Here you are, past the halfway point of your baby’s first year. What happened to that sweet, snuggly, helpless little bit you first brought into the world? Now you have a squirmy, mobile, into-everything-I-can-get-my hands on babe who is growing and changing at a crazy rate!
It is both so fun and so terrifying at the same time. Because, whoa… a mobile baby is one who needs way more supervision.
Of course, a mobile baby is also a baby who makes much bigger messes. Particularly now that your little one is eating solid foods, and somehow managing to get most of those offerings up his or her little nose, in his or her little hair, and wedged into every other bodily crevice that can possibly be found.
Double chins, anyone? Yeah… those are definitely holding places for yesterday’s avocados.
Given that, bath time has become especially important these days. Unfortunately, so has finding ways to entertain your little one in the tub. Gone are the days when you could plan on snuggling into the bath with your baby for a quiet and relaxing time. He or she is far more interested in splashing all the water out of the tub and finding ways to—gasp—drop the occasional poop right there in the water for you to fish out these days.
Aren’t babies fun?!?
First things first: never, ever, leave your little one unattended in the tub. We know, we know—you already know this. But we just have to remind you, simply because as baby gets better about sitting up and moving around, it’s sometimes easy to think they might be okay for a second or two while you poke your head out of the bathroom to grab a towel or answer the phone. Don’t do it! Your baby needs constant supervision around water. Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye.
Now that that’s out of the way, what kind of activities can you do to help make bath time even more fun for your little?
Why not start with a bonus safety trick? You can buy all kinds of non-stick pads for the bottom of your tub, often in the shapes of animals and characters your kiddo already loves. Having fish or froggies “swimming” along the bottom of the bath will keep your little one occupied and give them something to look at, all while preventing any slips and spills in the tub.
Another great idea is to make up a batch of colored ice cubes. Put one or two in the tub with your babe, and watch as he or she swats at them and tries to catch them before they melt.
Now is also a great time to pick up some fun bath toys, like a small basketball hoop with a suction cup for tub action, or some foam alphabet letters that will stick to the side of the tub.
If your little one doesn’t seem to love the bath just yet, don’t worry—it will come. In the meantime, don’t force it. Yes, babies need baths, but not every day. And a baby who is unhappy in the tub might do better with quick baths every two or three days instead of every night.
Written by Leah Campbell, infertility advocate, adoptive mama, writer and editor. Find me @sifinalaska on Twitter.
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general informational basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.
