Do you take your few week old baby to the toilet with you?

[Madratlady]

I know you're supposed to have your baby in the same room as you all the time, I just wondered if that means you should take it to the toilet with you?

Probably a silly question but this will be my first dc so I just want to try and make sure I do things 'right'.

[ReallyTired]

To the OP:

Congratulations on the birth of your precious first born

Seriously, if your baby is happy to be left for a couple of minutes then its fine to go to the toilet. A newborn should not be left unattended with dogs or older toddlers. It is fine to leave a baby in their moses basket or in a bouncy chair, or baby mat or activity gyn. Generally your baby will let you know if he or she is uncomfortable.

Don't leave your baby on a bed or sofa unattended as one day she will roll when you least expect it.

[ReallyTired]

Oh sorry, I just realised your first born has not yet arrived. Congratulations on your bump!

[GreyWhites]

No no no. No need at all. So long as your baby is in a safe place and position etc.The SIDS stuff is about them sleeping in the same room as you at night. You have to be in a different room to your baby at some points, how would you manage to do anything otherwise? It never occurred to me to take a baby into the loo, it only takes a couple of minutes. Also most babies do need a bit of quiet time on their own now and again. Overstimulation can become a problem and they can end up getting exhausted and fractious.

[scottishmummy]

I hope you have sensible hv,and gp to advise you too need time away from baby
Time for television,email,lunch without feeling baby need to accompany you to toilet

[mathanxiety]

Occasionally if I thought I would be there a while and older toddler was belligerent. For DD1 (DC1) no.

DS (DC2) yes occasionally. DD1 was given to displays of 'affection' that involved squeezing and also prone to take initiative and feed him playdough, etc. If DD1 was trapped in the playpen then I left DS out where he was.

All subsequent babies -- played it by ear with safety of baby in mind.

The bathroom door was never locked as the DCs used to go through phases where they would come and bang on it or try to tell me long and involved tales on each other or to tell me someone was on the phone and it was frustrating not being able to hear them or tell them firmly to go away and be confident they could hear me. I made a rule that the only reason to interrupt me in the bathroom or when I was on the phone was if the house was on fire. If they interrupted I asked them sweetly if the house was on fire.

It's very important to get some bit of time for yourself during the day and especially to make a proper lunch and sit down and eat it. Nobody expects anyone to be on duty 24 hours a day in the world of work and you are working as a mother. Take your necessary breaks.

[mathanxiety]

In order to supervise babies (with safety from other siblings and their friends in mind) I used to pop them into their carseat (old fashioned that doubled as a sort of rocking reclining cradle) and keep them close. I could transfer them easily to the car if we needed to go out that way.

They also napped in their buggy that converted into a pram so they could be moved to a quiet room if the older siblings wanted to play in the room they were in, and I could easily schlep them outdoors without waking them if everyone wanted to go to the park.

[LilBlondePessimist]

Not necessarily to the toilet for a quick wee, no. But the SIDS advice is to have baby in the same room as you for all sleeps, both night sleeps and day time naps. I just put something in each room for them to sleep/lie in safely (crib/pram/bouncy chair/swing), that I spent much time in, or did my jobs where they were at the time. Enjoy your lovely new bundle when (s)he arrives.

[Sunnysummer]

Definitely don't need to, after all plenty of people have their newborns perfectly safely in a cot some distance from their bed or in another room altogether! But I have gone to the loo with DS asleep in the sling before, as waking him up is such a trauma all round

[Nicknamefail]

Not a tiny baby. But my 9 mo comes now, or god only knows what she would get up to while I was having a wee. I think it is about safety so take tongues if there are toddlers around, or moving babies, but for SIDS, a few minutes is ok.

[Nicknamefail]

Take tinies! Not tongues!

[valiumredhead]

No of course not. I'm trying to imagine holding a baby safely, weeing, washing hands etc. Err no.

[maja00]

GreyWhites - SIDS advice is for day time as well as night time sleep.

[mrsmartin1984]

I only do it when I am out and about

[weeblueberry]

No she either lies on her changing mat or in her bouncy chair. She's not a 'screams if you leave her' baby and is quite independent. When I have a shower I take her into te bathroom with me in her bouncy chair and talk or sing to her. Although she normally has a nap about 10 so I tend to shower then if I don't have anything else on.

[CheungFun]

No, if I was really bursting to go to the toilet and DS was crying I'd still just pop him in the Moses basket whilst I used the toilet. It only takes a minute or two.

I did sometimes put him in his bouncy chair on the bathroom floor whilst I had a bath though :)

[YoniBottsBumgina]

I did if he was refusing to be put down or have me out of his sight.

SIDS advice does apply to daytime as well as sleeping but it doesn't mean you can't leave the room even for a second - that's only when they're in the bath

[lljkk]

I did if the alternative was listening to them scream wondering where I was.

Who says they have to be with you all the time?

[91chloejp]

Cory that made me laugh.
with DS I was living with my parents for the first few weeks and my dad would prang out if I left him in his bouncer or swing to go wee, so I ended up taking him in with me. As soon as our house was finished I left and stopped bringing him in with me. He wasn't fussed either way

[rowtunda]

Surely you don't need some bloody guidelines to make this sort of decision - it's just common sense.

The world has gone mad!

[Bunbaker]

No. I like my privacy. There was never any need to have DD with me unless out in oublic places.

[GobblersKnob]

If they are happy and settled, it is fine to nip off for a wee, make a cup of tea, whatever you need to do.

I used to tie mine on with a sling once I was up and then pretty much wear them all day, so they just went where ever I did, but it's not for everyone.

[Kafri]

I have a 'scream when you leave me baby' and it was far far easier to take him with me than it was to calm him down afterwards. He's 7m now and I do now get to have a wee in peace until he gets on the move

If baby is happy to be left while you pee, flick kettle on, or other quick task then fine, if baby isn't, then you find ways around it and just manage!

Good luck.

[nurseneedshelp]

Is this a joke?

What happened to putting the baby in the garden whilst they slept?!
Obviously in their pram.......

I've never heard anything like it?

[WhispersOfWickedness]

The thread's pretty divided! That would suggest to me that you should do whatever feels most comfortable once baby is here

FWIW, I always did, it didn't bother me to have them there and they were happier

[louisianablue2000]

No, of course not. And the DDs (4&5) are no longer allowed in, although they do stand outside claiming they are desperate and need to pee nooooowwwwww and Mummy I'm going to pee myself so I'm not sure if I'd actually be better letting them in. DS is now 10 months and I dream of the time when I got to go to the toilet without a child sitting on my knee (or screaming blue murder if they are not on my knee).