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Parenting

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Original poster

How do you shower when home alone with an older baby?

84 replies

lurcherlover · 30/07/2011 21:43

When DS was tiny, showering was easy - I had his bouncy chair in the bathroom and he was perfectly happy to it in it and play with the toys on it while I showered. But now he's 9 months and has outgrown it and I don't know what to do with him...he isn't crawling, but is desperately trying to, so I don't want to leave him just sitting on the bathroom floor - although he sits very well, his crawling attempts make him liable to topple over, and it's a tiled floor. Even if I sit him on his changing mat his head would still hit the tiles. If I leave him on his own in his cot with some toys he cries. I can't wait for nap times as they're not early enough in the day. Any suggestions please?

OP posts:

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Iggly · 31/07/2011 13:23

Me and DH get ready in the mornings taking turns with DS so shower then.

bellavita · 31/07/2011 13:41

allthefires - I agree!

shmoz · 31/07/2011 18:57

When DS was younger I took his car seat into the bathroom a couple of times, if you really can't bear to leave him in his cot this might be an option?

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MonsterBookOfTysons · 31/07/2011 19:02

I have always waited till dd is asleep or just put her in her cot. She doesnt cry as she is used to it, and I let her have her favourite small toys with her.
Showers dont take too long.

AmberLeaf · 31/07/2011 19:02

IMHO Your problem is that you have a dog and you cant leave your DC with it unless you are right there.

I know the dog lovers wont like what im saying!

Flaneuse · 31/07/2011 19:07

Another vote for putting him in his cot and having a quick shower. I have done this with my DS since he was small, and always put in his favourite toys. I also put on some calming music or a story CD. Sometimes, when he was younger, he cried a little, but he quickly got used it and usually looks pretty relaxed and happy when I go back through to his room.

EssentialFattyAcid · 31/07/2011 19:14

If you really need to shower early do it before dh leaves for work or before your baby wakes up. If not just time it with his nap; I can't see why a shower needs to be at a particular time of day?

Alternatively some folk use playpens. TBH I find it really weird that some people claim they can't get a shower because they have a baby, it seems to be making a far bigger deal of it than necessary imo.

Woodlands · 31/07/2011 20:02

Like others, I either put DS (12 months) in his cot with some toys, or take him into the bathroom with me (the phase you describe doesn't last too long). In the past I have also sometimes taken his high chair into the bathroom, but in our house the kitchen and bathroom are right next door so that's easy.

notcitrus · 31/07/2011 20:05

Tried to do it before he woke up, but otherwise put lots of bathmats on the bathroom floor and towels over the heated towel rail and made faces at him.

And locked the door so he couldn't escape the bathroom. Loo brush put out of reach.

tryingtobemarypoppins2 · 31/07/2011 20:08

Put him in the bath, no water, just loads of toys. Make shift play pen!

piratecat · 31/07/2011 20:12

i have been scrolling through and i cannot for the life of me remember what i used to do with dd when she was a baby !!

SESthebrave · 31/07/2011 20:37

If DH wasn't there, I used DS's bouncy chair in the bathroom. Once he'd grown out of that I used a playpen in the living room with Fireman Sam on and plenty of toys to hand. I never felt it was ideal but for 15mins, it really wasn't going to hurt him. Now he's 2yo and I tell him what I'm doing and where I am and leave him in the living room with the tv, a drink and a snack. I leave the bathroom door open and I've never had a problem.

FWIW, we have 2 cocker spaniels. They are confined to the garden/kitchen and utility room.

I agree with EssentialFattyAcid that it is easy to make a bigger deal of this than it needs to be. You will find a way!

matana · 31/07/2011 21:20

I either shower while he's sleeping or leave him in his bedroom with some toys and shower quickly with the baby monitor right near me so i can hear if he needs me (there's nothing he can really grab which will hurt him but he sometimes crawls backwards into something and can't figure out how to escape).

Ktay · 31/07/2011 21:31

I second the suggestion of the Baby Bjorn bouncer chair, DD (2.2) still sits happily in hers if she has to be contained for short periods (although she has learnt how to escape from it now).

Bunbaker · 31/07/2011 21:36

I used tobath/shower at night after DD was asleep. I still do as I like to go to bed nice and clean.

Bunbaker · 31/07/2011 21:37

D'oh!
to bath

mummyosaurus · 31/07/2011 21:53

I had a special box of toys in the corner of the bathroom (box wedged under the sink) for the kids to play with while I showered.

Things like a small key board, an electronic "laptop" toy, noisy battery type toys.

I bought them specially (and cheaply) from car boot sales.

Because they are only for when I'm in the shower, they kept their interest while I had a quick shower.

MrsBonkers · 31/07/2011 22:13

I wait until my DH comes home.
If I put DD in her cot awake and leave the room she howls! I couldn't let her scream the whole time I was in the shower (and I'm pretty quick.) It would feel selfish to make her scream just so I can have a shower.
Hmm... think I need to toughen up a bit as I'm going back to work soon.
BTW - we have a German Shepherd. Put a stairgate up on rooms you don't want your dog to go into without you.

Original poster

lurcherlover · 31/07/2011 22:57

Thanks for your responses everyone! I think I am going to have to leave him in his cot. I don't want to sound like I'm being difficult, but I can't do much of your suggestions:

can't leave dog in garden - it's not secure and he'd be off (and it's not a garden that can be made secure, it's a steep slope that backs straight onto moorland)
dog can jump stairgates so can't fence him off that way (and he is the most lovely dog, and I'm sure would not be a risk to DS - but obviously I'm never going to put them in a position where I can find that out!)
no bath in the shower room so can't use that as a playpen...
house is a weird layout and bathroom is up two flights of stairs so would be struggling to get buggy/highchair up there (and probably wouldn't be floor space if I did)
putting down loads of towels isn't going to stop him hitting his head on the tiled floor...

So I'm just going to toughen up and leave him in his cot. As many posters have pointed out, it's only 10 mins or so. He'll be fine

OP posts:

EssentialFattyAcid · 01/08/2011 09:34

On average 9 month old babies are asleep for between 13 and 16 hours in every 24 hours depending on the child. Presumably you are only asleep for 7 or 8? Leaving you at least 5 hours in which to shower your choice of either early morning/ morning nap/afternoon nap/ evening?

Also if you can't "fence off" your dog why not put on his lead and tie him up for 15 mins?

I just don't get how it is such a difficult thing to take a shower? Do you think you may have pnd OP?

NevermindtheNargles · 01/08/2011 10:07

Not sure why lots of people are criticising the op for making too big a deal of it. Lots of things are a logistical kerfuffle when you have small babies and dogs. The op was just wondering how others overcame it.

Lots of people like to shower before they leave the house, and naps don't always coincide with when you need to get ready.

I think it's a bit OTT to suggest PND just because someone wondered what other people's solutions were, she's not suggesting the problem is insurmountable.

Original poster

lurcherlover · 01/08/2011 17:16

Bloody hell, Essential, where did that come from? No, I don't think I have PND! I think I have a logistical niggle I wanted ideas to help overcome, that's all!

To address your queries: where would I tie my dog to if I put him on his lead? In the house? A chair, table etc he could well pull over. Outside he may well bark if I did that (isn't used to such treatment!) which isn't fair on the neighbours.

And yes, DS does sleep well - I could take a shower at night once he's in bed, but as I have said earlier, I don't like to do that as I have very greasy hair and by lunchtime the next day it would look yucky anyway. I have already said his naptimes don't often coincide with when I would like my shower (we quite often go out to morning baby groups etc). He wakes up at 6am daily and I don't really fancy having a shower at 5.30 each day!

I'm going to leave him in his cot - he'll be fine.

OP posts:

Carrotsandcelery · 01/08/2011 17:21

I haven't read the whole thread but if they still fit in a carry car seat then they could sit in that while you shower.

I know a lot of people use a travel cot as near to the bathroom as possible.

My Mum used to put the dog in the play pen to give it peace from us when we were wee.

allthefires · 01/08/2011 17:26

Agree- diagnosing Pnd is ridiculous!

First time mum just looking for ideas who has already said she will toughen up a little.

OP good luck. It does get easier! I like my showers in morning too otherwise I feel grotty for rest of day.

Dc2 due soon and the reality of earlydays are slowly coming back to me......

welliesandpyjamas · 01/08/2011 19:03

Lurcherlover, I'm assuming from your name and your comment re the baby gates, that you have a lurcher [sleuth extraordinaire]...we had one too when ds1 and I thought you might find it useful to know that you can get Tall gates, like [http://www.safetots.co.uk/p1391/-BabyDan-Extra-Tall-Streamline-Baby-and-Pet-Gate/product_info.html?&utm_source=google-feed&utm_medium=sem&utm_campaign=google-feed this one]] and another tip is to fit a normal gate at a higher height so that it's a pain for a lur heto go under and over iyswim.

Anyway, good luck with the showers, relish them when you can grab them, we've all been there :)

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