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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think i don't need a bathtub, despite having a baby?

100 replies

TheMagicalChicken · 22/08/2018 15:55

we only have a shower in our bathroom- as neither of like baths and we wanted a nice big shower instead. never thought of it as an issue. DS is 6 months old. First washed DS in sink, now too big really and is now washed in the shower tray every few days. but a friend at group keep suggesting that somehow this is 'wrong' and i "need" a bathtub, so he can have bath every night? first i don't really want to do a 'full wash' of him every single day. so like a face, hands, bits and bum before bed etc. And a "full" shower every 2-3 day for hair and everything else. (obvs, i break the 'rules' for poonamis and sick incidents etc where he gets hosed down!)
anyway - schedules aside, he'll be fine in a shower? just laying for now, sitting when he can,.standing when he can safely?
we sometimes have a shower together and we sit on the floor, he is on my lap and gets washed.

am i somehow denying my boy? he can have baths at Nanna's, or Uncles etc

AIBU???

OP posts:
Narya · 22/08/2018 16:26

Whatever works - we have a bath, but we also have a water meter so 7 month old DS has a baby bath that sits inside the big bath. You could easily so the same in a shower tray. Or not, whatever you like!

Suggest keeping a bit of distance from any mum 'friends' that suggest your parenting choices are wrong.

BlueBug45 · 22/08/2018 16:28

@guilternetter lots of showers come with moveable shower heads and shower hoses. So you can turn the shower on but you can direct exactly where you aim it.

Parttimewasteoftime · 22/08/2018 16:28

We have bath now but when DS1 was a baby just had shower just used tray was fine.

Oldraver · 22/08/2018 16:29

No you dont need a bath. I found with our shower I could put a lid off a Sanctuary Salt Scrub pot and it fit the shower drain perfectly, so you can have a few inches in the bottom if you want

seventhgonickname · 22/08/2018 16:29

My DD loved showers and when she was big enough would sit in the shower tray washing her doll,drawing faces on the screen,'washing'the screen.I used to shampoo her hair then let her get on with it while I sat down watching and having a cuppa.
We did have a bath but I found sitting on the toilet while she played,made bubbles beyond tedious.

palmtree1 · 22/08/2018 16:30

You don't need a shower and especially with babies. But speaking as someone who hates baths - baths are brilliant for kids.

I can't count the amount of times I have run the bath for the children and let them sit and play while I have sat in the bathroom with a coffee and a book Mumsnet and managed to have a bit of quiet time when they have been stressing me out and just relaxed for a bit. You can't do that with a shower!

Stuckforthefourthtime · 22/08/2018 16:30

We didn't for dc1 and 2. We did get a stokke folding bath though, which was brilliant - tucks away easily and so handy. Our eldest still used it until 2 for bigger rinses and occasional splash arounds!

Original poster
TheMagicalChicken · 22/08/2018 16:32

guiltynetter
I'm too scared to stand up with him in my arms and shower - i feel like he'd slip right out of my arms! He either lays on the floor on a towel or sits on my lap if i'm in with him, and just kind of gets on with it. I aim the spray at him to get him wet - it's not on super-power-shower mode or anything! Then I put the hose then
down and/or turn off shower to soap him up, and spray him down to rinse.
He gets 'doused' and is used to water on his head and face, i have a flannel to wash him with and wipe water away from his face. but even when he was wee, i poured jugs of warm water (gently!) over his head so he'd be used to it and make life easier in the long run. my nephew is 4 and Dsis used to make a big song and dance about not getting water on his face and stuff when washing his hair - had one of those cap things and everything. now he's four with thick hair and it is a battle every time to get his hair washed. And he can't go in the pool really for proper swimming because he won't get his face wet. My dbro though did the "chuck it on and wipe away" approach with his girl, and she's fine - she's 3 and is no other for baths/swimming etc! So i thought i'd go for the chuck it on and wipe away approach. DS loves it when you pour (warm!) water on his head =)

OP posts:
Bighouseinthesticks · 22/08/2018 16:32

I have no bath either and a 9 month old. This morning he had a bath (in a baby bath) in the bottom of the shower, it was grand. I also wash him in the kitchen sink or pass him into my husband for a quick wash when he's in the shower. You really don't need a proper bath for them, a tub to splash round in will do the job.

LeeMiller · 22/08/2018 16:32

You can still have water play without a full bathtub - tubtrugs are great, or a paddling pool in the shower stall, even a bibabath or similar for when he's bigger.

BuntyII · 22/08/2018 16:34

Just get a cheap baby bath if you want to give him a bath and fill it from the shower. Although I'm not sure what size your baby is as my DS is 91st centile and I still bath him in the kitchen sink aged 15 months.

Myimaginarycathasfleas · 22/08/2018 16:34

You don't need a bath. You might find something like a builder's flexi bucket handy if a soak is needed.

Saidthesharktotheflyingfish · 22/08/2018 16:36

Bathing a little one is so much fun. If not, then some sort of tub. I think a shower is nice if you are standing under it but I find it's easy to get cold if a bit of you is wet but not under the water iyswim. A bath/tub would keep him lovely and warm.

guiltynetter · 22/08/2018 16:40

@bluebug45 i am aware of that, i know how showers work ;) like i said i have showered my DD hundreds of times in the shower tray using the hand held attachment and hose. i just didn’t get how people with tiny babies are showering with their baby! i imagined them lying on the tray with the hose spraying right into their face which seemed a bit mean :)

Original poster
TheMagicalChicken · 22/08/2018 16:41

BuntyII our bathroom sink is quite small really and the taps stick out into it making it harder. I suppose i could put him in the kitchen sink which is bigger as the tap swivels away, but it often has washing up in it etc (DHs job) and it's not always clear at DSs bedtime. I'm not doing the washing up just to give DS a bath, when we have a nice clear shower upstairs! :D

OP posts:
PlatypusPie · 22/08/2018 16:41

They can get clean in a shower etc but as they get older bathtime in a bath is fun for playing with toys, foam etc. And the joy of combing with conditioner for combatting headlice was much easier, I found, in the bath.

Original poster
TheMagicalChicken · 22/08/2018 16:43

guiltynetter "i imagined them lying on the tray with the hose spraying right into their face which seemed a bit mean"

lol! i like to use a fire engine hose - I just point it and blast the poo away Smile Wink

OP posts:
Queenofthedrivensnow · 22/08/2018 16:43

There is no fundamental reason why you need a bath it's just whatever your preference is.

LaurieMarlow · 22/08/2018 16:43

I adore baths and so does DS. When we were (briefly) without a bath I just put a baby bath in the shower tray. Worked a treat.

guiltynetter · 22/08/2018 16:47

I’ve always poured water over my Dd’s head from being a baby and she used to not bother at all. but then she hit 2 and suddenly she was terrified! so not always as easy as doing it from being a baby.

DiegoMadonna · 22/08/2018 16:50

I live in a hot country where almost nobody has a bath.

Most just use baby bath tubs like this:

www.argos.co.uk/product/7328912

Fill it up in the shower and job done.

Knittedfairies · 22/08/2018 16:50

There were days when I considered using the Karcher...

LRDtheFeministDragon · 22/08/2018 16:51

Sounds fine to me - I am only jealous your baby will grow up fine with the shower. My daft toddler loves the hose outside, but is terrified of the shower. Hmm I wish I'd thought to take her in there from an earlier age.

dontcallmelen · 22/08/2018 16:54

Just get a baby bath, put in the shower fill it up he can’t wriggle around too much & is safe job done.

MichonnesBBF · 22/08/2018 16:56

We don't have a bath either but both my children can spend up 1/2 an hour in the shower whilst I either played with them or just sat with a cuppa when they got a bit older, yes they have plenty of toys such as foam letters and numbers/ small inflatable ball and basket, water resistant crayons and more recently Lego and Barbie's not to mention the normal empty containers for filling and emptying. I am not really understanding why some think you cant play in the shower.
Oh and lately we have been entertained with some very dodgy singing and story telling quite loudly with different voices and everything but a least they can shower on their own now with minimal input from us.