Baths or showers?

I have 3 month old twins and at the moment I bath them. I have heard of people showering with their babies and I reckon it must be a quicker and easier way of doing things, especially with 2 babies (one with me and one with hubby). The only problem is, how do you do it successfully? I can't work out how do wash them, and me, without dropping their slippery little bodies. Do you need to have 2 adults present? If anyone has any hints or tips, please reply.

When I had my little girl we started of in the bath but when she got to 1-2months she went in the shower with hubby. You just hold them in your arms like your cradling them and just let the water go over them. They usually like the water going over them its just like teaching them how to swim but your in a shower. If you think that they are gong to slip just put a flannel on your arm before you lay them there.then they won't slip out. It is alot quicker and it also gets dad if he's doing it, special bonding time together.My little one loves having showers with dad,and baths with me.If I try and take her in the shower with me she crys,she has to have them with dad.As he works alot it gives them time together and they enjoy it.I hope this helps you a little bit.

Hi

We found showering heaps easier. My husband started taking her when she was 2 weeks old. She loves it. It has always been a time for bonding in the shower or taking a bath with my husband.

The easest was we have found is, my husband washes himself then I pass bubby in when he has finished he passes her back to me. I would say it is a 2 person job. Other wise put a towel on the bathroom floor and rap them when you have finished, this gives you time to dry off and put clothes on then take care of bubby.

Happy showering

After reading your query & the comments the other day, today i decided to put my 9wk old in the shower with my hubby. It was a difficult task - and most definitely took 2 people. But she loved it.

I was telling a friend about this showering episode - and she told me how used a showering "sling" with her kids years ago. This seems like a great idea - but I have no idea where I would purchase such a product. If anyone knows I would love to find out!

I have a little boy & he loves his showers. of course with two makes it harder. My bother-in-law & his wife has twin boys, now 3 yrs, he would jump in the shower while she undress the first one & handed him over, then she would undress the second one & swap. Then dress the first one, put him somewhere safe & grap the second & dress. Then dad can actually have his shower.

It's all very involved having two I'm sure. When I have a shower with my little man(nearly 3 mths), I have an old stlye rocker on the bathroom floor. You know the one's our parents had with the metal frame & crotcheted material. After I finish showering him I put him on it & cover with a towel & then finish my shower. Same with a bath I lean over & put him in it & then get out of the bath. Just in case I slip while getting out I know he's safe. It also allows you to dry & get dressed. He doesn't mind waiting 'cause he knows he gets a massage after.

I hope this helps & I'm sure you'll find what best works for you. Good luck with the twins.

My husband and holidayed when our son was less than two weeks old. We showered him in the motel shower. I was petrified we would drop him onto the tiles, but hey , never did. Later once we had gotton home, I used the whole putting him in a rocker wrapped in a towel until I had finished my shower thing. He loved it!

Hi mums,
It's the highlight of our day to have a shower. Dad gets in first and gets clean and then I pass him bubby and join them. He holds onto BJ's top half and I wash bottom half and rinse and then reverse. BJ absolutely loves the shower and is always trying to reach out and catch the water or wipe the steam off the glass door. We duck him under a couple of times too to get him used to the water on his head and face. He doesn't mind it. The only problem is he does get so excited he just about wriggles out of your arms. Then Dad hops out and dries and I pass BJ out to him and they go and get dressed together and I finish off. We all love the bonding time together. I have bathed him by myself in the shower with Dad standing outside in case I need him quickly, but I stand with one knee up and leaning back with my foot on the wall behind me and prop him up on my lap and that way I still have two hands to wash him with and hold him. You can lay them back in one arm too just as if you were topping and tailing him when you wash his hair and they don't get quite so much running down their face. I have thought of putting the little baby bath outside the shower just to wrap him in and lay him in it while I finish my shower, but have not yet done that. Still not too keen on showering with him by myself yet.

Hi everyone, I have a 9 week old (Ava) and a four and a half year old (Tomi), so as you can imagine if we did the bathing thing it would take FOREVER. I take them both in the shower with me. First of all get organised first, I set up all our clothes, then set up a rocker with two towels and a blanket (one towel underneath to stop the rocker from getting wet, one towel to wrap around baby and the blanket to keep her warm in winter). I get Tomi to undress and wait in the bathroom while i get Ava undressed and sitting in her rocker. I get in the shower and get the temperature ok (remember it has too be a bit cooler than normal for baby) then i hop out and get Ava and hop back in with Tomi also. I wash Ava and let her have alittle play then hop out and put her wrapped up in the rocker. Me and Tomi then have our shower and hop out. I find getting myself dressed first easier then Ava then Tomi. It means we can all be showered and dressed really quick. If you have twins you could do this yourself just take one in at a time (remember to bring the dummy if they have one so they are happy to sit and wait while you shower). Hope this helps. grin

Hi all,

I am petrified of bathing my 7wk son, as he slipped while bathing him in hospital, and went under. I have only bathed him a few times at home, but getting more confident with it!

However, my son regularly showers with me - either hubby passes him to me after I've washed myself, then collects him when we're done, or I set up the portable change table in the bathroom with a couple of towels. I undress him (nappy still on!) then wrap him in a towel, shower myself, cool water down, reach out, de-nappy and pick him up, shower him, shower off, reach back out and re-nappy and wrap him on change table, dry and dress myself then attend to him. Sounds complicated, but it works! My son loves the skin-to-skin cuddles in the warmth of the shower.

Good luck, you'll find something that works for you and your family.

Kerry, mum of 7 wk old beautiful boy

I also had the same thing as your Kerry, I bathed my first son but with my daughter she slipped out of my reach in the bath, thats why I like the shower as its alot easier to hold the baby close to you and not drop. I would like to remind you about the safety of change tables, if you plan on leaving your baby on top of one make sure you get a harness, or even better find somewhere else to leave him while you shower (for example the rocker grin) as a baby learns to roll over so fast its like one day he cant and the next day he can, and you wouldnt want him to roll off. By the way, congratulations on your precious new son, I have a nine week old daughter, or is it ten weeks? Time flies doesnt it. grin Enjoy it while it lasts grin

Hi,

Well, we finally bit the bullet a month or so ago and now my son has a shower with me without hubbie on a regular basis. Sometimes if he is around he will wait outside and pass him in and out and get him dressed otherwise I'm on my own. Most of the time though, it's the 3 of us.

I find sitting him on some cloth nappies wrapped in a towel in the baby bath on the floor outside is good. (He's sitting up now) He's occupied with a toy or looking at me and I get done and then I bath him and I wrap him in a towel and he sits in his bath while I dry and get dressed and then I do him. He used to just lie in the bath and play with a toy and I know he is safe and not going anywhere.

We love our showers and now we are brushing his teeth and gums in there too.

Ange.

Hi Belinda, thanks for the safety reminder. The changetable has a harness-type strap over it to avoid my precious bundle rolling off, and I am extremely careful to make sure he's secure before leaving him on it, not knowing if 'today's the day' he's going to fluke a roll-over or use his arms or legs to push himself off the side or end. You are right about time flying ...... the days and weeks just disappear grin
Cheers to all, Kerry.