Baby baths - for people with bad backs, huge baths and inconveniently placed sink taps

[Popsandpip]

Hi all

I'm in the process of organising the things I need when my first baby arrives. One item on my list is a baby bath. I've read other posts on baths and many people say they just use their normal baths, the sink, a bucket, a seat support, etc. I'd really value any suggestions you have for someone (i.e. me!) who:

• has a bad back so would value not having to bend over too much or carry a bath with water in it
• has a huge and very deep bath with a big surround which I imagine would make it difficult to do anything with a newborn in it
• has sinks (of course!) but they all have low, fixed taps which I think the baby could seriously whack itself on if it was squirming around
• wonders that maybe a TummyTub isn't all that great for a baby's back/posture
• realises that wet babies can be slippery babies and, obviously, would hate to drop her newborn!

Can bath supports like these www.johnlewis.com/231220515/Product.aspx be used in a standard baby bath on a stand like this www.amazon.co.uk/Rotho-Babydeisgn-Stand-Adjustable-White/dp/tech-data/B00133MDKI/ref=de_a_smtd

I know it's not the cheapest solution but I wondered if this combo would be the best one to help my back, give me free hands to play with my baby, allow my baby to be comfortable and enjoy bath time, and help me easily fill and empty the baby bath...

Sorry for the long post but all hints and tips are gratefully received. There seem to be so many options that my head's quite in a spin! Thanks in advance for your help.

i just used to use a baby bath (cheapy one from boots) on the table and pour a few jugs of water in (you don't need much water to bath a baby).

have you got much space on your kitchen worktop next to the kitchen sink? i just use a normal standard baby bath, fill it in the sink then push it onto the worktop next to the sink so dont have to carry it at all. and its at a good height so dont have to bend or anything, if you have space that will be the easiest thing to do. easier than getting a stand i would think?
i bought a couple of different bath seat things for ds1 and 2 but i didnt get on with them at all, i found they just make life more complicated rather than easier. my ds2 got stuck in one of the baby bath seats and it was horrible!!!

Oh thank you ladies, that's very helpful. I suppose I was trying to steer clear of utilising another room other than the bathroom as we live in a small flat and I like the idea of our kitchen/diner staying as just a kitchen/diner and not using it for bath times. I can imagine my husband coming home from work and not being able to cook my dinner as I'm busy bathing the baby in his way. ;)

Firawla, that baby bath seat incident that you alluded to sounds awful!

Does anyone else have any more bathroom friendly ideas?

I used to jump in the bath with mine. I loved our bath times. They didn't have baths on their own for months...

I had a small flat-bottomed baby bath which I turned upside-down in the bath with a larger baby bath on top of it, and used a towelling bath slope in that until ds could sit up.

And didn't actually bathe ds until just before my 6-week check, on the advice of wise friend of 3 who said don't bother until you think at least one of you will enjoy it! Lots of warm fluffy towels on the floor and warm wet flannels will do nicely.

In a small flat I would be reluctant to have any more paraphernalia to clutter the place up, a tummy tub is perfectly safe and both my DD's preferred it to a standard baby bath we borrowed. We also bathed with them at first, nothing nicer that a snuggly bath together.

Also small babies don't need proper baths that often, a bowl of warm water and some flannels/cotton wool will be more than enough to keep him/her clean.

I have a bad back too (carrying 3 toddlers around on my hip for 5 years didn't help!!) - can't bend over the bath, used to take mine in with me until they were 3 ish and now they go in the shower - no bending down!! Don't stress about bathing all the time, we only used to bath ours once a week when they were little (and now it's 4 times, tue/thu, after rugby and after football!!!) just top/tail them the rest of the time. Have fun

My back is not great especially since pregnancy, when dd was tiny we used a cossatto changing unit with bath that is under the changing mat, but useless for babies over about 12 weeks.

After that I used a "superbath" from mother care £22.

www.mothercare.com/Mothercare-Supabath/dp/B000IVQQIQ

It sits over the rim of the bath, so at a good height.

Its brilliant, I sometimes use it now and she is 9 months but only if I am very short on time or for a quick bath after a poo explosion or something

Just don't bath the baby.

Really, they don't need it. Clean them with olive oil. Bundle in towel to wash hair leant back over sink if you must.

And find some back strengthening exercises (see a physio and/or osteopath). The baby will grow and be too big for any baby bath long before the need to bend over them in the bath diminishes.

Failing all else, use a hose to fill a bucket topping up with water from a kettle.

We've got mothercare one with a little plug hole and plug (well obv it has a plug . ) We sit it on top of the sink, fill it with water from hand held shower, bath DS and then just let the water drain out into the sink when bath done. Our sink is set underneath a marble surround but because it tapers to a flat bottom the bath would prob sit on any decent sized sink. You're never stooping over to lift, or struggling to empty bath full of water.

About the most useful thing DH has bought!

tummy tub... fill up and sit yourselves on teh floor. no bending required, and the babies LOVE it.

We used one that sat over the bath, it was really convenient and easy on my back. It was quite like this one.

I also meant to say, bath supports were no good for us as dd didn't feel secure unless held by a person (I tried telling her that a bath support was less likely to accidently drop her, but she wouldn't have it).

i didnt bathe my newborn on the odd occasion I would get her in with me. A few months older just for bad time routine, I used baby bath on top of bedroom chest of drawers. but generally she got in with me. I would get her in wash her and then wrap her up and put her on baby mat/gym in bathroom whilst I finished off myself in bath.

warm watter, cotton wool in a top and tail tub is all that is needed. you can do that sitting on the bed or sofa.

Thanks all - that's really helpful. I think I've worked out what I should and shouldn't do now.
x

Initially I bathed dd on the draining board in the washing up bowl (to avoid the tap problem).

Later on we moved to the mop bucket which she seemed to love.

Do not buy a baby bath -waste of money and not actually all that useful.

Top and tail baby for the first few weeks - much better for their skin anyway.

Get in the bath with baby - or (my preferred option ) get daddy to get in the bath with them.

Bathing a baby takes all of 30 seconds - and even less if they hate it as much as my DS1, 2 and 4 did - DS2 loved his bath but had very bad skin was so bathed only rarely.

Bathing with baby is the easiest option as babies like just above body temp water and this cushion as it floats and baby is very supported you can also use it in a standard baby bath as a comfort cushion with no damage of baby 'levitating' off the 'deckchair' design.

The Overbath baby bath is good for a while.

DD was(still is) tiny, we used a baby bath for nearly a year, we only stopped using the baby bath because we had to give it back we had a metal moses basket stand, so we stood the baby bath in the bath, filled it using the shower head and because it had a plug, emptied it that way. Brilliant!

The tummy tub is brilliant, my ds loved his baths in it and it also really helped to relieve his colic. Once he'd outgrown the tummy tub it became a very useful storage basket. It was £22 very well spent IMHO.

Another shout for the Tummy Tub. It doesn't take much water so is really easy to fill and light to carry and you can use it anywhere - on table, chair, floor - where ever suit you.

Yes on the one hand it's just an expensive bucket (I used one of those too for DD1 with great success), but on the other it is nicely designed, the baby sits very well in it, and it will last until they are big enough to sit up in the bath themselves.

I got mine for £4 from local Fara charity shop & gave it back to them when we were finished with it.

Another vote for tummy tub here - all of the baby is under water so that stay warmer, and mine both loved it. Easy to support them with one hand, too, as they're in a sitting position.

Baby baths really don't last that long! Bath with babymY be best (warm baths will help your back too.