There are a number of reasons why bathing your baby in a shower might be a better option than the tub.
You may be wondering whether it’s OK to bathe your baby or toddler in the shower, and what the best way to go about it is. The short answer is yes it is totally fine to bathe your little one in the shower, and it’s great to have it as another option!
Since the kids were born I have found myself using the shower to bathe them frequently – as it’s often a more convenient or better option depending on the situation.
For example if we’ve been swimming together and didn’t get a chance to shower at the pool then we will hop in the shower together when we get home.
If I’m showering myself I often find it easier to just bring the kids in with me and rinse them off too. I keep spare shampoo and conditioner for kids in my shower just for these occasions.
In this post you will find everything you need to know about bathing your baby in the shower!
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Bathing baby in shower
So the first question you probably have is will it be OK to bathe your baby in the shower? The answer is yes, but with the caveat that you’ll want to take a few precautions.
If you have ever held a wet baby you will know they are slippery! Like seriously slippery.
To summarise quickly there are a few items you can get kitted out with that will make bathing baby in the shower much easier:
These ensure you aren’t holding your baby without support. If you do get into the shower while holding your baby ensure the floor has a non slip mat to reduce risk of you falling.
You could place a waterproof swim nappy on your baby to give you a bit more grip on your little one.
When it comes to bathing a toddler who can stand unaided in the shower your main worry is a slippery shower floor. You can reduce the risk with an anti-slip mat.
Even when your toddler can walk I would still recommend supervising them at all times – I always stood in the shower with my kids at this age to ensure they were safe. They often loved to sit and slide around on the floor of the shower which I was fine with as long as I was there to make sure they didn’t get into any trouble.
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Reasons to bathe a baby in the shower
There are a few good reasons why you may need to bathe your baby in the shower – because you want to or because it’s just more convenient. Here are a few.
Super quick rinse
You may only need to give you child a very quick wash.
There are a number of reasons why you may not have time to wait for the bath to fill up with water.
Those could include:
- Your child has been sick or had an explosive nappy in the night. Rinsing them off means they’re clean and comfy to get back into bed, but you don’t want to spend time filling the bath to do this.
- You’ve got home late and don’t have time for a full bath before bedtime.
Avoid drying out their skin
My youngest child has had eczema since she was born and so we’ve had to try lots of different things to help her very dry skin.
One big tip that has helped has been to use less frequent baths and to avoid submerging her for a long period. This is where showers are much better.
We use a warm shower – as hot can also really dry out and irritate the skin – and then coat her in moisturiser afterwards.
Save on water
The cost of living is on the rise and if you’re looking to cut back on your water bills then showering instead of bathing can save water.
You’ll need to time your showers to keep them short and sweet, as a super long shower can end up using as much water as a bath.
I often wash myself at the same time as showering my kids, which saves on time in the shower, and therefore cuts back our water usage.
You don’t have a tub
In some homes space may be tight and you just don’t have a bathtub. Babies can be bathed in the sink, but you may choose to give them a wash in the shower instead.
It could be that you are staying somewhere without showers, in which case it’s always a good idea to plan ahead for how you will cope with bathing your baby in the shower. Getting the right products in place will help you ensure this is safe and fun for your baby.
When can you wash a baby in the shower
You can start to wash your baby regularly in a bath or shower once their umbilical cord stump has fallen off. This typically takes around one to two weeks. Before then you can just give them a gentle sponge bath with cotton wool balls.
Babies don’t get very dirty in the early months – it’s toddlers who need a little more regular washing – so you won’t need to bathe them every day, the NHS advises.
Tips for bathing babies and toddlers in the shower
There are some simple ways to make washing your little one in the shower much easier and safer for them.
Consider your environment
Remember to consider the room first, is it a shower over a bath tub or a separate shower stall? A shower with a handheld shower head can be a lot easier, as you have control over where the spray gets pointed, whereas a fixed shower head means your child has to go directly under the spray to get clean.
If you have a choice then my preference with a baby would always be to shower them in the bathtub. Get them to sit if they are a toddler or with a baby pop them into a baby bath support chair or baby bath tub, with support seat for younger babies.
Even in a shower you always should supervise your little one closely by remaining in the same room.
When washing a newborn baby you may want to try co-showering, so that you can ensure you are ready to assist them if they need it. It’s also a fun way of bonding with your little one.
Get a waterproof baby sling
A normal cloth sling or baby carrier won’t withstand a drenching in the shower. However you can get special waterproof slings that can be used in places like a hot tub or in the shower, so the material can withstand the soaking.
Using a baby sling means your child is secure against you, as attempting to hold them in the shower can be risky as the water will make their skin extremely slippery.
Try a portable mini tub
A baby bath is a safe place to put your baby while they are having a wash.
Using one in the shower is a great option, as you can place it in the shower tray, fill it up with the shower head and then place baby in there.
These are brilliant because it means you are not holding your baby in the shower, which saves your the stress of worrying about dropping them.
You can buy inflatable bathtubs that are handy for travel too!
Your baby may also prefer to keep their face away from the spray of the shower.
Many mini baths have seats that support small babies who are not yet sitting upright.
A mini tub is not appropriate for your toddler, always follow the age range suggestions on the product that you purchase.
Get a non slip mat
With your toddler you’ll want to make sure the shower basin is safe, as those tend to get pretty slippery.
I either hold my children’s hands when they are in the shower to make sure they don’t slip over or use a non-slip mat in the shower tray. Be sure it is securely stuck to the floor before starting the shower.
Keep water out of their eyes
The one thing my kids hate about the shower is how the water jumps into their eyes. They won’t look up under the spray even with their eyes closed!
There are a couple of different ways you can deal with this.
If you stand in the shower with them you can shield them from the spray. Or you can get them to stand with their back to the water and their face tipped forward to keep water away from their face – then you just wash their face with a flannel.
Alternatively you can get clever shower caps with a wide visor that catch the water and stop it from going into your child’s face.
Use warm water temperature
You may love your showers to be scalding hot, but your baby or toddler’s sensitive skin won’t. Keep the temperature comfortable, at a warm degree.
You can check whether the temperature is OK with a bath thermometer. Simply fill your baby’s mini tub if you have one with water and pop the bath thermometer in there to test the water temperature if you are unsure.
Always double check the temperature of the water before placing your baby or toddler under the spray.
Try shower and bath toys
There are amazing waterproof toys that you can stick to the tiles on the sides of your shower or on the floor of the shower stall that babies and toddlers will love.
These will distract them and keep them entertained while you get on with giving them a wash.
Some shower toys can be stuck to the sides and feature pipes and tubes your child can drop objects or pour water into. I also love the sets of shapes you can stick to the side of the bath or on shower tiles likes these ones. Kids can create their own pictures!
A fun shower head can also be a great toy for your little one! You can purchase all sorts of different shaped attachments to fix over existing shower points, or taps. I love this cute dolphin shower head.
Shower yourself at the same time
Some parents may not love the idea of sharing a shower with their toddler however it definitely makes the process much easier. I personally can’t prevent my clothes from getting wet when my kids are having a shower so it’s just easier to be in there with them!
My kids also actually find it quite fun to share!
Have the towels ready to go
Kids don’t handle sudden drops in temperature well – and as adults know the second you turn a shower spray off you can start to feel cold pretty quickly.
Keep your baby or toddler comfortable by having their towel ready to wrap them up as soon as they are out of the shower.
Hooded towels are brilliant for little ones, as they cover the head much easier than a normal towel.
For a baby I suggest having a changing mat on the floor of the bathroom next to the shower with their towel laid out ready, so you can lay them on it immediately after the shower is over and get them wrapped up and cosy.
Final thoughts on washing baby or toddler in the shower
So as you can see showering your baby or toddler is definitely an option, but you’ll just need to think ahead and plan how you’re going to make it safe for them.
It’s definitely good to have using the shower as an option for bathing your kids, as it often proves to be a far more convenient way of getting them clean. It may also be your only option if you have travelled somewhere that does not have a bath.
