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I have a confession to make. It’s a little embarrassing to admit and it’s not something that I did intentionally, but it just kind of happened:
I never gave Liam a bath when he was a baby.
Wait, what?
It’s true! Other than Liam’s first bath in the hospital, I didn’t give him a bath until he qualified for toddler status. Honestly, as a new mom, I found the whole baby bath thing really awkward. We tried baby bathtubs on the kitchen counter and this one that fit inside our existing bathtub. I just couldn’t get the hang of washing Liam while trying to keep him upright, simultaneously trying to avoid getting peed on. Y’all, the struggle was real. It was way easier for Jamie to hop in the tub with Liam so they could bathe together.
We discovered this for bath time with Caleb and it made baby bath time a breeze!
Aside from my lack of confidence in being able to manage bath time in general, what really made me nervous was safety. I knew that you weren’t supposed to leave little ones in the bath unsupervised, but other than that, I had no clue what the guidelines were for bathroom safety. I hope I’m not the only one. If I am, don’t tell me – I’d prefer to pretend I’m not alone in this.
Since January is National Bath Safety Month, I thought it would be the perfect time to bring you some of the important bath safety tips I’ve learned over the years since Liam’s newborn days.
1. Don’t leave littles alone in the tub. Just don’t. Not even to go run and grab a towel from the next room. Like I said, this is probably the only one I knew prior to becoming a mom. But what I didn’t know was that the American Academy of Pediatrics makes this recommendation for children age four and under. This helps me to keep bath items like shampoo and bubble bath organized so that it’s always in reach during bath time.
2. Temperature matters. I like my baths super hot. But obviously that’s not ideal or safe for little ones. So what temperature should their baths be? Both Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the Mayo Clinic say that you should aim for right around 100 degrees F. If it’s too hot, the water can burn your baby. If it’s too cold, your baby can get chilled. Think of Goldilocks – the water should be juuuuuuust right. You’ll need something like this to make sure the water is a safe temperature every time.
3. Less is more when it comes to water. You don’t need a full tub to have fun at bath time. In fact, babies and young infants really only need 2-4 inches of water while toddlers and older children can have water waist high (when sitting).
4. Invest in swim lessons. While there is an obvious perk to regular swim lessons (i.e. your kid will learn how to swim), don’t overlook all the other great benefits too. Liam’s first swim lessons were more about getting kids comfortable with being in the water and not panicking every time their faces get splashed with water. Liam takes lessons at Goldfish Swim School and we love that the instructors prioritize teaching water safety around all water, not just swimming pools.
RELATED: Ideas for practicing swim skills on the go
5. Prevent slips and falls. Bathtubs are slippery places, not just for kids but for adults too. I know I’ve accidentally slipped in the shower before. You can install no-slip strips on the bottom of the bathtub or get a bathtub mat. Get a bath mat for the floor that won’t slip when you step out of the tub. And don’t forget to get a faucet cover to prevent your child from hitting their head on the metal fixture. Our family also loves this as a safer alternative to rinsing shampoo out of hair so you don’t have to rinse off under the faucet.
6. Choose safe bath toys. Not all bath toys are created equal. Avoid the ones that have hard edges or corners that can cause injury if your child slips and falls on them. It’s also important to skip the toys that are harder to clean and those that don’t dry easily. My kids love a good squirter toy, but it is so hard to get all the water out after bath time. We’ve had to pitch several of these because they’ve grown mold on the inside. Ick, right? These are a few of our favorite safe bath toys:
SoapSox bath toy sponge
Our favorite boat toys
Foam letters and animals
Stacking cups
What other things do you do in your home to promote bath safety?
This post is part of our ongoing partnership with Goldfish Swim School.
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