To shower while baby sleeps in bedroom

[JodieWhittakersBraces]

We've had our first baby and my DH is back to work today after paternity leave. This may seem like a stupid question but we seem to disagree about whether I can take a shower while the baby sleeps in the bedroom without my having a baby monitor to take into the bathroom. I think I should be ok if the baby's upstairs, I'm in and out asap - potentially leaving the bedroom and bathroom doors open. He reckons I need to take a baby monitor into the bathroom (which we haven't yet purchased).

Please be gentle, Mumsnet, we are first time parents

I used to have a shower in the morning before DH went to work. It was good practise for getting into a morning routine before I went back to work and DS was a terrible napper, so I could never rely on him having a nap in time for me to have a shower before leaving the house.

I had a poddle pod. I could have a bath while he slept in it in the bathroom. it was amazing in the day time as if he fell asleep downstairs I could carry him upstairs and carry on my day! Now he wriggles it's bath together or none at all... Today I smell

What exactly do you think is going to happen to your baby while you leave him/her to shower?

I used to put baby in bouncer chair in the bathroom where I could see him

Take a shower when you can. Dont feel guilty ypur a new mum. i took showers when i could and sleep too. Congratulations xxxx

@shiveringtimber did you actually read the op?

Trust me your super sonic mum hearing will hear your baby through brick walls. Take a shower! It's fine

I remember when, as babies, we were left at the end of the garden in a pram for 'fresh air' and I have the most loving mother ever!

I used to take my son in the bathroom with me and he would be in his bouncer. The steam would clear his nose as he tended to have a lot of mucus.

Talk about helicopter parenting! Unless you are goibg to be under running water for half an hour and not the usual 5/6 mins, of course you can shower. What did folk do before baby monitors? Get your DH to stop worrying.YANBU

of course you can ....

I've had 4 kids and zero baby monitors they've all survived! If baby wakes up, a few minutes won't hurt and you'll definitely hear if baby is screaming if they're on the same floor as you. It's lovely your husband cares enough to worry but baby will be fine

How else does he expect you to shower OP? If the baby is asleep are you supposed to watch over it constantly? It is the perfect time to shower when it is asleep

What does he think is going to happen to the baby while you are in the shower for five minutes!

If the baby cries mid hair wash it is going to have to wait anyway.

Totally fine.

I’ve not read all the posts. I used to shower and put the baby either in a Moses basket or bouncer in the bathroom doorway so I could see them whilst in the shower. Basically to make sure they didn’t somehow magically roll over or be sick and choke etc!

Go for it! I can’t see a problem at all unless you shower for ages and ages. You’ll hear the baby cry if you leave the door ajar I’d think.
Congratulations. And enjoy a shower in peace!

Ah bless, new parents. I forgot how paranoid you are when newbies. Babies have been fine for centuries without monitors, as long as it’s safe in a crib or cot, and can’t hurt itself it’ll be fine. Even if it cry’s that fine, it’s just what babies do, they cry until they can tell you what they want.

My midwife told me taking a daily shower was important to my mental health and it was perfectly fine even if baby was crying :-)
I never felt comfortable to do that but I would usually put him in a baby bouncer. If he was asleep I would put his moses basket in the bathroom with me or just outside so I could hear him

He reckons I need to take a baby monitor into the bathroom

He just has a touch of PFB syndrome. It will wear off. By the time you are on #4 he will be telling friends of those new parent days when he considered a baby monitor in the shower and you will all collapse into giggles at the thought of it.

Just shower, don't worry about it. In another year you will be looking back longingly on those days of private showers without a small person following you into the bathroom every time you go near it.

A decade or so later and you will be missing those days when you didn't have a moment's peace

By the time you have number 3 you'll be luxuriating in the sound proofing effects of the shower for as long as possible.

I had the same concern with number 1 DS, though, and he came into the shower room in his bouncy seat.

Did you manage to get a shower Op?

"He reckons I need to take a baby monitor into the bathroom"

If that's what he wants to do, fine.

Doesn't mean that you have to do the same.

It's not as if you're intending to do something dangerous & should be doing the same as him.

C8 that made me laugh. Ds1 used to follow me into the bathroom and stand sobbing with his face pressed against the cubicle, snot and tears flowing freely down his little face while I rushed my 1.5 minute shower

Absolutely do it! As long as baby is somewhere safe you'll be fine. When my son was a bit older I'd stick him in his bouncer at the side of the bath, playing a bit of peekaboo around the shower curtain kept him entertained.

I honestly can't remember what I did at that age - my twins were born at 28 weeks and it was a manic time, but I would imagine I left them sleeping while I had a shower.

When they could sit by themselves I would have them in Bumbos in the bathroom while I had a shower.

What exactly do you think is going to happen to your baby while you leave him/her to shower?