Bathing a Toddler and Infant
Unless you have an amazingly helpful husband and a bathroom large enough for your whole family, most likely you’re in charge of bath time – or maybe your husband is. In my house, going from one toddler to one toddler plus one newborn at bath time was tricky.
So I just threw them both in the bath. Of course I waited until Brian’s little belly button was healed, but now both boys go into the tub at the same time.
Jake goes on the end next to the faucet and Brian lays on his little mesh bath chair at the other end. I kneel in the middle. Jake, the oldest, goes first. We wash his hair and then soap him up. We rinse and he happily plays with his toys and “helps†wash Brian after that.
Brian gets rinsed off, and then shampooed and soaped. Jake rinses his little feet and Mommy rinses his hair and upper body. Both boys get a good swipe with a wet washcloth to clean their faces.
Brian loves to watch Jake play, and Jake actually enjoys hanging out with Brian. The system works well and both boys unwind a bit during a warm bath.
When bath time is over, usually when Brian decides he’s hungry, I pull Jake out first. He gets dried off and then set free in his natural state.
Brian then gets wrapped in the towel and we head to his room. Most of the time Jake joins us, and other times his Daddy isn’t in the middle of work and comes to throw a diaper and jammers on him.
Brian gets lotioned up and diapered while Jake carefully selects his little brother’s pajamas for the evening. We dress Brian and then all troop to Jake’s room to throw on his diaper and pajama pants, if he’s not already wearing them. He won’t wear a shirt at the moment. Ho-hum.
Then bath time is complete, and we all head to the living room for a little movie time while Mommy feeds Brian and puts him to bed. Once the youngest is out, it’s Jake’s turn and finally Mommy gets a little peace and quiet…before heading to the computer to work. Thus is life…
