bathing baby

[Hannah4311]

Hi I'm 29 weeks with my first baby and was just looking for some advice. Is a baby bath worth buying or should I buy a baby seat for our big bath? What's best? TIA x

Couple of inches in the bottom of the bath. Job done

Do most people use baby baths then??/I didnt think they were that popular.I love baths together when they are tiny.

We used a baby bath for DS1 until he was 2! He didn't like the feeling of being in the big bath with so much water, so the baby bath went in the normal bath and we used it there. For DS2 we never used the baby bath at all, just the white plastic reclined bath seat in the normal bath with DS1... Both options have worked well for us.

DC2 just comes in with me. It worked much better than trying to hold a wet, squirmy baby when DC1 was small so we haven't bothered with the bath this time actually we use it for the dog now

When they were really small I used a big washing up bowl everywhere - table, work tops etc - (its bright orange, it was my granny's - so at least 30 yrs old - and has been used for a variety of things - currently catching defrosting water in my freezer!)
Then I had a baby bath (given to me) that fitted on the top of the bath and I loved it - raised so you are not leaning over - can just kneel next to the bath,fills from the bathroom taps and had a plug to empty (into the bath then down the waste).
I like baby baths cos they use much less water than the big one - quick to fill etc. I then used one of the ones that sits in the bath when they were older (also given to me).
All three (if you don't have a big bathroom basin) are handy of you have a poo explosion - for a quick dip.
They do take up a lot of space - but we don't have a storage problem...
And DD2 was put in the bath with me and also her 6yo old sister when a wee bit bigger...
What I wouldn't buy is one of those sit up plastic bath seats for 6 month olds -was given one of those too. Won't stick to the bottom on a bath mat, but can't wash DCs properly sitting in it -so you have to take them out - with no bath mat , unless you faff trying to squeeze in a seat and a bath mat - a complete and utter waste of money, space and time!

we had a terry bath seat thing, both of mine loved it is also allowed for me to bath both in the same bath when dd was tint and ds a bit bigger.

Thank you to everyone for the advice OH likes the idea of him getting in the bath with baby for the bonding. He feels like a 3rd wheel because I feel her move and kick x

We used a baby bath with dc1 until she was about 3 or 4 months. With dc 2 and 3, we used it for the first couple of days, then put them in the big bath with their siblings. It is now used as a water play activity in the garden and it's really good at that job too!

Unfortunately we don't have a bath at home, just a shower. We used a small standard type baby bath till we found one of these at a second hand baby sale

www.mamasandpapas.com/product-acqua-two-stage-ergo-bath-pearl-white/4538472/type-i/

It is BRILLIANT!! Very secure for the baby and you can get a lot of use out if it. Our boy didn't sit up properly till he was 7-8 months and he was a big baby, he was still happy in the "newborn" bit.

One of my "must have" baby bits.

We put DD in the baby bath until she was about nine months. We were given it though. Not sure I would have bought one specifically as I do remember thinking it was ridiculous when I could just bath her in the kitchen sink. She did go in the sink a few times too.

DS (5months) just goes in the big bath with DD.

I definitely second the bath support seats. Put DD in it from 6 weeks (just topped and tailed until then) until about 10 months when her fat little bottom got wedged in it one night!

The first few times were really hard as she just screamed and then DM recommended filling bath up much more so she was swimming in a seat, if you see what I mean. No more crying and loved her bath! Still does.

We used this tippitoes bath and found it fab. The baby is well supported so you can have both hands free.

I found bathing with him quite hard when he was really tiny. Trying to support him and wash him at the same time, then my partner would have to get him while I washed my hair/jumped in shower, the faff of getting out safely if on your own.

With DS1 I had a secondhand baby bath that fits over the main bath, which I liked for the fact that I didn't have to lean too far (bad back here too), but I found it a bit hard to handle him in, even with the baby body sponge (I ended up taking a craft knife to that to put some divots in it to hold him!)
I didn't use it that much to start with, he didn't get fully bathed that often (it's too drying for their skin and I'm not a fan of oiling babies).

But I had an old Cornish Dairy ice cream tub (4L one) that I used to wash his bum in at every nappy change - I don't like wipes either! - and that was fine for a while, then changed up to a washing up bowl as he got bigger.

I thought we'd brought the baby bath with us to Australia when we moved but when I had DS2, we couldn't find it anywhere so no idea what happened there! Meant I had to find alternative options though. DS2 was a bigger chunkier baby so I went straight to the washing up bowl option for nappy changes (on a change table in the bedroom) but as he got bigger and started kicking, that became a bit fraught!
So I moved the bowl into the bath. This has become my "top tip" - once the baby is big enough to sit up by themselves, a washing up bowl in the bath is a cheap alternative and uses far less water, but also means that the splashes are contained! DS2 is now 20mo and this is still his daily bath routine (and nappy change wash routine) but he also has a "big bath" with his 6yo brother as well (not daily).

I never had a bath with him because I like my baths too hot for babies.

To begin with used top and tail bowls - which were in fact take away tubs with F & B written on them!

We then progressed to the kitchen sink.....

At 7 1/2 months, we now use the bath as the boy loves to splash!

I think you just have to buy one and see, I bought one and it mostly got used as an ironing basket.

DH passed me the baby when I was in the bath and collected them with a towel when they needed to get out. Other than that we have quite a big kitchen sink so I would use that.

Having said that if I were pg with DC1 again I would be tempted by one of these bath supports . They look a bit odd in the picture but irl they look really good.

We got a nice big cheap one from IKEA. We would put it on the change table when she was really little and then once she got a bit bigger we would put it in our normal bath. Still plenty of room for her to play and saved filling up the normal bath. We only stopped using it when she hit 22 months because she went through a hating baths phased (solved by bubble bath, a new toy and using the big grown up bath).
I've been using it for water play outside (toy bath!) and will keep it for #2 when he/she arrives in November.

Used kitchen sink when they were tiny. After that just used normal sized bath.

If you can borrow one they are useful for first 6 weeks or so when baby is tiny. Once they are stronger and more robust an inch or two of water in the big bath so they can lie flat and kick and flail works a treat! I was given one which did get some use but I'm glad I didn't buy one.

We had a baby bath which fitted on top of or bath and it worked well for around 3 months. After that it was DH's turn to bath with DD, I hated it as my milk always started flowing.

I think DD didn't bath on her own until she was over a year.

And we never bathed her more than twice a week until weaning anyway.

I loved my top and tail bowl. But we didn't use it as intended. We washed her in her room and had warm water in a thermos there for nappy changes and in the evening we filled in side with fresh water. The other side of the bowl was used for the used cotton wool. If you start with eyes, face and hand you still have enough clean water for the bottom.

I never bathed mine until they could sit. Then I did this:

media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/236x/c1/9b/ed/c19bedd628d8a0b782ac8af45dfc0ecf.jpg

79p basics washing up basin. Look how happy she is. :o

She's five now and I miss being able to bath her in the sink. She loved it.

We have an inflatable duck bath which DD loves.

Don't bother with top and tail bowl. I use little plastic bowls.

We used a baby bath and I found it very helpful because it can sit on the table so there's no back breaking or painfulness for joints. And you can put the change pad etc right beside it.

Used it till DD was 6 months old and then moved to the big bath. Have kept it for baby #2.

You definitely need the space for it, though. If we lived in a smaller place then I'd have just used the kitchen sink.