1000th post!! When do you shower and where is your child?

[jubilee]

My DH commented I shower too late in the day (about 11 am) ...maybe this should be in the gripes section... anyway- I want to know when you all manage to get into the shower. Also, right now I put DS2 in a playpen while I shower, then let him play in the bedroom/bathroom while I do hair and makeup. When did you let them roam free while you are in the shower? Maybe I should just start showering at night to get DH off my back! :(

[lisams]

I shower at night since I take a long time ;-) But in the mornings when I am washing my face, putting on make-up and doing my hair, DD stays in the pack n' play. We have a little tv in the bathroom so she watches Sesame Street. She is 1 1/2 and this has worked out great so no need to let her run loose yet. It's only about 15 mintues. It's the only time she will tolerate the pack n' play though!

Happy 1000th post!!!!!!!
Lisa

[beckyr88]

This may not help, but DD showers with me. She sits in the tub as I wash up, then she gets her wash. She'll just play with her toys and she seems to enjoy it. Kills two birds!!

HTH!

[etwahl]

lauren sits on the floor and watches baby einstein each morning while i shower and get ready. it's perfect because she can see me in the shower while she watches!!! i just make sure the room is "baby proofed" and then shut the door so she can't get out, but she has free roam of the bedroom/bathroom, yet she doesn't move from the tv - she's glued!

Tammy,
Mom to Lauren Genevieve
03/12/2003
www.evantammy.com

[houseof3boys]

Congrats on the milestone post! I always enjoy reading yours. :)

Ryan normally is in the shower with me. His new thing is sitting in the shower and letting the water splash around him. We have a pretty large walk in shower though. Otherwise, he still sits in his bouncy in the bathroom right outside the glass shower door and I make faces at him every few minutes while he plays with toys. He leans all the way over in the bouncy and still hasn't managed to flip it so until that happens, we're sticking with it! I tried to let him roam free in our childproofed bathroom, but he still managed to get into trouble. I cannot relax in the shower if I am worrying about what he could do roaming around. When I put makeup on and do my hair, he is at my feet and playing with all of the toys we keep in the bathroom.

[jbowman]

Either I take a bath with DD in the evening or I put DD in her bouncer (with toys) next to the shower in the morning...if she gets fussy, I end up singing to her as I shower. I have showered many a time in the past few months while singing her favorite song, "99 Bottles of Beer," LOL!

[heidi_timms]

Baby Einstein is my friend!

I shower around 9-10am while Baby einstein is in. We have two of those Superyard XT play yards linked together to make a huge, gated play area in our living room. She is fairly safe, but I have a climber so I have to move any table toys like the Leapstart Learning table to the center of the play area, otherwise she might launch herself over the sides of the gate. DD already climbed and fell out of her crib, so I realize that this is entirely possible!!!


~Heidi
Mom to Kailey Ashlin
4/27/03

[amp]

DS gets up in the am around 6:15. He is ready for a nap by 8-8:30 or so (this does vary a bit), so I hop in the shower once I am sure he is asleep and not going to be crying at length. I have enough time to shower, get my hair and makeup done and come here to catch up for a bit before he wakes. When he gives up his am nap, I will have to try showering before DH leaves in the am.

[Marisa6826]

I usually shower when Sophie takes her morning nap around 11am. It kind of depends if I have any plans or not.

If I need to get out and Sophie isn't really tired, I will put her in her crib with the laptop on the bookcase and play Baby Einstein.

-m

[Marisa6826]

Heidi-

We have two Super Gates hooked together too! We call it Sophie's "corral" ;)

It's my saving grace!!

-m

[bluej]

I'm a late morning showerer as well. I wait until Ryden goes down for his nap and then I shower (around 10 am). I could never shower while Ryden is awake. He's a master escape artist. I imagine I'll be one stinky mama when he switches to one nap and I can't shower until 1 pm!

[DDowning]

My goal is to take a shower before 10 every morning - some days I makeit, some days I don't and its later. Right now DS starts in the bathroom with me - I have both closet doors and the door to the toilet shut. There are a bunch of toys to keep him occupied. I also have the door to the bedroom shut. If he wonders from the bathroom to the bedroom, there's nothing he can hurt himself with and the mirrors are so huge that I can see his reflection if he wanders to far. So far, it seems to be working.

[Imperia]

Heh,

this was a fear of mine because I HAVE to have a abth or a shower every day, preferably one of each.

So far:

I take a bath with DD in the evenings usually before she goes to bed. (We have a big tub) and usually I take one for about five to ten minutes beforehand and DH amuses her etc.

In the am I take a shower and if SH is not home to amuse her I put her in her crib (I knew it would be good for something--she doesn't actually SLEEP in it lol). She amuses herself for 10-15 minutes while I shower quite happily. ALthough, I have been known to leave big puddles on the carpet if I can't hear her playing or she cries because her mobile stopped. (Our master bathroom is right next to the sitting room area we have her nursery in the master bedroom, so this works pretty well.)

Imperia

[jec2]

Today I have yet to shower of br ush my teeth and it's 5:20! Usually I shower first thing in the morning so DH watches the baby or before I go to bed when DS is already asleep.

Mostly I try not to move too fast so as to build up a sweat thereby necessitating a daily shower. That way, I can get away with one every two days ;)

[Momof3Labs]

Colin sits on our bed or roams our bedroom while watching a Thomas video or (today) Finding Nemo. The bathroom is right off the bedroom, and occasionally he comes to check on me while I'm in the shower but hasn't for a couple of weeks now. We usually head up for a shower around 8am.

[C99]

Who has time for hair and make-up???

I shower/bathe every other day. If I don't have time for a morning shower, I just get in the bath with Nate the night before. I was a regular nighttime bath-taker before I had kids, so this is fine with me. If I do shower in the morning, I just shut the door to the bathroom and Nate stays in the room w/ me. He likes to play peek-a-boo with the shower curtain, and there are a ton of toys in the bathroom, and everything else is adequately babyproofed that he can't get into trouble.

[RwnMayfair]

Usually, Taran sits in his bouncy seat right outside of the shower and plays with a few toys. In the past couple of weeks he's started leaning over the side of it (apparently there's something fascinating underneath that I'm not seeing), but he's strapped in well enough that he doesn't fall out, and he doesn't flip it either, so we're sticking with it for now. He has also started dropping toys over the side so he can lean over and try to pick them up (which he's only somewhat successful with), so he always get a toy that I can attach to the bouncy seat now.

On the days that he's due for a shower and we're home alone, he takes one with me, though he still sits in the bouncy seat until I'm ready for him. He can't sit up on his own yet and the one time I tried laying him down in the tub on his bath sponge thingie, too much water was getting in his face for his satisfaction. He was a lot younger then though, so I may have to try it again now as he just adores being in the shower or in a bath. If it weren't for the fact that too many showers give him dry skin right now, I suspect he'd be thrilled to get one every day.

This has been enlightening though! I was just wondering the other day what people do about showers when their babies become mobile. :)

-Melissa

Taran Reed - Nov, 20, 2003

[justlearning]

The time I shower really varies, but the method for containing DS is always the same. Sometimes I shower before he wakes up or during his naps, but this is my method when he's awake: I put him in his walker in front of the TV with one of his Baby Einstein or Signing Time videos in it. If I need more time than the one video, I will then take him out of the walker and blowdry my hair while watching him play.

[Sarah1]

>Who has time for hair and make-up???
>
I'm with you, Caroline!! I *never* blow-dry my hair, except if we have a babysitter and are going out to dinner. It seems to look the same whether I blow-dry it or not. The exception to this is if it's really cold outside. Then I'll dry my hair.

As for make-up, if I *do* put on make-up, it's a 3-5 minute application!! Concealer, blush, mascara, that's IT.

As for my showering routine...this became a big issue when DD dropped her morning nap. A couple mornings a week, I take DD to the gym w/me (there's a daycare) and I shower there. Usually one day a week, I just don't shower, and sometimes, I'll just wait to shower until she naps at around 12:30-1.

The times Audrey is awake in the morning when I need to take a shower, I do what Tammy does--put Audrey in our bedroom, in front of the TV watching something appropriate, with the door to the bathroom open so I can watch her. I have to keep my shower short, though.

[ChicagoMama]

ROTFL!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for this post, Juliet. I love your unabashed, blunt honesty!!

Becky

Mama to DDs Shelby 09/19/02 and Sydney 10/16/03

[lrucci]

During the week, I shower before work. On the weekends, it's whenever I get a chance. Usually it isn't till around 10 or 11. DH usually is home to watch dd. If he isn't, I wait until she's napping or I bring her in the bathroom with me. She plays in our bedroom while I put on my makeup and do my hair.

Lisa
Mom to Kyleigh Elizabeth 7/19/03

[jbowman]

I agree with you about the hair and make-up! No time (or interest).

[pritchettzoo]

Y'all do your hair and makeup? Heck, I'm feeling purty if I brush my teeth!

DD sleeps late in the morning (because she's up late at night and because she generally won't stay asleep if I'm not there with her), so I usually shower around noon. With her in the bouncy chair alternating between giggling and whining. She could probably wiggle out of the chair if she really wanted to, but I think she enjoys complaining. :P

ETA: Where are my manners? CONGRATULATIONS!

Anna
Mama to Gracie (9/16/03)

[starrynight]

I told dh he is lucky if I get a daily shower so he doesn't complain now if I wait until late in the day. Either I shower early in the morning before the baby gets up (if my toddler is up I just stick her in the shower with me) or I wait until after dinner when dh is home to watch the kids.

On the rare occassion both girls nap at the same time I take one then.

[BethinMass]

This is what my husband and I do (he's a stay at home dad). We have 2 children. Our older one normally sleeps until 8 or so, our younger one is up at 6 am.

My husband wakes up and feeds our younger with a bottle while I take a shower. I then throw on clothes (I use the heat in the car to blow dry my hair :/ and put makeup on at the office) and play with my son while my husband takes his very long shower.

With our first one, our daughter took naps all the time so showering wasn't a problem for him. However our son, takes 15 minute cat naps if that, so we had to have a solution. My husband isnt' awake til he takes a shower, and he's in there for 20 mins :/

Before this I'd wake up 20 mins before I had to leave and jumped in the shower and then ran out waving to my husband. My husband was irratated he wasn't taking a shower and that I was sleeping late. I was irratated because I was always in a rush and since I try to give a lot of attention to my older daughter, I felt like I was short changing Josh.

Waking up early and swapping off made both of us very happy :) Nevermind we actually could talk to each other for a few minutes before I left for work.

Even if my daughter wakes up early, she's happy to see me and just cuddles with me and my son :)

[american_mama]

Yeah, I felt embarassed about how late my showers and wake-up time were for a long time. Before a baby, I often slep until 11 am on weekends, and after baby, I would take her into bed in the early morning when she cried and nurse and sleep, nurse and sleep, until she just wouldn't sleep anymore (maybe 9;30 or 10 am).

Then I would lie about my wake-up time to all my other new mom friends. So the time of your shower sounds perfectly reasonable to me!

I also often wondered what to do with my daughter while showering. This is what I have done over the past 2 years: Infant: swing or carseat in a nearby room or in bathroom. Maybe 8 months and up: exesaucer. I didn't feel it was safe for her to wander the bathroom. After 1 year old, crib. She often cried all through the shower; no fun. But by the time she was 1 1/2, she happily played in her crib and that's what we still do. I don't close the bedroom curtains or turn off the lights, and I tell her this is while mommy showers. Maybe she understands; she tolerates it well. She sometimes cries once she hears me get out of the shower, but that's only fair.

I started letting her wander, slightly, when she was about 20 months old. She either played in the bathroom or in the hallway and a bedroom (I can shut all other doors, and we live on one level.) But I still prefer putting her in the crib.

[wagner36]

For all of you that bathe with your babes? Haven't they pooped in the water??? I used to take baths with DS a few nights a week, but after the 3rd or 4th poop (and he's normally a morning pooper - I kept thinking I was safe!!!), I gave up on it. It was truly vile. DH took pictures the first time it happened because he thought it was just hilarious, and I am so afraid those will leak out to friends someday.....

[suribear]

Always in the morning. DS goes into the exersaucer, though it's no longer age appropriate. I can't have him wandering around and he hates the crib.

I often work at night (from home) and that's "my time" so I don't want to waste that precious time with bathing, though it has crossed my mind.

Kris

[houseof3boys]

Knock on wood but Ryan has never done that with me. He peed one time in the tub that I saw, but that's it.

Yucky thoughts are in my head now just thinking about poopy water. :( I love that you took pics. I would have done the same thing!

[dotgirl]

About half the time when I shower, I take DS with me. I get in and wash everything but my hair while my husband gets DS ready. Then he hands him to me (he loves to lap at the water like a little puppy) and I soap him off. (He's only 6-months, btw - this will become harder soon, I think.) Then I hand him to DH, who dries and dresses him while I wash my hair and then dry and dress.

The other half of the time, DH has him either on his lap or in the bouncer while I shower. (I shower in the morning - if I'm doing something at night, it's a nice loooong bath with a book.)

[dotgirl]

Edited because the stupid proxy at work TRIPLE posted. Guh.

[dotgirl]

Edited because the stupid proxy at work TRIPLE posted. Guh.

[daisymommy]

Wow, I am so glad to hear that it's not just me showering when Josh goes down for a nap at 1O, 11, or even in the afternoon somedays. I have honestly tried getting up early before Josh wakes up, to shower, get myself ready, and get a jump start on my day. But I haaaate mornings (saying this with a long drawn out sigh ;)). I am not at all a morning person, and getting up before 7:30/8:00a.m. at the earliest is as bad as a root canal to me! :) So, I sleep in till Josh starts fussing in his crib, and walk around stinky till he takes his nap. The only down side of this is the day is half gone before we ever get out to do anything. Oh well! Sacrifices must be made for extra sleep!

[calebsmama03]

I shower at night. It's better for my allergies AND I can take as long as I want without feeling bad for leaving DS unattended. While I do hair and m/u he plays in the bedroom/bathroom where I'm at (read - tries to dump everything out of all my drawers and cabinets, so afterwards we clean :) )
Lynne
Mommy to Caleb 3/3/03

[lizamann]

This happened to me not too long ago. Horrifying! I got a clue that it was imminent and threw my wet, gassy baby on the toilet. Mind you she'd never as much as sat on a potty before, let alone used one, so she found this quite amusing. But nothing happened on the toilet, of course, so back into the tub she came. BIG MISTAKE!!!

I was quite a bit traumatized, but still bathe with her on occassion.

[s_gosney]

Don't you have to make the temperature of the water way cooler than you normally would? Or do I just have the wrong view of how hot babies can handle water?

[dotgirl]

Well, we're "lucky" enough to live in a house which was built in 1912, and due to the where the shower is (on the third floor) vs. where the water heater is (in the basement), and where the pipes are (in the outside wall!), the water never gets much beyond body temperature when it's cold outside. (In the summer, I can get it all the way up to "kinda hot", though!) So we don't so much have that issue. (For hot hot baths, I use our daughter's bathroom, which is in the basement, but has no shower.)