What to do when baby outgrows baby bath

A baby bath is one of the best times to have fun bonding with your little one and it is also the best time to check the conditions of skin in the body about any allergies, scars, or any kind of problems. 

Baby baths are one of the best tools where you can wash your little one more safely and carefully but what to do when baby outgrows baby bath? There is no exact and fixed age that when your baby outgrows.

But once you start realizing that your baby is outgrowing there will be two options, either switch to a regular bath or switch to the bigger bathtub. But you can never be sure when is the right time to do so. 

After four to six-month babies start to learn to sit on their own and it is said to be transitioned to the regular bath. Some babies outgrow quickly whereas other babies are still fit in the bath till one year. 

The growth of the baby depends on lots of factors, however, size is a good determination factor that you should consider.

Now you know your baby’s size is getting bigger and you feel the bathtub is small for your little one, are you still wondering what to do when baby outgrows baby bath? 

As we mentioned two options earlier, let’s dive into more detail about those options.

Once you realize that your baby is outgrowing that means he/she is getting ready for the transition from a baby bath to a regular bathtub. So, let’s talk more about transitioning to a regular bathtub.

Transition baby bath to a regular bathtub 

Straight put in the big regular bathtub is quite noticeable for your baby because a small bath is lots of different than the big regular bathtub. So it is very essential not to have stress from being abruptly put in an unfamiliar environment.

You could try two ways to your outgrown baby while transitioning your baby to a regular bathtub.

Put baby bathtub over regular bathtub

Once you put a baby bathtub over a regular bathtub, the rest of the process is exactly the same that you have been doing while bathing your baby and this is the best way to introduce your baby to a regular bathtub.

Your baby can still feel safe and comfortable in the bathtub as normal and you can also carry out your normal washing routine while your baby is in the bathtub. At this time you could turn on a tap so that your baby could get used to the tap water sound.

Transition baby bath direct to Regular bathtub

This might be an effective idea to transition your baby to a regular bathtub, however, do this only if you think your baby can handle sudden changes in the environment. 

So, once your baby grows out of the infant bathtub and transitions directly to the regular bath we should follow some guidelines.

1. Make sure the water level should be quite a few inches and it doesn’t cover the whole back of the baby’s back.

2. Water should be lukewarm which is neither cold nor hot.

3. Place a  towel back of the baby’s back and place into the bathtub and keep pouring water onto baby’s body throughout the whole cleaning process 

When should you transition your baby to a Bathtub?

You might have been using an infant bathtub to give a bath to your little one to keep clean and safe but an infant bathtub won’t last forever. As your toddler grows up and sits on their own then your baby is ready for a big bathtub.

It depends upon the individual baby’s growth; usually, babies can sit up on their own in about four to six months and some babies might take a little longer so you need to wait when you feel that your baby is ready.

Transition to big bathtub

Giving a baby is always a challenging job, once he/she gets contact with water his/her body will be more slippery, and bathing the baby in a big bath is scarier too.

To clear this doubt about “what to do when baby outgrows baby bath?” in a single line is just transition to a big bathtub. It sounds really easy but it is not as easy as you are thinking now. We need to be more careful and should follow all the safety guidelines as long as your baby is not scared of a big bathtub.

So, you might be wondering how to transition to a big bathtub? Let’s talk about some of the procedures you should follow to avoid any kind of danger during shifting to a big bathtub.

1. The most important part is the preparation of the bathtub with the correct temperature of the water, and the room should be warm and comfy. Water should be neither hot nor cold, it should be lukewarm and use your elbow to feel the correct temperature of the water.

2. It is better to wait until he/she starts to sit more freely without any support since the bathtub is not fully safe so wait until your baby can sit on his/her own for safer reasons.

3. First of all, to familiarize your baby, put your infant small baby bathtub inside your big bathtub for a week, once he/she gets used to it and then start using the big bathtub.

4. Make bath time more fun using appropriate bath toys and playing with toys.

5. To make bath time more safe and sound you could use an anti-slip bath mat that could possibly provide extra sport from the slippery base of the tub. 

Bath safety baby

Safety is always the first priority that must be considered at all times during bath time and he/she needs constant supervision as well. Always lower risk and hazard such as slipping and bumping head.

However, we could reduce any kind of risks, if you follow some of these safety precautions;

Prepare everything before

During bath time you are not allowed to leave your baby alone even for a second so gather all stuff before starting to give a bath to your baby, such as diaper cloths, soap, shampoo, sponge, etc. 

Even though your baby is sitting freely on his/her own, they easily drown in the bathwater so that your supervision at all times plays a vital role.

Water level and slipperiness

As we already talk about the temperature of the water that should be warm neither hot nor cold. There is another point we should consider: the water level inside the bathtub. Set the water level just an inch or up to two inches to avoid the risk of drowning.

For extra safety precautions, you can add an anti-slip bath mat on the base of the bathtub so that it might prevent it from falling and bang your baby’s head against the tub. If you do not have a bath mat you could possibly use a towel. 

Final thoughts 

Once your baby outgrows the baby bath you could possibly transition to either a big bathtub or a regular bath and these are the straight options, perhaps everyone has been practicing for a long time. 

If your baby is not fond of the first bath, it will be a bit scary in a big bathtub or in a regular bathtub a few times. If your baby is still afraid of a bath, do not force him/her to get into it, keep continuing with the infant bathtub or sponge bath two to three times before the next try.

Lastly do not forget safety is always the first priority and make your baby’s bathing time comfy and enjoyable not stressful. 

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