe he'll just sit down while I shower? I could sit down with him... Anyone else done it? Or am I being completely crazy?

OP posts:

OstentatiousBreastfeeder · 09/02/2015 22:13

I get you OP. DD was the same, early climber/cruiser and also very, very clingy.

I put her in the bath (I have an overhead shower) with some toys and she'd play happily with the water spray for ten minutes. Then I'd give her a wash and we'd both get out. No biggie.

frazzled74 · 09/02/2015 22:14

Strap in buggy and park in front of cbeebies? Cot, playpen, high hair, jumparoom/swing ?

Missdee2014 · 09/02/2015 22:15

I'm really not getting why this is an issue. Millions of women have babies everyday and they don't tend to become smelly/unwashed as a result. You've said the baby will amuse himself for a while so really no issue. Leave him playing in his cot with some toys. And next time he's asleep crank the music up so he gets used to noise or U will spend the next 18+ years creeping about when he's asleep.

DoJo · 09/02/2015 22:15

Can't you have a shower before your husband leaves the house in the morning?

BMO · 09/02/2015 22:15

Get a playpen/travel cot and stick it in front of the TV then.

Playing with toys in your cot is a good sleep association in my book = play for a bit before waking me up in the mornings!

DisappointedOne · 09/02/2015 22:16

DD always showered with me (or dad if he was home) at that age. She still loves to now (at 4!)

At 8 months the cot wouldn't have been a safe place to leave her at all. She was a right climber!

gallicgirl · 09/02/2015 22:16

Do you have a travel cot? Use it as a play pen with some toys.
Also recommend making a bit of noise while he sleeps so he gets used to it.

You're not one of those parents who daren't flush the loo while the baby is asleep, are you?

Longdistancenerves · 09/02/2015 22:16

When DS was about that age he adored being in his playpen and making a racket with various toys while I showered.
I liked the fact it was independent play too- it won't do your son any harm for 10-15 minutes, he probably won't notice you're gone!

GilbertBlytheWouldGetIt · 09/02/2015 22:16

I took DS in the shower with me from when he could sit up.

He loved it, used to sit and play with a sponge/shampoo bottles.

Give it a try!

ninja · 09/02/2015 22:16

DD was in the shower with me from weeks old - when younger I'd hold her, when older she'd sit on the floor and splash. She still loves showers :)

DisappointedOne · 09/02/2015 22:16

What have people got against just taking him in the shower?!

OstentatiousBreastfeeder · 09/02/2015 22:17

crank the music up so he gets used to noise or U will spend the next 18+ years creeping about when he's asleep.

Nah she won't.

BMO · 09/02/2015 22:19

Seems like the least good choice to me Disappointed - mine would be standing up and trying to escape, messing around with everything. Definitely wouldn't just sit there nicely.

DisappointedOne · 09/02/2015 22:21

DD didn't just sit there nicely. She crawled, she chewed on stuff, she played with the water and splashed about. She basically had a whale of a time while I got washed.

anothernumberone · 09/02/2015 22:22

You can take him in the shower/bath.
You can use a jumperoo.
You can put him in a buggy/cot/travel cot with tv or toys.

All sound fine. I have done all of the above at various stages except I never owned a jumperoo. I have 3 kids and showered every day with no real bother. Definitely do whatever works.

bonkersLFDT20 · 09/02/2015 22:24

I do understand that you want to be able to see him when you're out of earshot in the shower, makes for a more relaxed shower.

At this stage I used to strap DS in the high chair and it would straddle the loo. I'd just chuck some toys in the tray, play peek a boo, sing etc.

It meant I could have the hot shower that I so love and also didn't need to worry about sorting out a wet baby when I wanted to get dressed myself.

You do need to sort something out, it can't be nice feeling icky. He does need to learn that you have needs as well and even though he's a bit young to understand that now, it's good to get into that mind set otherwise you may well be setting yourself up for some very trying times ahead.

sharonthewaspandthewineywall · 09/02/2015 22:24

I just don't get this 'I can't take a shower/wee/dump' nonsense mums only ever seem to spout on here. It's absurd

Guiltypleasures001 · 09/02/2015 22:27

Hi op I used to shower with baby and when younger would put him in his rocker car seat for a few mins so he could watch me play and listen to me sing

DisappointedOne · 09/02/2015 22:27

Quick, he's 8 months old. Get him ready for the rest of his life now. Once he's one you've had it. [Hmm]

Allstoppedup · 09/02/2015 22:29

We have an over the bath shower, I tend to put DS in the tub with his toys and grab an emergency shower on occasion.
He loves it and I don't have to rush/stress.

He screams blue murder the second I attempt to lower him into a cot and has done since he was tiny!

Original poster

Flingmoo · 09/02/2015 22:30

OstentatiousBreastfeeder Yes, I don't think I'll be creeping around all day when he's 15, in fact I'm hoping we'll be down to a maximum of one nap a day by that point

Listen you vipers, I know I posted this in AIBU but not sure what I said to deserve all these snidey comments - put your fangs away...!

FWiW we did the whole "keep making noise so baby learns to sleep even when it's noisy" thing for the first couple of months, then we realised that although DS sleeps through noises most of the time, sometimes if he's having a 'light' phase of his sleep, noise will wake him up earlier than usual. So personally we prefer to make less noise, I play music downstairs but I tend to avoid making noise upstairs while he's asleep. I don't think that is unreasonable since most people would pay the same courtesy to an adult who is sleeping upstairs!

OP posts:

MedusaIsHavingaBadHairday · 09/02/2015 22:30

I used to take mine in with me, if they were too good at climbing for their cot. Or in Ds1's case.. he was walking by 9 months and climbed everything.. I strapped him in a maclaren buggy in the bathroom with me.. he survived!

(he did climb the toilet, cystern, up to the cabinet and managed to get a razor from the top.. 7 feet up..and cut his cae aged three, however.. he said he wanted to know what it felt like shaving.. ) He IS the reason I'm grey....

Bunbaker · 09/02/2015 22:30

"I just don't get this 'I can't take a shower/wee/dump' nonsense mums only ever seem to spout on here. It's absurd"

I don't either. Just bath or shower in the evening when your baby is asleep. What's the problem?

toomanypasswords · 09/02/2015 22:34

With DD1 I either took her bouncy chair into bathroom while I showered or put her in her cot or took her into shower too (which she enjoyed). DD2 is only a few weeks old so at the moment I just leave her in her moses basket or bouncy chair. I'll shower with her when she's a bit older.

Solasum · 09/02/2015 22:37

I let my one year old be free range in a child proofed room while I shower. I leave the door open a crack so I would hear if he really hurt himself. More often than not he comes into the bathroom of his own accord opening the door and making it really cold and stares at me. Or decides that his books and toys my phone want to come swimming. It is not exactly restful but there is no way I am going without a shower, or having a slippery little person barging past my legs determined to turn on the taps.

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