At what age/months should you not take a bath with your baby?

Question

My husband works out of town and is not home all the time. Therefore for safety reasons I have always put my baby in the bath tub with me. (Don't want him running around the house while I'm in the shower). He used to sit in a seat at the other end of the shower (I ran a little bath water in the tub for him to play) while I took a shower at the other end. Now he is old enough to sit alone (we have a non-skid bottom, not slick) so he plays with a few toys. My concern is what age is too old to put him in with me? This is a good learning time for him now because when I finish I turn off the shower and we play games such as sink and float, read books (plastic bath books), sing songs, teach major body parts(head, leg, feet, hand, eyes, etc.) I try to save my time after he goes to bed for cleaning up so I really don't want to waste these few hours on taking a shower but I also want to know the appropriate age in which to stop. No rude answers please. Thanks.

Answer 1

The appropriate time to stop is when either of you becomes uncomfortable with it.  

Answer 2

Hmmm, I don't really know.

I know people who have showered with their kids till the age of 7. I feel that if it is an opposite s*x parent then the age should be about 4. If it is a same s*x parent 5 to 6 is okay.

I personally fell that all children will ask questions and there is nothing wrong with that. I think it is okay to have a KID APPROPRIATE body part talk with them at a certain age.

Answer 3

once your son learns the difference between boys and girls, he needs to stop showering with you.

Answer 4

I would say when he is old enough to ask questions. :)

He's probably too young right now to know.  But when he is looking, trying to discover your parts that are different from his, then I would say thats about the time.

Answer 5

maybe when he starts to talk or around 2

Answer 6

At least you are concerned.  When he starts to know the difference.  It is to likely he will remember if you do it for several years.  I mean How much do any of us remember about being that little.  Just enjoy your time with him.  It will not last long.  Good Luck.

Answer 7

There's no 'right' answer to this question.  A child that is taught to be open-minded and self-aware should not have a problem with seeing their mother in any state, at any time in thier life - however; the society that the child will grow up in will affect the way they see themselves.  To make it easier for the child to 'fit in,' a parent can raise thier child in the same ways that other children in the society are raised.  In mainstream America, most children cannot remember ever having seen thier parents naked, and so, if you want to make sure that your child has similar experiences to other American children, you should make sure that you stop bathing together after the first few years.  Try to remember your earliest memory, and to recall what age you were when you had it.  Make that age the cutoff point for bathing with your child.

Answer 8

When he is able to start asking what is that? When my son was that age I would put him in a high chair just outside the door with some type of safe snack or a simple activity he could do by himself. That way he doesn't see anything you don't want him to, but in the mean time he is in a safe place to.

Answer 9

Its all up to you.  Use your best judgment.  Personally, I'm not comfortable with my 4 year old son being in the shower with me.  He's at the age that he knows there is a difference between boys and girls and I just don't think its appropriate for him to see me naked anymore.  He occasionally showered with me until he was around 2 or 2.5.  I can't recall exactly.  If its a concern of yours, I suggest you simply shower while he's asleep.  Besides, I really treasure that 10 or 15 minutes in the shower by myself.  Its one of the only times I really get to relax for a few minutes.

Answer 10

I would say until he's about four, thats when the child tends to get restless and wants to be independant. then, you can start bathing him in a regular bath. I realy like this story/question. It melted my heart. Dont lose those moments.

Answer 11

that is so sweet. my son just turned 4 and my youngest is 22 mths. i shower with them. my 4 yr old doesnt mind and it  never gets wierd. its not a everyday thing just once in a while when im in a rush. i asked my pediatrician this same question and she told me that as long as we are comfortable then they are still small enough to take a shower with there mommy :)

Answer 12

I think until it becomes weird between you two is fine. I don't see anything wrong with it. I think you should just keep doing it until he can sit alone in the living room without you being worried is fine.  

Answer 13

My step-mother took baths with me until I was about 6.  I only have memory of one time...nothing significant happened, just your average bath, no new toy or anything to make it stick in my mind.  But I have no memory of us bathing together after that.  I even remember something we talked about when we were in the bath.  When I mentioned it to my step-mother she said my memory is the last time we bathed together (which would explain why I have no memory of it after that time...); she said that I asked her a question that made her decide it was time to stop but she doesn't remember the question.  I was 6...your son is four.  I know it's a bit different since my situation was two females but it should let you know that you'll know when it's time to stop...and he's not going to remember this.  But in the meantime, the playing y'all do is going to go far in forming your bond.  Enjoy yourself.  You're fine.  You'll know when to stop and he probably won't remember it even if you continue for several more years.  Even if he has a final memory like I do...I don't see her naked in my memory.  I see her face and can recall the intimacy and closeness and how protected I felt...that's it.  So even if he does have a 'final memory' of that event when you decide to 'call it'...the memory won't be of your body.

This is a very sweet question because it gives a sense of the special time y'all enjoy in the bath.  Just keep on having fun and loving him during your special time...you'll know when it's time for him (and you) to go solo.

Take care!

Answer 14

It's really up to you. When my son was first born I would be so careful bathing him in his bathtub and all. Now though that he is 2 1/2 we bathe together and play in there and while I take care of two bathes at one time and less a bit less water, at the same time we have fun.