It’s it safe to put my 4 month old in the bath with me?

[Kait1223]

Hi everyone,
I’ve got a 4-month-old baby, and I was wondering if it’s safe to have her in the bath with me? I’d love to do it for some bonding time and to make bath time easier, but I want to make sure it’s okay and that the water temperature etc. is suitable.

Any tips or advice on how to do it safely would be really appreciated — like how to hold her, what temperature to have the water at, and whether I should have someone else nearby to help.

Thanks in advance 😊

I bathe with my 4 month old, have done since she was newborn! She sits in her bath seat (angelcare I think) and we have the temp suitable for her around 37/38 plus baby bubble bath. It’s both of our favourite time of day!!

I did it once and found it all too much of a faff to do it again. For one thing, the water temp & depth was all wrong for me. Then there was the fact that she was a slippery little thing. And then, when I have eventually worked out how to get us both out without drowning her or dropping her on the floor, I had to focus on getting her dry rather than myself. The negatives definitely outweighed the positives! I did do it again when DD was a toddler and that was much more successful as she could sit by herself and was generally more robust. I also had a bath with baby DC2 when DH was also around and him being able to hand me DC2 once I was in the bath and then come back —very— shortly later for DC2 and be in charge of getting him changed so I could focus on myself also worked.

Yes it’s safe, but you need to make the bath for her and then you get in with her rather than her getting in your bath if you see what I mean. So shallow water, correct temperature for her, baby bath wash.

It's fine as long as you feel comfortable- I didn't enjoy it with a small baby as they were slippery and I worried about getting out etc. DD and I bathed together a lot when she was a toddler as she asked me to get in, I recently managed a bath squeezed in with her and my 8 month old, but I'm only happy doing now he's confidently sitting and when DH is around to help should it be a struggle to get in/out.

It will be a cool shallow bath for you….but as long as you ok with that ….I would have your DP around to take baby out as wet you and wet baby can make baby very slippery……

I remember doing this.

We would get in the cool bath together for about 5 minutes and they DH would take them away. Then, I'd top up with hot water.

The biggest risk is them shitting on you unfortunately 🤣

You just need to have the water fairly tepid. I did this over summer when DS was about 4 months old and he loved it (fairly deep water because he was lying on my chest). It was a bit meh for me, actual baby swimming was much more fun.

I used to use one of these bath seats, then you’ve got somewhere safe to put the baby while you get in and out if you haven’t got another adult to hand to help you. The slipperiness is the main problem!

www.smythstoys.com/uk/en-gb/baby/baby-essentials/bathing-changing-and-potty-training/baby-baths/ity-by-ingenuity-easy-rinse-baby-bath-seat/p/223382?srsltid=AfmBOoq5nN1V6tqQ9DjeddooYGLKk4n1ZNWvEBooDehsHQeAoeqZ_ZfAsr8

Have done since my child was a newborn. I hold them on my chest and relax down. Bath is a normal depth (so deep!) and he loves kicking and splashing away and cooing at me. It is a bit cooler than I like it, but not too bad.

I bathed with mine from newborn

Mine all came in the bath with me from a few weeks old until about 1! I found it much easier to clean them that way. Ideally, have DH on hand to take them from you and dry and dress while you fill the bath up a bit and get 10 minutes to yourself (;

It’s not unsafe but it’s fairly unpleasant to be honest.
But I like my baths deep, hot and with a glass of wine. With DD it was like sitting in a puddle and she wouldn’t leave my boobs alone…

I used to take my baby in. I had the bath a normal a depth, just cooler (I normally like them scalding). She used to breastfeed in there with me when really little and I personally always found it very relaxing 🥰 I used to get my partner to take her out and dry/dress her, then I'd top up with hot and have a soak!

yes I did this pretty much from birth with both of mine. I’d have the water deep but a bit cooler than usual and lie them on my chest, usually attached to a boob. I used a flannel to make sure they stayed warm & always had a slip proof mat for getting in and out. Got pooed on a good few times though!

It’s fine… but not enjoyable in my experience. The water needs to be quite cool, which is the main issue.

Baby can’t go in a proper hot, deep bubbly bath and they can’t control their toileting so if you fancy sitting in a tepid pool of baby wash, definitely getting peed on, maybe even getting pooped on then go for it. It’s not for me.