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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not get bathroom overhauled for baby?

67 replies

PoppieD · 13/12/2015 19:52

We have a walk in-shower, not a bath. Am I completly unrealistic that will manage to bath baby with baby bath on floor of shower?

OP posts:
LibrariesgaveusP0wer · 13/12/2015 19:53

No. But it isn't the baby bath stage that is awkward. It is the older baby/toddler bit. You'll manage though.

PennyHasNoSurname · 13/12/2015 19:54

A tiny baby is a doddle to bathe - sink, baby bath, bucket.

A 2yo will be different tho and whilst they may accept a shower, its not the same as having a bath to play in.

Will you be staying in this house long term?

TheEagle · 13/12/2015 19:56

We lived with PILs who had no bath until DS1 was 18.5mo. We managed with a baby bath for him for that length of time.

It was lovely to be able to put him in a proper bath when we moved into our own home though.

Could you consider redoing the bathroom when the baby is a bit older?

TheEagle · 13/12/2015 19:57

Oh and we never bathed him in the bathroom, always just in the baby bath on the living room floor

catkind · 13/12/2015 19:59

Bathing a baby would be fine. We did baby baths in the bedroom anyway, there wasn't room in our bathroom. A toddler maybe trickier, unless you're happy just taking them in the shower with you. They'd miss out a bit on the water play aspect.

Agrestic · 13/12/2015 20:00

I'm in the same situation op, not going to put a bath in. My parents have a bath so figure it can be something special they do at granny's house!

Oysterbabe · 13/12/2015 20:00

Kids love playing in the bath. It'll be a shame to miss that but you'll cope.

skankingpiglet · 13/12/2015 20:01

My DD grew out of her baby bath at around 8mo when she started pulling to stand. She would have tipped it over if we'd carried on with it. At 18mo now she is still terrified of the shower so not having a bath wouldn't work for us, but some toddlers don't mind a shower so you might get one of those or be able to train them to tolerate it.

catkind · 13/12/2015 20:01

PS we switched before baby was born, I really appreciated being able to wallow in the bath when heavily pg. Just another thought.

villainousbroodmare · 13/12/2015 20:02

My baby is 4 months old, and has barely ever even been in our bathroom! I bath him in a baby bath on the floor of the adjoining bedroom. We actually do have a bath but leaning over the edge of it is not easy to hold him.

dlwelly · 13/12/2015 20:03

We take the baby in the shower with us - so much easier than a baby bath!

icclemunchy · 13/12/2015 20:04

We have a big walk in shower cubical (about 1 1/2 times normal size) and no room for a bath.

DD1 had a traditional baby bath till around 7 months then a blow up bath in the bottom of the shower. She's 4 now and just showers with me or dp.

DD2 is still in the baby bath at 11 months

Psychmumma · 13/12/2015 20:05

You can use a small inflatable pool in the bottom of the shower tray. It's what we did when away where places didn't have baths.

BakedPotatoChangedMyLife · 13/12/2015 20:05

I'm 34 weeks pregnant and just last week we've had a bath installed as we only had a shower cubicle before. Have to say I'm really enjoying the novelty of a bubble bath after 4 years of living in a house without one! I didn't want to miss out on the bath time routine with baby and I'm really looking forward to it.
(Parts and labour came to around £600 if that's a factor)

vvviola · 13/12/2015 20:05

We lived in a house with no bath from when DD2 was 4 months old until she was 16 months old. It was easy until she grew out of the baby bath. We then had a difficult few weeks until DH had a flash of genius. We bought a big storage tub at the hardware store and used that as a bath until we moved house. Worked perfectly. Grin Even DD1 (then 5) fit in it and would have a bath in it as she wasn't keen on shower.

It's not ideal, but it was a perfectly good medium-term solution.

villainousbroodmare · 13/12/2015 20:05

I've actually just bought a bigger plastic hip bath, similar size to the old-fashioned zinc ones. I thought it would be great for splashing and playing for an older baby. Currently it's a laundry basket!

VenusInFauxFurs · 13/12/2015 20:07

Can you afford it? Would you be able to deal with the stress of having a bathroom refit?

If either of the answers are "no" then definitely carry on as you are.

Otherwise, it's something you may want to consider. Toddlers (and children of all ages) can twat about happily in the bath for ages. Some foam shapes and a couple of bath toys and it's as much fun as going to Soft Play for some kids.

No rush though. Baby bath will be fine for the next 12 months.

TheSecondOfHerName · 13/12/2015 20:10

We lived in a house without a bath for nearly four years. At the beginning of those four years we had one toddler. At the end we had four children under six. It was fine. We used a tummy tub (expensive bucket) for the tiny babies, the kitchen sink for the bigger babies, and the shower for the bigger ones. The shower had a deep floor, so we could put a plug in and have a few inches of water for when they wanted to splash about.

no73 · 13/12/2015 20:12

I only had a shower when I first moved in and we just ripped it out and put a bath in from B and Q, didn't cost much and I'm really glad we did it made life easier.

StellaAlpina · 13/12/2015 20:13

I'm pregnant atm and we just have a walk in shower. I'll get a proper baby bath for when PFB is a baby and then afterwards he'll just come in the shower with one of us or I'm going to pop him in our big plastic ikea launder basket if he wants to play with rubber ducks etc. (It'll fit in the shower as it's quite roomy)

I'm thinking when I get to the huge waddly stage i'll just take in my little plastic stool to the shower and sit on it if for e.g. shaving my legs get tricky.

selsigfach · 13/12/2015 20:17

We use one if those flexi diy tubs (£4 in B&Q) for our 1-year-old. Doubles up as a laundry basket. Far better then a baby bath.

intothebreach · 13/12/2015 20:17

Definitely not worth spending money on the bathroom. Many children love showers. I echo a previous poster in saying that a cheap plastic storage container makes a great substitute bath when placed in the bottom of the shower tray (however, this does require VERY close supervision right into infant school age, if you don't want your bathroom floor / kitchen ceiling flooded when it tips over!)

Young children need so little, really. We decorate nurseries, and buy them expensive toys, but all they need is us and our full attention. Your little one will be fine. There are plenty of ways to fulfil their needs for water play Smile

Toria2014 · 13/12/2015 20:23

We only have a shower cubile. DD is 17 months and is still using her inflatable duck bath for baths. Have a slightly bigger bath for when she out grows the duck. After that was going to use the shower, but might use a big storage container as mentioned above! She used to shower with us when she was tiny, and does like showers, but I do worry that she'll miss her baths.

TinklyLittleLaugh · 13/12/2015 20:23

We have two baths. Toddler DS2 loathed them both and preferred to stand up and be hosed down with the shower attachment from 18 months or so. It made for easy bath times but I felt a bit like a warden in a Victoria asylum.

ElfOnTheBoozeShelf · 13/12/2015 20:28

If you can afford it, then do it. A baby isn't an issue in a shower, but when they get to the toddler stage, it's a nightmare..

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