baths in the big girl tub

My girls will be 10 months on the 16th. I have started putting them in the big person tub b/c they LOVE the baby pool. They enjoy baths in there but I have a few issues ...

#1 they HATE their hair being washed in there b/c it is hard not to get water running down their faces and they HATE that. Will they get used to it if I just keep doing it? They just fuss for a few minutes then get over it usually. Is there a better way to do it (I squeeze water over their heads from a washcloth and try to keep as much water from going in their faces as I can with my other hand ... hard to explain ... KWIM?)

#2 I give baths a lot by myself. My husband is an MD (in residency) and works late nights and overnight sometimes ... it is a little of a circus when I am alone. They both try to pull up on the side of the tub which scares me that they will fall. Hannah fell face first into the water tonight and I grabbed her up so fast her head was probably spinning but she FREAKED out. I calmed her down and put her back in b/c I don't want her to be afraid ... but it makes me nervous alone ...

Do you all think it is too early? Should I go back to the infant tub? Can they learn "no" ... if I am consistent can I teach them "no standing in the tub" at this age?

Any tips for me?

 

We did the big tub with both babies starting as soon as they could sit up, they were much happier that way!! I bought this bumper and this bathmat to help with slipping/falling/bonking heads. I let mine stand in the tub as long as they are being safe (they like putting the letters on the walls, etc).
I always have everything set up before we start, all towels laid out, diapers out, pj's out. They are normally really good about waiting in their towel while I dress the other one.

I have always poured water over their heads, they are super used to it now. We also use a sprayer to wash the soap off and they don't mind. I say get them used to it now while you still can!!!!

 

I do baths every night on my own. I still am not comfortable with them just sitting in the tub. Since about 10 months, my boys used bath rings and they actually still use them. I love them. I throw their toys in there and they are still able to play. Here they are at 11 months.


I bought one and had the other one given to me.
bath seat #1
bath seat #2


As far as them hating getting their head face wet, we use THIS. It works perfectly.

 

We will start bathing them together in the big boy tub as soon as they are securely able to sit up - so I hope to start within the next few months! I will use a full-length bathmat for the bottom of the tub. And no standing - not ever, no way. They will sit on their bottoms or lay down in the tub, but never stand or even go up on their knees. We always enforced that with our DD, as well, and she still will only stand when we give her the okay!

 

The shampoo rinse bucket that Nicole posted is great! I use this with my dd since she hates water in her eyes. Shampooing her hair was a nightmare until the purchase of this bucket. They sell them at walmart, too.

 

I've been experimenting with the big tub for the past few weeks and I'm still waiting to reach a verdict. On one hand, I love that they are able to play together. But I also hate how nervous I am (we haven't purchased any of the cool bath safety gadgets yet), bending over, and the fact that my two hands have to bathe so many arms, legs and butts at the same time. As far as the water in the face-I'm forcing myself to force them to get used to it. To this day I still have a twinge of anxiety when water is thrown in my face or if my face is submerged in water. I don't want my boys to grow up that way. It's actually one of the hardest things I've had to do with them becuase they looked so terrified the first few times. They even cried and tried to jump out. But every time we do it, they are less and less affected by it. One thing that's helped is starting out by making a game of it saying 1...2...3!!! and then splashing a little water in their face. Then a little more and by the time you're rinsing their heads, they're more used to it. It only took them about three maybe four times before they went from screaming to just sort of gasping a little. I'm a total wuss so if I can do it, you can too

 

i have been visiting my mom for the past 2 weeks, and have used the tub to bathe them for the first time, and i was thinking of larami the entire time (and her being ready to perform cpr)...LOL

i went out and bought the same rinse bucket and it has worked very well. i would love to have some bath rings or something to contain them, but i wasnt going to dish out the mulaa just for 2 weeks (we don't have a tub at home-they will use the baby tub till they can stand in the shower)

it wasn't nearly as nervewracking as i thought it would be, but then again, my mom has been on hand to grab a baby every night, not sure how i would handle it alone....

good luck!

sandra

 

My husband has a crazy hospital schedule too and I am frequently alone at nights. I try my best to schedule bath day for the mornings that he is home to help, which is occasionally.

BRU sells a teddy bear shaped piece of foam that you use for the infant tubs for when they are tee-tiny. I bought two and let my girls sit on those for tub time. It helped with stability and they had no interest in standing.

For rinsing, I bought them foam visors made by Sassy, also from BRU. They work so well! My girls don't mind the visors and not a spot of water runs down their face. You do have to do a little bit of extra rinsing when you take the visor off, but it's easy to avoid their eyes at that point.