Two Under 2
ohioroots
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Allergic to soy, oat, egg, peanuts, and tree nuts
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How does bathtime work?
ohioroots
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in Two Under 2
I was thinking about this last night as I gave DD a bath...how in the world am I going to do this with a 19 month-old and a newborn? I don't have the option of DH watching one while I bathe the other (we work opposite shifts to not pay for childcare) so I'll be doing it alone. I'm assuming I'll need to take everybody's diapers and clothes into the bathroom before we start, but do I do the older kid first or second? what other things do I need to consider or what else will make it easier? Thanks!
Allergic to soy, oat, egg, peanuts, and tree nuts
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Re: How does bathtime work?
When DD was first born, she had eczema which meant I only gave her baths 1 or 2 times a week. This made it a lot easier. I would give her a bath in the morning in the infant tub while DS watched a TV show. The nights I'd give DS a bath while DH was working, I'd put the baby in the ergo or in a bouncy seat in the bathroom.
Now that she's older, they take baths together.
Right now I give DS a bath in the infant tub while DD is napping about 3 times a week. Then I bathe DD every other night in the big tub while DS is taking his evening nap in the swing. Luckily DH is home to help me, but honestly it would be no problem to do it on my own. If DS is fussy, he goes in the bouncy seat in the bathroom with us.
In a few months when DS is sitting he will be bathing with DD. I can't wait for this! I plan to get this to help contain him and keep DD from attacking him...
My boy's bathroom is in between their rooms. So I'd shut the doors to the rooms and DS1 would play while I did DS2. Then I'd nurse DS2 and put him to bed. DS1 would run back and forth between the rooms but I taught him early on in the nursery he had to be quiet b/c it was nite nite time for brother.
Once dS2 could sit up around 6 months I started bathing them togehter. So much easier. I lay out all the pjs and diapers. After they play for a little bit, I take DS2 out first, get him dressed and into bed. Then I do Ds1. Once they start sharing a room next month, I'll still take ds2 out first to dress, then dress ds1, do teethbrushing together, story together then bed.
Our family blog
Here's what we did for the first 7-8 months.
For DD1's bath time, I put DD2 in a bouncy seat in the bathroom with us. She loved it and was just totally chill to sit and watch. I'd get DD1 out, dry her off and put her in a diaper and she'd run out to the living room on her own (where her toys were). Then I'd unplug the drain, grab DD2 and meet DD1 in the living room. If DD2 ever got fussy, I'd pick her up and hold her or nurse her while sitting in the bathroom. If she was fussy while I was getting DD1 out of the tub I just let her cry for a couple minutes, you'll learn pretty fast that it's okay to let one cry for a bit because you can't always get to them both ;-)
I bathed DD2 after DD1 went to bed, she always had a slightly later bedtime so I'd put DD1 down and do DD2's bedtime routine (and she only got baths 2-3x a week anyway).
After about 7-8 months I started bathing them together and that's what we've done ever since!
I give DD2 her bath first while DD1 plays in the family room. A lot of times, she'll bring some of her toys in the bathroom to play with until I'm done. I then get DD1 in the tub and put DD2 in her exersaucer in the bathroom. Once I get done with DD1, I put DD2 to bed while DD1 plays some more. Lastly, I put DD1 to bed.
It helps that their bedroom is right next to the bathroom.
wow, I am surprised that I am the only one who bathes them together. My DD is 3 months now but I started bathing her and DS (20 months) together since she was about 6 weeks old.
DD is in the infant tub which I just place inside the big tub. DS plays in the front half of the tub while I bath DD. Then I take DD out dress and feed her and put her in the crib, (connected to the bathroom).
DS continues to play in bathtub, which I can watch while I dress DD and then once she is in the crib I dry off DS and dress him.
Seems to work for me having them together, looking forward to not having to use the infant seat but atlesat DS already knows to be gentle with the water around her.
I do bath by myself ever night since DH gets home late. From 0-3 months I would bathe DS on his own when she was napping.
At 3 month I started to bathe together and use the baby cacoon https://www.amazon.com/Baby-Cocoon-Bath-Seat-Color/dp/B000U0NY7Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327696258&sr=8-1
I have a big bath mat right next to the tub and a plastic 3-drawer organizer with pajamas, diapers, creams, anything I may need. I pull DS out first and lay him on that mat. I dry and get him ready for bed. I am right next to the tub so I can continue to watch DD play. When he is done I would put him in the bumbo or bouncy seat (in the bathroom) while I get DD dressed.
Now he is sitting up and crawling he sits in the tub with his sister and still gets pulled out first. When he is ready for bed and time to pull out DD I have a collection of toys and he sits in the bathroom (we also have a toilet lock and it is as baby proofed as I could get it) and plays. The biggest problem right now is his fascination with pulling his sister's hair as I get her dressed.
I wish I could've done this. Our tub isn't big enough though - our infant bath pretty much takes up the whole thing
It was really nice when DD2 was big enough to sit up in the tub with her older sister, that's for sure!