Safety should always be prioritized when planning and designing a luxurious bathroom. When you have infants and toddlers, the most innocent accessories, décor and furniture pieces can cause major accidents if you are not cautious. The recent shocking incident in which an 18-day-old baby drowned in a bathtub in Detroit is a stark reminder about how important bathtub safety for babies should be for parents. By taking a few simple precautions, tragedies can more easily be avoided.
Ways to Make Your Bathtub Safe for Your Baby
Here are a few simple things you can do to prevent bath time mishaps.
1. Water level and temperature
Remember to gather together all bathing accessories, like towels, soaps and toys, beforehand and keep them within easy reach. It is best to fill the tub with three to four inches of water at most, as more water equals higher risk. Most importantly, never leave a baby alone during bath time.
The next factor to consider is water temperature. Baby’s skin is soft and sensitive and burns quickly if water is too hot. Lower the temperature of your heater when warming bath water and make sure it is lukewarm for your child’s skin by testing it against your own hand first. Anti-scald faucets are a great way to prevent burns in the bathtub. The overall temperature of the bathroom should also be monitored to make sure it is warm enough.
Pro tip:
If the doorbell rings or there is a phone call you must answer, take your baby with you. Also, when you are done bathing baby, drain all water from the tub.
2. Discourage standing or walking in the bathtub
Babies who are just learning to stand and walk tend to be restless and may try and stand up in the tub. This is risky as they can slip, fall and get hurt. Discourage this tendency. As an added precaution, use non-slip bathmats. Even if they do slip, its soft surface will reduce the impact.
3. Install a bathtub enclosure
Bathtub enclosures add dimension to your bathroom. They also act as a barricade for toddlers who run and crawl and have an endless curiosity about every nook and corner of the house. Glass bathtub enclosures are both appealing and sturdy. Just be sure to keep them closed when you are not around to prevent accidents.
4. Avoid bubble baths
Bubble bath is fun and smells great but can irritate baby’s skin, causing a burning sensation or itching. It can also cause (or make worse) urinary tract infections, which are difficult to detect in young children.
Safety Tips for Babies in the Bathtub
Besides the preventive measures outlined above, keep these safety tips in mind while bathing baby.
5. Do not keep tub toys lying around
Tub toys can be a great distraction when bathing a reluctant baby but are potential hazards and cause many accidents. From tripping over them to their toxicity, tub toys should be chosen with caution. If you have questions, consult your pediatrician about your child’s allergic tendencies and the safest tub toys. Also, be sure to avoid toys made with materials that react to hot water, pose choking hazards or are broken. Bath toys that retain water can breed bacteria and should also be avoided.
6. Ignoring safety in other parts of the bathroom
It’s not just the tub that needs to be safe in your bathroom. Wet floors, bathing accessories lying around and soap foam can all lead to accidents while you are moving around with baby in your arms. Make sure the area is dry and secure before you and baby enter it.
Bath time with baby should be fun, but you need to take precautions. The suggestions shared in this post will help make your bathroom safer and avoid situations that can compromise your infant’s safety and health.
