Could someone share with me how you bathed your child after 9 months of age?

My daughter is so active now, it's very hard to keep her still.My girl loves to bath, but I have to make sure she is safe.

Before I normally would place her in a plastic tub which I leave on the counter in the bathroom, there is enough space for that. But she is so active, that there is just too much water on the floor and everywhere. So I have just tried for the last couple of days to actually place her plastic tub in the big tub on the bathroom. I hold her by the arm and try to bath her with my other hand. The only thing is that the tub is really deep in the ensuite bathroom and so it's hard to bend for me. I even got a small plastic staircase (like 2 stairs) and I sit on it while holding her sometimes.

Tonight this was not a great experience. I thought I was holding her very securely when she started wiggling again and in a second she ended up bending forward and drinking some water. She clearly took in too much because she kept couphing from it and could not clear her airwyas for a while.

I find this scary, I realize now that if I was holding her from another side, she may have taken so much, that CPR would be the next step!

I am not sure what to do. I am reading about the bath seats, and it seems there is a lot of negative information out there about them and all the drownings they have caused. That looks quiet scary too.

Only other option I can think of is for me to go into the big bathtub with her. Has anyone tried it? Is it ok in terms of hygiene if I do not bath right before that? I am not sure how I can get out of it with her being all wet myself and then get her ready to dress because she just does not stop for a second ... (it seems she has a little propeller in the back always in the on mode ;))

Dear mommies, I really need to know what has worked for others in terms of bathing older babies. I'm looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Anna

Hi Anna,

Liam is 18 months old. He was very active when he initially found himself in the big tub without the parents. But then came all the nice things to look at and do - the frog mat, the floating puzzles, the endless tupperware containers, the bath bubbles, and of course - the "No Liam!" when he'd want to get up, try to dive and etc.

It took him about 5-6 baths to learn how he should be in the tub, and he's been seated ever since. We change up the toys, and he's pretty content now in the tub. He also loves to help in filling the tub and adding bubbles.

For about 4-5 months, I would fill the tub to just about under his chest or top of tummy with water, and always hold one arm, even as I'm bathing the rest of the body. Now we've started to fill with water to the chest (I'm still hesitant a bit though), and not hold the arm the whole time. We don't take our eyes off - not even for split second, and don't leave his side at any time.

Hope that helps?

Julie,

I think I will build up my arsenal of bath toys. Probably what I have now is not enough or Eva is just used to them too much.

I totally agree on never being away and keeping an eye on the baby. I feel I have to be very focused the whole time. I have forgotten to take a few things with me a couple of times and I do not even think about going back to get them.

Well... hopefully I will get over this small bathtime anxienty soon and it will be fun again for both of us...

Thanks for helpful advice,

Anna