Bath time thrashing.

MrsErinnElizabeth

DD is a bath time thrasher.  Like big time.  She LOVES her bath, but her excitement is going to hurt her one of these days (especially since she's getting so strong) and I don't know what to do about it!

We use an infant tub and we used to have her in a little bath sling in the tub, which was awesome.  Until she started to outgrow it and splashed so much that the kitchen floor was soaking wet by the time she was done.  So now I fill the tub with about 3-4 inches of water and sit her up in there while supporting her the whole time (she doesn't sit on her own yet).  

She's much more restrained when she's sitting, but as soon as I lay her down so that I can wash her hair more easily, she goes INSANE.  She kicks and flails her arms (in excitement) so much that I can barely control her.  And she usually ends up repeatedly ramming her head against the top of the top when she tries to jump off the bottom part.  She doesn't seem to mind at all, but I do!  

The problem is, last night she flailed so hard, that I lost my grip on one of her arms (was still holding the other one) and she went flying sideways into the water and inhaled a little bit.  She came up coughing and spitting and terrified...both of us were freaked out of our minds.  She was fine about a minute later, but I was totally shaken.  I mean, I can't really put much less water in or she won't get clean!  But I don't want this to happen again, because it scared the shiit out of me.

Does anyone have any better 'methods' of bathing that might prevent the constant flailing?  Should I just try to keep her sitting the whole time?  The only reason I don't do that now is because she has so much hair that it's really hard to get the shampoo out of it while she's sitting...and if I do try to do that, it runs all down her face and gets in her nose and she doesn't like that either.  

Anyone? 

ClaireBennett

E has the same problem!  We use an infant tub, inside a regular sized tub (so water goes in the tub, not all over the kitchen counter) and I kneel next to the tub while she takes a bath.  I put her down in it and recently started putting a fingertip towel (bigger than a washcloth, smaller than a handtowel), under her head, because she was rockin' out in there too.  I was just worried she'd hit her head.  When I shampoo her, granted she'd only got peach fuzz, I use a cup of clean water from the faucet to rinse her head and put a washcloth on her forehead so none of it gets in her eyes.  That was rambling... GL!

AfterAll

Once she is sitting, you can put her in one of those bath rings that suction cup to the bottom of the tub.

For now you can try one of those blow up tubs and put it inside the bathtub... that way if she splashes no big deal and if she bangs herself it is at least soft.

blushingbrideoct07

Do you have a hose on your kitchen sink? ?That may help when you need to wash her hair out. ?You can keep her sitting up and still be able to rinse her hair out. ?They also have these bath bumbo looking things. ?They help to keep your child in a sitting position and have suction on the bottom so your hands are more free.

ETA: ?I never used the bath seat and I did not realize that your LO needs to be able to sit unassisted to you it.?

AfterAll

I found this... it is interesting...https://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3190428

 

Brooke208

I use a bath sling sort of thing in the big bath tub and don't really have issues.  I don't know if it would help, but it's worth a shot.  They also sell inflatable tubs, I've seen a duck one at Target.  That might help so she won't hurt herself.  Could she sit in a bath seat yet?

Harms80

I could have written this post (except my DD has zero hair).  It takes all of my skills to keep that baby upright and washing her scalp is a joke.  I agree that it's better w/o the sling but I'm considering just filling a regular bath and getting in there with her so I can hold her with my entire body.  I can't wait til my DD can sit on her own and I can have one arm back.

mavilabride

I put her in her infant tub inside of the bathtub.  She loves to pound on the water and splash her face so this keeps all the water contained.  I won't be sitting her in our bathtub until we replace it.

BrideBuddies

When I was a baby, my Mom used to take a large bath towel and lay it in the bottom of the big tub and gave baths that way.   More room to thrash around and still safe because the towel keeps baby from slipping around.

Just a thought.

Ivana_Stolichnaya

Bath time thrashing = wet mommy, counter and floor.  I think we're heading for the big tub pretty soon.

jenibo

Maybe you could try one of those seats that go in the big tub?

 

https://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&safe=off&q=bath+seat+baby&cid=16050509555722121151&sa=image#p 

xnbride

use a cup to wash her hair and don't lean her back.  My 3 year old does still not "lean back" to wash his hair instead I pour water over his head. It also helps to prevent ear infections. 

fwiw, we all bathe together. I wash myself, then my 3 year old and then i call my DH to bring in the bambino and I wash him.  This is the most safe, quick, and efficient ways to clean my guys. it is a great time of bonding too. Eventually the boys will bathe together when Jonathan gets bigger and we have never had a poop incident.

pregali80

how scary to loose your grip! he has 2 methods of getting cleaned:

me in the tub with him- i set him in front of me resting on my legs and my hands around his rib cage. this allows him to splash and "swim"

2nd is to put the baby bath in the tub and use the shower head. you can shower at the same time.

pallorina

First of all, what an incredible head of hair your LO has! J is bald as a q-ball over here!

J is a huge bathtime splasher. I found a Eurobath at the consignment store last week (score!!) and he has done really well in that with all his kicking and flapping and splashing. It's a pretty secure bath, and I just put it inside my regular bath in the master bathroom and fill it from the faucet in there.

He can get his splash on and I can go hands-free! 

GreenEyedGal

You described my son exactly, which is why we moved the baby tub to our bathtub. Now he can splash to his hearts content!

LizSnover

My daughter exactly, I need to move her infant tub to inside the big tub but I am scared she will freak out.