how do you give baths by yourself?

We typically bathe the boys w/ me in the tub w/ them. I'll get everything ready, get in the tub, and DH will bring me a baby. I'll clean him up, let him play (which they LOVE) - then pass back to DH, drain and refill tub and do it all over again w/ his brother. This works great- EXCEPT, DH doesn't get home from work at a consistant time, and I really need the boys to be on a better schedule, including baths. Right now, the way we've got it, they only end up w/ 2-3 baths per week! :blush:

I tried bathing them by myself last week by getting their infant tub and putting it in the big tub, but they want to squirm so much that it just doesn't feel safe for me to hold them w/ one hand and I can't really adequately get them clean w/ just the other hand. And they both hated it too- they're so used to being able to really play- but I can't hold onto them well enough bending over the side of the tub to let them play like we usually do, they're just too strong!!!

So how do you do it?? I can't seem to come up w/ a good method!

 

Right now I am bathing mine in the kitchen sink. It only fits one at a time. But once they can sit up, I will get one of those seats to put in the tub and set them in there together.

 

I do it in the infant tub in the big tub while the other baby plays in the nursery (in a crib). However when we were away for turkey day I did it myself in a big tub. This only works if your bathroom is kind of big. I had one in an exersaucer type of toy and brought the other into the bath with me. I only filled the tub with like an inch of water and I washed and played with one while the other watched us. Then we got out of the tub got her dressed and swapped them. I was chilly because I didn't dry off in between and it defiitely wasn't optimal, but it worked since DH's sister insisted that he help her install her new chandaleir (sp?)... he's such a nice brother.

The other thing you could do is fill the tub with an inch of water and lay them on the belly on a slip proof mat (bathing one at a time) and wash them without getting in the tub with them. GL!

 

When DH isn't home, I use the infant tub on the bathroom counter so I don't have to bend over. I slide the cosleeper (filled with blankets/pillows so the baby can be somewhat upright to see brother bathe) into the bathroom. After I bathe one and dress him, I put him in the cosleeper and bathe the other one. It actually works really well. As long as they can both see me and hear me talking to them and watch their brother, they're happy. When they can sit up I plan on getting the tub seats as well but I think I would still be nervous about leaving one in even for the short amount of time it takes me to get the other one out and on the bed or something. We'll see....

 

I've actually cut down on baths - used to do every night, now I give myself a break if DH isn't home. When he's gone for several days and they're starting to get icky, I put one in a bouncer in the bathroom while his brother takes a bath, then rotate them out. They don't sit up yet, though, so they aren't accustomed to playing in there. It's a very tight space, and tough on the knees, but it's pretty fun - just exhausting.

Could you bathe one with you while the other sits in a bouncer or exersaucer, or are 7 month olds too big for bouncers?

 

Good question. I usually do it by myself even tho DH is around. He does our toddler so I'll take it...since she LOVES her bath and never wants to get out. I put the infant tub on the dining room table so I don't have to bend over and have both in a bouncey seat. I grab one, bathe, towel dry, diaper and put in bouncer while I then do the other. When both are done I lie a blanket down in the family room and do lotion and pjs together...that's the best!

 

I have always done baths by myself and we do them everynight. At 7 months, one layed on the floor next to me while I bathed the other in the infant tub in the big bathtub. When the one in the bath was done, I took him out and dried him as I refilled the tub. Then I put the other baby in and the one that just came out laid next to me on the floor.

 

We have these seats http://www.safety1st.com/product/detail.asp?ID=597 and right now only 1 is big enough to sit up in it without sliding down but he has been in it since about 5months. I use one bath seat and 1 bumbo in the tub at the same time. (only a few inches of water or the bumbo will start to float)... get everything ready, undress, bathe together, out onto their waiting towels and we are done in probaby less than 10 mins! It is actually harder for me to do them 1 at a time w/o having some1 to entertain the one waiting!

sorry i am not sure how to make the link to the website!

 

Oh I cannot wait for the girls to be able to sit up on their own so I can use those seats in the big tub! Bathtime is going to be SO MUCH FUN!! :banana:

 

I still use the infant tub in the kitchen sink. On bath days we have food in the high chairs, then one baby gets a bath while the other plays with the high chair toy. Then baby one goes in the swing with a pacifier, usually falls asleep, and baby two gets a bath then it is their naptime. I made the mistake of trying to bath them in the big tub (with me) without my husband there to help... :rotflmbo: it did NOT go well!!! I'll be using the sink method for as long as possible!
Helen

 

My husband works 2nd shift. Sometimes my 4 get a bath in the mornings when he's home.

When they were small, I bathed one at a time in their tub, wrapped them in towels and sat/laid them on the floor or sat them in a bouncy seat til I could get them dressed. You will sweat trying to rush around!

As they got older and were able to sit alone, I bathed them by two's or all at once. I bought some swim rings (the kind that you wear around the middle) when they were still a little wobbly. This way if they toppled, they didn't fall over far.

The sink is also wonderful. Mine are 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 and they still love the sink (it's getting harder to bathe them all together in the big tub).

We used to bathe nightly when the 1st set came along. It helped them sleep better. But with 4, nightly baths got cut to 4-5 times a week. Now it is 2-3 times a week b/c things just seem crazy. My mom always says the important parts get cleaned at most diaper changes, so that just leaves hands and faces!

 

I have a small baby tub with a built in bench seat. I lay one on the bath mat while I bathe the other. Then after diapering and dressing, we switch. For the most part, they are pretty cooperative.

 

I use an infant tub on the bathroom counter (but am going to have to stop as E and V are getting too big for it and splash water everywhere). Baby #1 plays in the crib while I bathe Baby #2. I bring the just-cleaned baby into the bedroom and towel her off and get her ready for bed in the second crib. Then we switch and Baby #2 plays while I bathe Baby #1. At the end, I put them both in one crib together and put some lotion on both and do some massage.

If they're particularly fussy I'll bring a papasan chair into the bathroom so we're all in the room together while they have baths, but it usually works best to leave one to play while I concentrate on bathing the other one.

 

I have always bathed the boys in the shower with me. When they were younger I would sit them in their Bumbo seats in the tub and they would play with toys while I showered and then I would sit down and bathe them. It really made my life easier. We still do it this way only we don't have to use the seats anymore.

 

QUOTE(first-time-mom @ Dec 6 2007, 02:54 PM) [snapback]523050[/snapback]
I have a small baby tub with a built in bench seat.


A tub w/ a built in bench seat??? That sounds awesome! Where'd you get it?

I did the infant tub in the big tub last night- but this time I used the garden tub. I think THAT was the key! I could get in the tub with the tub and that saved my back while allowing me to hold onto them better, which let them play more. I'd really like to get those infant seats- but they seem awfully scary. Were your kids really sitting up well when you used them? Mine still tend to fall over a lot and they're really squirmy in the bath, but maybe I should give them a whirl anyways.... I think they'd like to bathe together. THanks for all the responses! I liked the swim ring idea too! I suppose we'll get this figured out eventually!

 

We still use the infant bathtub in the kitchen sink, so I'm able to give one a bath while the other plays in the Exersaucer or Jumperoo on the floor next to me. I'm dreading when we grow out of that tub and have to move our whole bathtime/bedtime ritual upstairs!

Good Luck,
Suzi

 

QUOTE(SusieQ @ Dec 6 2007, 09:49 AM) [snapback]523139[/snapback]
We still use the infant bathtub in the kitchen sink, so I'm able to give one a bath while the other plays in the Exersaucer or Jumperoo on the floor next to me. I'm dreading when we grow out of that tub and have to move our whole bathtime/bedtime ritual upstairs!

Good Luck,
Suzi


Me too sister...

We use the kitchen sink method and they are just now starting to splash. Another week and ill be forced to change the routine to the big tub or the shower method. Booooo...

 

I've got a baby on each end of the personality specttrum (one lai back and one very fussy.) I put DS, my fusser, under the mobile with a toy an the lights on while I bathe DD and get her ready for bed. Then I'll transfer DD to the crib with the mobile and I'll go bathe DS. I will go ahead and feed him his bottle and put him down in his crib, then I get DD and do the same for her.
It seems to be working for the moment....

 

We do one at a time, even when DH is home!

I have a seperate shower so i put the toddler tub inside the shower, and sit by it with one baby. Baby #2 is either occupied by Dad when he is home, or sits in his/her crib/bouncy seat/ etc.

 

I did every other day until my boys were about 11/12 months when I had to start every night baths. Until 10 months I would feed them breakfast then whoever was done first I would bath in my sink while the other was still in their highchair finishing up right next to me. Then I would wrap him in a towel or two and put him back into his highchair, give him a few cheerios or something to play with and do the same with his brother (make sure the heat is up in winter). I would bring both of them into the living room and dress them. We went out alot and they napped earlier so it was easier to get it done in the morning, now bathtime is every night at 5pm and has been for over a year now.