Help With Wriggly Bath Times Needed Please

each evening DH bathes our little ones one at a time whilst i change and then dress them for bed. usually we use a bath seat, but for this month we're staying with my parents and don't have one. the girls wriggle and stand up or try to stand all the time. it makes DH mad with frustration - usually at me for some reason - particularly as they frequently slip and he's scared that one time he won't catch them/

he thinks they might be frightened of the slippery bath, so we thought to buy a bath mat. we tried to buy a replacement bath seat, but they don't sell them in the only accessibly store and i'm a bit reluctant to spend rather a lot of money on something we'll only use for another 3 weeks.

how do you bathe your little ones? has anyone got any hints for wriggly stand uppers? (i'm tired of being shouted at each evening and we're both scared the girls will fall and hurt themselves)
many thanks
lisa

 

It is just a phase so if you keep it consistent about telling them to sit down they will eventually. JOsh was like this from day one. Hated baths. Would scream if he got water on his head and would not sit down. Eventually with consistency and large bath mats, he did. Also if you put just a little bit of water in the bath maybe up to their thighs if its not too cold, if they fall at one or so, they will realize its not fun and possibly stop.

GOOD LUCK! B)

 

I always put a towel down in the bottom, helps w/the slips -

 

QUOTE(Evanly @ Apr 8 2007, 06:54 PM) [snapback]210830[/snapback]
I always put a towel down in the bottom, helps w/the slips -



That's what we did.

 

I was also going to suggest a towel, it is what my mum did.

 

I agree that consistency is the key... it is frustrating! I would tell then they had to sit down or get out. The love the bath so it took onnly a few times orf making them get out to realize that they had to sit down. Of course e had to tell them a thousand times each bath to sit! Some other things that we have done are taking a shower with them and bathing themi n the kitchen sink (not as easy to stand up). Good luck!

 

Oh, one more thought- Can you and Dh switch bath duties? That might help with DH's frustration (and add to yurs, of course!). But at least DH won't be mad at you for no reason!

 

Both my girls know what "no" means so when they try to stand up, we just tell them no. If they persist on standing up, we tell them "no, sit down" and we put them in a sitting position. It took a few trys but now they dont even try to stand up in the bathtub. Just be consistent...

 

We use a cushioned bath mat kind of like this one. Ours is from BRU, but made by their "Especially for baby" brand. http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?p...rentPage=family

I also find that the more toys I have in the tub, the less they try and stand up.

 

thank you so much for all your excellent suggestions - we'll definitely be trying them all. i really must start to consistently use 'no' with the children (at present they shake their heads and giggle if i try it!).

 

just keep sitting them back down. tell them bath time is for sitting, they will get cold if they stand. i wouldnt have anymore advice for you, mine were NOT standing at 11 months....and still arnt now

 

Consistancy was what we used too. We always told them to "sit", and if they didn't, it was time to wash. They totallly got it and now bath time is hard to end, we have to ask them to stand to get washed.