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Parenting

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Original poster

Bathing a strong willed 8 month old

38 replies

PeaceLily2000 · 31/08/2022 20:30

My baby has out grown her baby bath so I am kindly asking for suggestions of the best way to bath a wriggly, strong-willed, very distracted-by-everything 8 month old within the main bath.

Can anyone recommend the best contraption that will keep her safely in place while I bath her. Not sure what might work best.

Many thanks

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mightbeyesmightbeno · 31/08/2022 20:34

A good & long bath mat and just keep hands on (or hovering a few cms away) to keep her safe. Can she sit independently?

Also there is a thing called "baby dam" which Anglian water do and it puts a "dam" across the bath which basically makes it a lot smaller. Have a lot online x

Original poster

PeaceLily2000 · 31/08/2022 20:38

Thank for your reply. She can sit independently but she seems to slip and side all over when in the bath (it's not slippy underfoot so think it just might be her cute little rolls have no grip) so she can't just be sat up safely.
If I lie her down she rolls over and tries to reach up to the tap/overflow thingy.
Perhaps a bathmat will stop her slipping though so perhaps that's a good idea.
Just had a look at the dams, look great however we have a weird wide corner type bath so not sure it would work.

OP posts:

SmileyClare · 31/08/2022 20:39

My sister has one of these for her niece that she sits in quite happily playing with her bath toys

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Verbena87 · 31/08/2022 20:40

The best contraption is a parent (bonus points if said parent can stick a boob in baby’s mouth for long enough to keep them still for a quick wash!). Made bathing so much easier for us when one of us just got in with them, and they seem to love it too.

TriffidInMyShower · 31/08/2022 20:41

Bathmat and very shallow so she can splash! Mine loved that. Also had a bath seat which they liked and failing all that I got in with them!

SmileyClare · 31/08/2022 20:41

I meant my niece! but you get the idea. It has suckers in the bottom and doesn’t move even with lots of wiggling

sborber · 31/08/2022 20:42

Definitely invest in a bath mat OP, it will help prevent her from slipping and sliding. Also take a look at fidget spinners you can stick on windows/mirrors, these are great for the bath too. And if she's reaching for taps I'd consider buying a faucet cover like this one... amzn.eu/3VugG2G. I have all these things for my now 11 month old DA and have been using them for a few months now as he outgrew his bath seat quite quickly 😅

Gingernutmint · 31/08/2022 20:42

Try getting in with baby yourself. Nice and calming for your baby and easier to keep
them secure in the water if you can hold them in the bath rather than trying to lean over the edge.

VerveClique · 31/08/2022 20:45

Bath mat and laundry basket!!

EamesBird · 31/08/2022 20:45

Those bath seats with the suckers are great, also kitchen sink may be easier for quick baths if she can sit unaided. Putting a towel in the bottom of the bath can give a bit of traction if you need to improvise a bath mat but really get a proper bath mat - mine loved the ones with ducks on them .

sborber · 31/08/2022 20:46

I meant DS, not DA. Duhh.

fatgirlslimmer · 31/08/2022 20:51

If you don’t want to get in with her and she doesn’t like bath seat etc then use flannels to handle her with. Stops your hands slipping and you can wash at the same time.

I learned this trick while holding towels to grapple with a violent prisoner who used to cover themselves in soap in the bath, then fight us.

I am not comparing your DD to a violent prisoner but it works, gives you some purchase.

bombombo · 31/08/2022 20:57

We use a seat like this one for super wriggly DS, I bought it from FB marketplace for a fiver.

I do get in the bath with him sometimes, but if I tried to hold him he'd use me as a very slippery climbing frame 😂 so that definitely isn't for every baby!

pimlicoanna · 31/08/2022 21:12

We got an inflatable travel bath for a holiday which would definitely fit the bill for being the right size

queenofthewild · 31/08/2022 21:12

We put the baby bath in the main bath. We could fill it more deeply as any overspill would go straight down the plug hole, but he was slightly more contained than being able to roam around the whole big tub.

5zeds · 31/08/2022 21:17

kitchen sink or a large soft bucket (great for toys/gardening/laundry when she’s a bit bigger).

2ndTimeRound90 · 31/08/2022 21:25

Bath mat is the easiest option! My son loved when we moved him out of the angelcare seat and let him sit free 😊 solves the slipping issue!

PrincessesRUs · 31/08/2022 21:33

I always got in with mine at that age!

BuffaloCauliflower · 31/08/2022 21:38

I wouldn’t bother with the seats. We just put DS straight into a shallow bath from about 10 weeks, with a big bath mat that filled the whole bath so wasn’t slippy. Much easier than trying to contain him because he always wanted to move and climb. He could commando crawl before he could sit though 😂

Original poster

PeaceLily2000 · 31/08/2022 21:42

fatgirlslimmer · 31/08/2022 20:51

If you don’t want to get in with her and she doesn’t like bath seat etc then use flannels to handle her with. Stops your hands slipping and you can wash at the same time.

I learned this trick while holding towels to grapple with a violent prisoner who used to cover themselves in soap in the bath, then fight us.

I am not comparing your DD to a violent prisoner but it works, gives you some purchase.

Good tip.
And it sounds like a fair comparison to me - she is unruly to say the least 😂

OP posts:

Original poster

PeaceLily2000 · 31/08/2022 21:46

Thanks for all the suggestions.
I am going to start with the bath mat and see how that goes. Seems like the simplest and cheapest option to try first.
If she needs further containment, I'll go for one of the bath seats.
Thanks all :) x

OP posts:

Tina8800 · 31/08/2022 21:47

This is amazing for bathtub transition:

www.munchkin.co.uk/white-hot-inflatable-safety-duck-bath-01.html

My wriggly 7 months old absolutely loves this.

SoftSheen · 31/08/2022 21:47

Bath mat to stop her slipping, and only about 10 cm deep. Then she should be able to sit and play (get some suitable bath toys) without much chance of slipping and submerging herself. Obviously very close supervision in any case!

Iheartmykyndle · 31/08/2022 21:56

Bath mat and shallow bath. You might find she actually likes the freedom of having more space. Highly recommend raiding your nearest cheap shop (Poundland, home bargain etc) for random jugs, funnels, scoops, cups for added novelty.

Olivia199 · 31/08/2022 22:06

Bath mat worked wonders for us. Even now at 1 she's hilariously slippy if I forget to put it in! This is an awkward age but a couple weeks of being ready to catch and soon enough she was off and away. Now chooses to spend all her time in the bath stood up...!

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