Parenting

Bathtub Safety for Babies
This material appears courtesy of Nappaland

Ahh that screaming, cooing, laughing little bundle of joy you brought home from the hospital not so long ago—if only that child didn’t get so dirty! But your baby does, and when that happens, there’s no avoiding it: It’s bath time!

By the time your baby is six months old, he or she’s probably out-grown baths in the kitchen sink. Moving into the bathtub is the natural next step—but can also be dangerous for your little loved one.

Follow these important safety factors to make this transition a safe—and happy—one.

Gather supplies first
Collect soap, towel, diaper, clothing, toys, and any other items you plan on using before you even run the bath water. Place these items where you can reach them easily. Trying to keep one hand on a slippery little body while stretching for the shampoo isn’t safe for anyone!

Check the water temperature
Over 3,000 children under the age of four are treated for hot water burns each year. You can prevent this painful tragedy in your home by running the complete bath first, checking to make sure the temperature is not too hot (or too cold!) and then placing your child into the water. Don’t leave the water running after your child is in the tub. Water just a few degrees too hot can burn little hands reaching out in curiosity, or change the temperature in the tub to be too hot.

You can test the temperature of the water on the inside of your wrist, but the best gauge is a to use a thermometer made for this purpose. The ideal temperature for a child’s bath is 98 degrees, and just five degrees higher is too hot.

Stay put!
Once your child is in the bathroom, don’t leave her for any reason. Children can drown in just a few inches of water, and can easily topple into the tub while you’re dashing to the laundry room for clean towels.

Don’t run to answer the phone.
Don’t check to see who’s at the door.
Don’t leave your child to be watched by an older brother or sister.
Remember, about 80 children drown in bathtubs each year. Don’t let your child be another number in that statistic. Make no exceptions to this rule. Simply put: Don’t Leave!

Kneel beside the bathtub and keep one hand always firmly around your child. At this age children want to crawl and stand as they play, but it’s important for their safety that you keep them sitting while they bathe.

Visit the Nappaland website