As a parent, you can expect to get advice on having a baby from the moment you announce your pregnancy until you send them off to college. There is no lack of opinions that will come your way as you have children and the topic of baby health information on bathing. There are arguments on both sides of the debate on whether it is good or bad to bathe your baby with your other children. We will take a look at some of those points in the list below as we talk all about baby bathing.
The convenience of one bath
Any parent knows that time is a precious commodity. A lot of the advice on having a baby might tell you that the more children you have the less free time is at your disposal. Bath time is necessary and a great way to calm kids down at the end of the day and get them ready for bed. Still, having to give more than one bath for multiple children can be very time-consuming. If you are able to put all of your kids in the bath at the same time it will save you time.
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Following Advice on Having a Baby and Bathing Becomes Playtime Together
Spending time in the tub with siblings usually results in lots of giggles, splashes and fun all around. With more than one sibling in the tub, bath time becomes a game and your kids are likely to play with their bath toys and entertain each other as they get clean. Even with more than one child in the tub, it is still important to remember the fundamental baby health information on bathing, the same safety rules apply to bath time. To make sure everyone is safe, and stays happy, follow the rules that say to never leave your child in the tub unattended. Even if there is more than one child in the tub.
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Conserving Resources
Your time as a parent is always a resource and the amount of time you spend running a bath and chasing your kids to get them in the tub could be better spent elsewhere. There is also the use of excess water when you have to give your kids separate baths. If you are able to put your kids in the bath at the same time, you are able to save on filling the tub a second (or third) time. While advice on having a baby might suggest you bathe your children separately, it’s important for you to do what works best for your family.
Safety of baby
While the convenience of one bath is wonderful for parents, and often a lot of fun for the kids, there are a few pieces of advice on having a baby that we can think about for bath time safety. If you have an older child in the tub, the temperature of the water might be fine for them, but with an infant, you need to make sure the water temp is just right. It’s a good idea not to let your infant linger in the tub as your older child might like to do. On the flip side, older children might not be pleased to know the younger child has peed in the tub.
Body curiosity
As children get older they naturally become more curious about their bodies and those of the opposite sex. Most advice on having a baby tells us that it is natural for children to be curious and there is nothing wrong with children being inquisitive. It is important for parents to use these moments to help inform children on body basics as well as body safety. While we might think all about baby bathing as the physical steps in the process, it can also have teachable moments where you can talk to your child about privacy.
The mess of one bath
You might get advice on having a baby that tells you bath time should be fun. But it isn’t all about playing. It is important to make sure all the children are safe in the tub and if an older sibling isn’t being careful, especially around a much younger sibling, then there could be problems. You want to make sure your baby doesn’t accidentally inhale water or even get soap in their eyes. On the more practical side, you want to make sure the children aren’t splashing outside of the tub and making a mess. No one wants a leak in their ceiling because the kids splashed out too much water from the tub.
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Oldest could be taking showers
Even though some advice on having a baby might recommend having your children bathe together when you do this you could be missing out on a much faster and more efficient means of getting your child clean. A shower verses a bath can take a lot less time once your older children are ready for that stage. Your older child might let you know that they are ready for more independence and would like to start showering instead of taking baths. This can be a real time-saver, especially when your older children start needing baths every day.
Frequency of baths
Babies don’t need to be bathed every day. Older siblings who have had sunscreen applied in the summer, have been swimming in chlorine, or are sweaty from running around all day, may need a bath every day. Common advice on having a baby tells parents that newborns’ delicate skin shouldn’t be bathed each day. It’s not necessary and can dry out your baby’s skin, especially in the winter months. Older children, however, are likely to need to bath daily, especially in the warm summer months when there is lots of playtime outside.
Independence and privacy of older child
As your children get older they might not want to take a bath with a younger sibling any longer. This could be for a variety of reasons. One might be that the older child is becoming more aware of their body and wants privacy while taking a bath. They may also feel like they are too old to be taking a bath with a younger sibling, wanting to assert their independence and shower or take a bath on their own. There is advice on having a baby that can be used on older children as well. Listen and watch for cues from your kids and let them determine when they are too old to be sharing a bath with their siblings.
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