When is it safe for a toddler to be in the bath alone?

[sugaryouth1]

My toddler is 2 and a half. Slightly over. I've always sat with her in the bathroom while she has a wash. I've started pottering about upstairs while she's in the bath. I'm always on the same level in the house as her. Our house is tiny so I'm literally at most 3 steps away from the bathroom. In the last month she never stops talking. And I mean never stops talking so I can hear her in the bath. If she goes quiet I poke my head round.

All I'm doing is occasionally putting washing away. Getting her pyjamas out.

I would never go downstairs.

Is this safe? I'm a first time mum and I do have anxiety. My husband has said it's fine and I shouldn't worry. But I am. Part of my therapy and medication is to help me do things I'm not comfortable with and I'm not sure whether I'm uncomfortable with this as a part of my anxiety.

I agree it's far too young. I occasionally walk into an adjacent room to grab a pair of pyjamas etc when my 5 year old is in the bath, but I generally am in the bathroom with them. Mine sometimes like a long bath so I potter about the bathroom, doing a bit of cleaning etc to make the most of my time!

It is within the range of normal to not want to leave a pre-school child with someone else.

Be careful not to doubt everything about your parenting (easier said than done I know).

I would potter nearby with the door open from 4- she could swim and is sensible enough not to attempt any gymnastics on the side of the tub that could result in slipping. Toddlers need constant supervision IMO. My nearly 6YO showers a lot of the time now anyway which is good as no worry about having to supervise. But don’t beat yourself up about it, no harm done, just stay in the room from now on. And it’s totally fine that you don’t feel ready for GPs to babysit yet, you’re definitely not the only one that feels that way, you don’t need to start leaving LO in the bath to build up which is a frankly bizarre and dangerous suggestion from the therapist. If you feel the idea would be helpful then the cot or playpen with some toys would be a much better way of doing it.

@FlounderingFruitcake at my worst I was checking on her thru the night almost 100 times at one point. I do know where she's coming from.but from reading here I see now how scary and how wrong it could have gone. I think tomorrow when I'm doing the washing I'll pop her in her cot and let her play by herself. I hate leaving her. It's a massive anxiety thing for me

Yes but i would be in much quicket if it went silent! My DD would be loudly playibg/singing, so i knew she was fine, if it went quiet i was in the bathroom with 5 seconds

Our house is tiny so I'm literally at most 3 steps away from the bathroom

I think some posters may have missed this. I used to sort washing in the 'hallway', which was really just a tiny landing outside the bathroom door which was open, very different to going down a hallway into another room, for example. I could practically have one foot in the bathroom and one in the bedroom. A lot of posters are probably thinking of their own home layouts so don't feel too bad OP.

Much too young.

Very small children can drown silently in half a minute. Or, be permanently brain damaged just by inhaling water to the lungs.

This is exactly what I was about to suggest - sing together.

No it's still too young. I maybe run in to the next room to grab something and straight back. I don't make a habit of it and I try to get organised before they go in.

I always remember about my nearly 3yr old, I was running the bath and I was in the next room folding clothes away. She was with me then left the room and after about 10 seconds I thought I better go find out what she's up to when I heard a noise. She had tried to reach in the bath for a toy and had fallen in. As I got to door her legs were hanging out the bath and only her hands holding her head above the water and then she properly fell in head first. Fully dressed she was absolutely soaked and so scared. I got the biggest fright and I felt like the worst mum in the world.

I now never run the bath with the kids upstairs they are only allowed to come up once the bath is run.

My 5yr old yes I'd leave her for periods but not my 3yr old.

There is also the risk of secondary drowning even you think you've reached your child in time.
For those of you commenting on your children's swimming abilities, i'm sorry but i fail to see the relevance.

My son is 4 and I still sit with him. I might pop to get something from a bedroom but never leave him on his own for any longer than a few seconds.

I doubt the therapist had a floor plan when she gave her irresponsible advice.

I would never leave a toddler in a bath alone! Probably age 5 minimum for very short periods.

Honestly I would write to your therapists manager and complain. They've given you terrible advice, and and how are you supposed to get better if they don't enable you to distinguish between anxiety and sensible caution? I'm really angry on your behalf!

Never alone

Never.

It was shallow. But they knew how to pull themselves up and out of the water and all the basic survival techniques they teach at baby swim

Well happily they lived and are now strapping teenagers so no harm done eh.

I would pop to the bedroom to fetch pyjamas or similar, no further.

I'm a bit horrified that a therapist told you to do that. I would NOT trust that person as a health professional for me anymore. That's a strong no from me.

I have a child around the same age and I think I'll stop being in the bathroom with her when she's mid primary school ish? As per advice I've read myself. I'd rather be much too late than a day too early!!

Yours lived but many others do not!
Don't judge everyone's experienced based on your own.

Nope not worth the risk

When your on the bathroom clean the window, toilet, sinks , morris, taps etc that way you can watch her and chores are being done at the same time

I think your therapist needs to have a some education that’s very dangerous advice to leave a toddler in the bath on their own ! Drowning can occur in less than 2cm of water !

Your right to be cautious and anxious ignore her advice !

Bit too young, mine is 6 and I'm happy now to potter on the same floor as long as I hear her singing.

I went a cropper in the bath once as an adult and nearly knocked myself out so will probs still be observing when she's 12 😂

Exactly, that was luck not judgement! Why take the risk, you can't turn the clock back if it all goes wrong.