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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
LovesBooks · 09/02/2015 22:44

Yeah I think you really just need to leave him in his cot/buggy/ playpen for 10 mins. By all means have him in the bath/shower with you, you can do bath together alone btw. But its sounds as if you just do not want to leave him for 10 mins alone and that sounds a bit extreme. It won't help him in the long run if you keep him attached to you 24/4.

TheABC · 09/02/2015 22:45

We don't have a bath here, so baby went in the shower as soon as he outgrew the sink. 2 for 1 - I would wash him, pass him to DH and then finish washing myself. Babies are not that slippery if only washed with water. It's the soap that's a nightmare. DS happily plays with his ducks now as a toddler, whilst I do my hair. The real faff is drying him and myself off together, if alone.

sleepysleepy · 09/02/2015 22:52

I shower with mine ( now 18m) and he loves it. He's been coming in since he was about 6 months as he was an early crawler and it was the simplest way to have a long shower without stressing. Just sits at the bottom and plays, bonus is he gets cleaned by proxy too. Smile

BabsUnited · 09/02/2015 23:03

My DS is older but I've started doing the following.

Put my clean clothes, towel to hand and makeup bag in bathroom. Strip both me and DS, turn on shower (over bath arrangement). Both get in, me under the shower head and him at other end of bath where I stick down the non slip mat. I shower and wash, he plays with his cups, then I get out and put plug in and turn on normal taps and let bath fill for a bit. DS splashes around happily while I get dried, dressed, do makeup, then once I'm ready I get him out and dry and dress him. Works really well!

sticklebrickstickle · 09/02/2015 23:17

Why can't you bathe with your DS if you're alone?

I have my DD in the bath with me. Depending on how happy she is I'll either get out and leave her splashing whilst I dry and dress or I'll get her out, put on a big towelling robe and get her dried and dressed before I worry about myself.

happylittlevegemites · 10/02/2015 03:21

I think some of you guys are a bit mean!

My first baby I had no problems with having a shower. I could do it while he napped (he had long naps and slept so well I could vacuum under him). Even if he woke up, he'd be happy enough in his cot. Or would play on the floor of the bathroom.

My second, though - crikey!! She won't even stay in the cot long enough for the mobile to unwind once. She is the lightest sleeper in the world. She'll usually tolerate being on the floor of the ensuite while I have a super quick shower, but it's really hard. Really truly, I cannot leave her for 10 mins.

OP - this phase will pass (I bloody hope so, anyway!). If the baby being in the shower works, then do it! My only concern would be that he'll like it and try to join you fully dressed.

Mammanat222 · 10/02/2015 03:39

Have a bath / shower after baby goes to bed at 6.30.

CheerfulYank · 10/02/2015 03:40

I'd take him in with you or just invest in a play pen.

Or get him a helmet and let him hang out in the bathroom. Wink

claraschu · 10/02/2015 04:02

It's also really easy to have a bath with a baby without another adult, if that's what you want. I did that a lot, and I'm not sure why you find it impractical.

LittleBlueHermit · 10/02/2015 04:51

As long as he can sit up securely on his own, and doesn't have a phobia of water, there's absolutely no reason you can't pop him in the bottom of the shower.

Tupperware is great for keeping them happy in the shower Smile

I found it so much easier bringing DD into the shower with me. I didn't have to rush, or worry about what she might be up to, and we were both happy with the arrangement. I didn't want to waste her sleep time on showers (and she always seemed to wake up in the middle of them anyway!)

Coyoacan · 10/02/2015 04:56

My dd has been showering with my dgd since a lot younger than 8 months. They can get slippery at times, so you have to be careful, but it is quite normal where I live.

Florrieboo · 10/02/2015 05:08

Why not shower after 6:30? I doubt you are all quiet in the house from 6:30 onwards.

diddl · 10/02/2015 08:06

"Just bath or shower in the evening when your baby is asleep."

I have to shower in the morning.

The thought of waiting until the evening-yuk!

I left mine in their cot, sat them in the end of the bath whilst I showered (shower attachment over bath), showered before husband left in the morning or used the playpen.

ourglass · 10/02/2015 08:34

Fuck that. Put him in his cot and let him get on with it.

Original poster
Flingmoo · 10/02/2015 08:35

I decided to take him in the shower with me this morning, he loved it and we both got clean Smile

It won't help him in the long run if you keep him attached to you 24/4. That's not really our issue - it's a safety thing rather than an attachment/clinginess thing. He's very independent, possibly too independent, wants to explore everything so it's not really safe for me to leave him somewhere unsupervised.

OP posts:
JennieR60 · 10/02/2015 08:52

Why don't you just shower in the evening when the Dh is home and baby has gone to sleep? Your making it sound like it's hard work.

Failing that strap in his chair or put him in the cot. Do u just watch your baby all day? What about making food, weeing, housework? Sounds ridiculous.

X

HSMMaCM · 10/02/2015 09:01

DH used to take DD in the shower all the time. She was too slippery for me.

Hopefully · 10/02/2015 09:10

DH always takes any of the DCs that want to in the shower with him, to save water/time/hassle finding a safe place. I really don't see how it's going to result in massive over-attachment issues!

Original poster
Flingmoo · 10/02/2015 09:24

Do u just watch your baby all day? What about making food, weeing, housework? Sounds ridiculous.

I do spend a lot of my day keeping an eye on my baby, yes, however the rest of the things you mention can easily be done while he is in his highchair, or sitting on the floor playing, and can easily be interrupted if I need to step in and prevent him from getting stuck under the sofa/pulling over the TV/plugging himself into the mains etc... Whereas having a bath I am wet and naked and not prepared to get out and rescue him every couple of minutes Grin

And yes I do often take care of myself when DH gets home, it's just that sometimes other tasks get in the way and I end up overdue a good shower - obviously I'm still trying to work out the most efficient way to juggle everything :)

OP posts:
OstentatiousBreastfeeder · 10/02/2015 09:40

Fun Mumsnet fact:
If you're not leaving your baby by themselves for at least five hours a day you'll be showering and cosleeping with them until they're 35.

GotToBeInItToWinIt · 10/02/2015 09:52

I get where you're coming from OP. DD is 15 months and only on 1 nap a day at lunchtime. Firstly I like to wash in the morning (hate going out dirty) and secondly I don't want to waste my 1 precious hour 'free' time a day when she's asleep in the shower.

DH leaves for work at 8 so I shower from 7-7.30 while he watches DD then we swap! If for some reason that can't happen (DH working away) I find it a struggle. I used to leave her with some toys in the bathroom but now she can lift the lid of the toilet and put toys (and anything else she can find!) down it. If I shut her in her bedroom she would trash it. If i put her in her buggy she would scream like hell and it certainly wouldn't be a nice experience for either of us!

Glad he liked going in the shower with you, sounds like a good solution Smile.

DisappointedOne · 10/02/2015 10:16

"It won't help him in the long run if you keep him attached to you 24/4."

24/4??? Actually, in the early years (that's YEARs, not days or weeks) attachment is incredibly important for long term wellbeing. Lots and lots of research to support that.

Bumpsadaisie · 10/02/2015 10:23

Why can't he come in the bath with you if you're home alone? I used to bath with my eldest every night (Dh was home late).

Get in together, wash him, wrap in towel and lower him out onto changing mat next to bath while you quickly wash your self?

Pixighirl · 10/02/2015 10:34

First off id like to say ............ leave the poor woman alone!! Everyone copes differently at home with a baby all day. I have had ALOT of baths and showers with my boys if it meant it was the only way id get one! both my boys loved sitting in the bottom of the shower with a couple of bath toys................. although the plug and a sponge were always far more entertaining!

I would never of left my baby in the cot at 8 months old to be fair, im sure he would be fine, but you have to do what your comfortable with!

Just make sure you have a bath mat down and your towels in easy reach!

SaucyMare · 10/02/2015 10:37

i always took mine in the shower with me, before they could move i popped them in the end out of the spray (shower over the bath).

and i found being used to showers really really good for explosive poos.

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