Up until now I have been able to keep my baby occupied in the hallway outside my bathroom by putting her in her pink bouncer chair that plays music and vibrates and she would love it. But we just moved into our new house where the bathroom is at the top of the stairs so it's not safe to put her in the hallway. I can put her in the bathroom with me, but being that she is now almost 9 months old she is too big for the chair. She can practically get out of it so that's not safe either. What do other mom's out there do with their babies when they need to take a shower?
PS - I would love to get up and get ready before she wakes up in the morning but I work late evenings so I sleep late and my husband is off to work long after we get up, so I'm on my own!
Crib? Pack & Play? Put a few soft toys/books with her & put on a kids music CD.
I used to take the video monitor into the bathroom so I could "watch" the crib while I showered & did my hair.
You will become the Fast Shower Zen Master!
My son always came with me into the bathroom. I laid a blanket on the floor with some toys and when I would hear him getting antsy i would play peek a boo with him. as soon as I was doen showering I would them give him a shower so it worked out great!
Crib, swing or high chair. Most often I used the crib with sippy cup, toys and books.
My son goes in the exersaucer while I shower, unless he happens to be napping, which never seems to work out. If I didn't have an exersaucer I would just use a playpen or the crib with some toys in it. If you're like me you just worry about the baby crying the whole time you're showering, its just not very relaxing. I think anywhere that she's contained and occupied is fine, she doesn't necessarily have to be in the bathroom with you. Of course I have no privacy because my 2 year old has to shower with me, I always try to sneak off while she's watching a movie but as soon as she hears the water she strips and jumps in with me.
Put her in her crib with some books and toys. If it's a fast shower, she won't mind, and if it's a long shower she'll still be safe!
If I couldn't get in the shower during morning naptime (or needed to be out earlier) I would put my kids in a pack n play (in another room) while I was showering. I had toys in there for them to play with, and they couldn't go anywhere or come to any harm in there.
At this age... I would put her in her highchair and give her some good food and maybe a plastic book to look through while your in the shower.... keep the curtain open a little bit and talk to her during the shower and make silly faces with the soap lathered on your head. That's what I had to do! :)
Hi There,
We used the Exersaucer until my daughter was about 18 mos., my son only lasted in it until 14 mos or so, but it was great while I showered. My daughter was always a TV lover (not that that is a good thing, but it would buy me time!). If she was reluctant about getting in the Exersaucer, I would put Sesame Street on while she was contained. My friend used a High Chair for her daughter... wheeled it in the bathroom and gave her a snack or toys to play with. Good Luck. I am like you, forget trying to shower before the kids get up... though I have been doing it more now. My kids are 2 and 4, and though my older daughter is good, my 2 year old son, not so much, so I have to be creative or just get up before they do!
I have pretty much the same response- pack n play or crib with favorite toys. That is what I did with my son when my husband wasn't home and I needed to shower. I would bring the monitor into the bathroom and if he really got upset I would just have to finish up quick and go get him and finish getting ready with one eye on him and the other on what I was doing. Fortunately my house is only one story so there was no worry about falling downstairs. I also would bring my son in the shower with me if I needed to bathe him too, it was a big time saver, but if you do this be careful about your soap and shampoo getting in her eyes.
I put our daughter (almost 9 months) in the pack-n-play while I shower with some toys. Also turn the TV on so she watches that to occupy herself a little. I leave the door open to our bedroom so that I can see and hear her while showering. Either that, or I wait until she takes her morning nap.
Lynsey
Put her in the shower with you. I did that, my kids played with toys while took the shower. Can you take your shower when she is napping?
Pack and play most of the time. I keep toys in there that she doesn't get to play with at other times, so they're "exciting" for the few minutes. Sometimes I put her in her high chair with snacks, but too often her brother comes by and eats them before she can!
I haven't had this problem in a very long time lol. But I used to either wait until my little ones took a nap or take my shower at night before bed. I actually liked that option better as I felt nice and clean going to bed. then the next morning would wash my hair in the sink.
Put her in her crib. She can wait a few minutes and is fine if she fusses. You need a shower every day. That is a basic necessity. We love our babies, but they are not dictators.
After months of trying the bedtime bath routine, I finally decided to just take the baby in the shower with me. It was a huge help when, at 6-months, my husband started working out of town (gone from Sunday night to Thursday night). I work full time M-F 8-5 and have to have my morning shower.
So, I keep a basket of toys by the tub and let my girl pick a few to play with while I'm cleaning myself. Then, I pick her up, wash her hair & body, and let her play for a few more minutes while I dry off. We both wrap in towels and get dressed in the bedroom. This still works perfectly for us (she's almost 2). Sometimes I do luck out, and she sleeps in a little late so I can take a shower by myself. I've only gotten soap in her eyes once and was able to rinse it out and stop the crying very quickly. She's always been a very cooperative baby and doesn't stand up unless I ask her to (to rinse her hair or wrap in the towel). The toys stay by the tub and I rotate new ones in every once in a while.
Is your bathroom or your hallway big enough for a pack n play? Just put her in with a couple of toys and jump in the shower. Or does she have an excersaucer? where she can sort of bounce around in one spot while your taking a shower? Otherwise I am stuck for a suggestion,sorry.
crib, pack and play, high chair? I used to bring the high chair right into the bathroom while I took a shower. If you have a tub seat put her right in while you take a shower.
N.,
I used the high chair (pain the butt to lift over the gate but it was what I had) with a 5 point harness and finger foods while I was in the shower. Peekaboo still worked at that point. : )
Hi N.-
Great suggestions so far but if none of those things work in your space, look for the Fisher Price Infant to Toddler Rocker. It works for infants up to 40 lb toddlers. I still have 2 of them in my house and my kids are 8, 6, and almost 3. The 2 youngest still sit in them occasionally.
Good luck,
K.
I put my son in his exersaucer with a little snack--those gerber puffs. I also put on a Baby Einstein video for him and that has allowed me to take a shower in the morning.
