How Do You Shower with a Toddler Around?

I used to put my kids in a booster seat that has a seat belt and a tray and either put them in the bathroom with me (if enough room) on in the bedroom just outside the bathroom door. You could give them a toy or some veggie puffs (snack.) A playpen would also work. Good Luck! K. (mother of 4 boys)

I just baby proofed the bathroom and then put a gate up in the bathroom door when I was in there so then the door isn't shut with the steam. I put some toys and books and even just occ. played games with them and they were fine with that.

I used the bouncer after my son grew out of his exersaucer. The bouncers are made for bigger kids and are adjustable for their height as they grow.

Hi, My suggestion would be to strap her in somewhere (a high chair or we have a little rocking chair thing) and give her something she likes to do or bring her close to you in the bathroom. Our 13 month old sits in the high chair when I shower. She's got separation anxiety, so she screams usually, but she's safe...
I hope that helps.
A.

I too work fulltime and know the importance of waking up with a shower, if I don't I might as well stay in bed. I've just arranged my sons bathtime to my shower time too. He sits and plays on the other end of the tub while I get my shower in and then I wash him up too. He then gets to start his day of clean and awake just like I do. It really doesn't take too much longer and I get the peace of mind that he is safe. Plus being a working Mom any extra time I get to spend with him is great. You can come up with games and sing in the shower it makes the morning fun! Good luck!

I used to pop mine back in their cribs while I hopped in quickly. When they were that little I saved the longer showers for when my husband was around. Sometimes taking a shower at night worked better than showering in the morning. When I put the kids in their cribs I always gave them a couple toys or books that they could play with while I was fast.

Two things that worked for both my kids...Baby Einstein videos - my kids would watch them until they were about four. The music is soothing (almost hypnotizing) and teaches them rhymes, colors, and languages, etc...some people don't agree with allowing small children watch TV, but I figured 10-15 minutes while I was in the shower was fine.

My other recommendation is take your child into the shower. My kids started showering with me when they were only a few months old. I would take them in their little bath, fill up the bottom of the shower with warm water and let them splash around with specials toys while I was in with them. It saved time as I could clean the both of us up at one time...and they had a blast just splashing around (which isn't something I allowed them to do too much of in the bath since it was such a mess). It also was a great distraction for my son who decided he HATED getting his hair washed for a time. He was so into his squirt guns and toys he wouldn't even notice I was washing his hair.

I bought a pet pen that was a large octagon shape. It was tall so my daughter could not climb out of it & large enough for her to move around in it. The pack-n-play was too small to play in. I also showered quickly.

try putting her in a high chair with some finger food. It worked for me. Good luck

I will put my 14 month old in her highchair with some Cheerios or other safe finger food while I shower. I also have an almost 3 year old boy, so I do have them in front of a cartoon or something else they enjoy watching during this time. It has always worked really well for me, and they are getting a little snack in before breakfast at daycare. I don't know how your girl is, but my two kids are ravenous in the morning so it kind of serves as double duty.

I know this may not be much help - I showered before my kids got up. As they have gotten older (4 and 2), I put a TV show on. The TV show captures the first 15-20 minutes (long enough for a shower). If they watch TV and then I shower, they are bored and then the tine I counted on to shower is gone.

Good luck!

Take them in with me and let them play on the floor or put them in a playpen or crib. That's what I've done, or just get up before them...but who wants to do that. I want all the sleep I can get.

When I was working (and only had one little one). I would put him in his crib with books and toys while I showered. Or you could take her into the shower with you. My boys have showered with me or dh on occasion and love it.

Set up a playpen or portacrib close to the bathroom and leave the door open so you can hear her.

SAHM of seven

Is your bathroom big enough to have a pack-n-play set up in it. You could put your little girl in there with some of her favorite toys while you shower. Otherwise, I jump in the shower before I take my 1 year old out of his crib in the morning. He plays with a few toys until I'm done and then I take him out.

I keep things in my bathroom drawers that he can play with so that keeps him occupied for a bit because he LOVES to open drawers. I also put the gate in the hall to keep him from the stairs and the living room and then make sure all the doors are shut in the hall and just put toys in the hall. He plays that way the entire time I get ready for work. But he too likes to play with the shower curtain and through things in the shower while I am in there. So we play a bit while I am in the shower in the morning.

I shower at night when my husband is around or she's already in bed. Often, since I have a girl, she likes to shower with me instead of a bath by herself. A boy would be a different question. Your little one might be too small for being in the shower with you, but being in the bathroom with some toys might work.

i used to put my daughter in her high chair with snacks/toys right in the bathroom so if something did happen or she needed to see me there, i was right there. that was after finding her half out of the exersaucer almost upside-down at around 10 months old! it never seemed to work that my shower and her nap time were the same. good luck!

S. m

do you have a pack-&-play? Or just put her in her crib with some toys.

Shower before she gets up!

I always take a shower before my husband leaves for work. That way someone is always around to watch the kids. It's a bit early for me; sometimes the kids don't even wake up until after he leaves for work, but it's better than not getting one at at!

I know my response is a little late, but I put my kids in their high-chairs and let them color pictures or play with new toys, that way they were contained and distracted with something new to get me through the shower!
I put their high chair in the door way to the bathroom so I could talk to them while I was showering.
Good luck.

this may sound too simple, but it is perfectly ok to leave them in their crib with for 10 minutes or so. Figured that one out after the exersaucer got old.

Well what I have found to work is to make sure my bathroom is baby-proofed and then I put my son in the bathroom with me while I am in the shower. He is facinated with playing peek-a-boo with the shower curtain. It may take me a few minutes longer to shower because I like to play a little, but I know where he is and I know he isn't getting into anything. :-)

leave her in bed until your done showering...make it the first thing you do in the morning...a peaceful shower is your reward...

Do you have a playpen? Try placing the playpen in the doorway of the bathroom so she can still see you and you can talk to her. She will be 'contained' while you shower. You could also take her in the shower with you and get you both clean at the same time. Try taking your shower in the evening or early morning while your hubby is at home.

Do you have a pack and play? You could put that up in your kitchen... Try putting her in their with some favorite toys.

I have used the crib for my kids when I shower. I would/will stick them in their crib with books and toys (my boys love cars). Now, my 3 year old will sit on his bed and read or play while I shower, so the habit has stuck. Their bedroom is right by the bathroom, so that works for me.

J.

I used to take showers in the morning as well, but when faced with the same situation as you are in now...I gave in and began showering at night. I've gotten used to showering at night now and don't have those battles in the morning. I just wash my hair in the morning and get ready for the day. The only other thing that I remember doing and I'm not sure what age my kids were, but I would just bring in some toys to the bathroom and shut the door. It gave them something to do and I knew where they were at. Hope you find something that works for you!

I put my 19 month old in her crib and give her a book and a sippy cup and take a shower. She won't get hurt in there and I know she's safe...but I still shower quickly.

I used to have a pack and play set up in my bedroom for occasions like that. We would put him in it when we would take showers and there wasn't anyone else to watch him. I even used it a few time when I was sick and just needed to lay down for a bit. I just put him in there with toys and his blanket and he was normally fine. Don't get me wrong, sometimes he fussed a bit, but once I left the room he would calm down and just play.
***Edit**
I was reading through some of the other moms responses and I too strapped my son into his highchair and gave him snacks or breakfast. I pulled my son's highchair into the bathroom with me because I didn't want to take my eye off of him incase he wiggled out (he is very much a climber). That is another suggestion i guess.

Hi M.! My daughter is 19 months and plays with toys in the bathroom while I shower but when she was your daughter's age I would bring the highchair into the bathroom and put some toys and cheerios on the tray. When she had gobbled up her snack and threw all her toys away, I would sing or talk to her until I was done. If your bathroom is too small then just put the highchair in the doorway so you can see her when you peek out of the shower.
My DD was an early riser too. Sometimes just NOT practical to shower before they wake! Who wants to get up at 4:30am just to get a shower when you don't have to:)
Have a great day!

I used to bring them in the shower with some toys and take a super quick shower.

I have learned to take really short showers. 5 minutes at the most when the toddlers are in my charge. Also I try to find them something to keep them occupied while I shower. A game, toy or tv. In the kitchen you can give her puff balls (large pom poms) in a muffin tin and some tongs for her to play with.

Another idea is to change when you shower. Perhaps showering the night before would relive this issue.

I shower in a baby proofed bathroom, I take a couple of toy or books in sometimes, that or he loves to go through the drawer with brushes and combs in it, he still doesn't know how to open screw top caps so I'll let him go through my make-up bag (minus anything I know he can open). That usually allows ample time for a good shower. Then, my husband and I each get 1 day a week where we get one, good, long, shower- I use mine for shaving and plucking day- and the other parent's job is to keep the little guy entertained for as long as that shower lasts- no questions asked.

All ideas I would've suggested as well. Also, you could shower the night before. If you're worried about your hair the next morning, you could just wash that in the kitchen sink while your little one plays. Would only take not even 5min.

P.

I have long since given up my morning shower. Sad, but true. There is just now way to do it (at least in my house 4yr-old and 2yr-old). The evenings are now my "special time". Rather sacred, really :) Plus, my hair looks better in the morning

I shower with the curtain open so my son knows where I am. (There have been times where he's even tried to close the curtain to play peek-a-boo.) I dump all of his bath toys on the floor and he enjoys tossing them in the shower with me, or putting them in and out of the toy holder. It usually preoccupies him long enough for me to get a shower in. My son never did well with feeling too contained in one spot, so I had to make do with giving him some room to roam. That works for us, I hope you find something that works for you.

I used to take my kids with me into the shower. They have never been afraid of water on their heads because it has just always been a normal thing for them. If I didn't have time for that, I had the bath toys out and just kept them in the bathroom with me. Peek a boo around the shower curtain worked for a while :)

Use a Pack-N-Play. My son is 27 months old and my husband also leaves for work before me and my son is an EARLY riser. I have a pack and play in our master bedroom right outside the master bathroom door and that is where I have put my son since he outgrew his exersaucer. I leave the door open so he can see me and I can see him and most of the time he is content there (not always, but thats why I can see him.) I also make sure the baby gate is closed just incase he climbs out, which he has only done once, then my shower was cut short. He has lots of toys in there and a few books and i also give him some cheerios and some milk, that buys me a few more minutes of peace in the shower. Good luck!

I used the highchair when my kids outgrew the bouncy seat/exersaucer. I would wheel it by the bathroom so I could talk to them or put it in front of the TV with one of their favorite shows. Good luck! I'm currently trying to figure out how to shower with three kids running around!!

Iv'e done the same with the highchair and snacks, or toys etc. My son is turning out to be a climber so I need to see him. I have resorted to less privacy and just hung a cheap clear shower curtain liner so I can always see what he's doing while I shower! I've also had to shower at nite and washed my hair in the morning.

Get up before your child does and have your showering done already... 12 months is too young to pop in a 20 min video while you shower and if there isn't an older sibling, I think for now your only option is to shower at night or get up really early.

I guess this isn't profound advice, but what I do is not get my 9 month old up until I have at least showered. When I hear him whining and stirring I go shower, so that's out of the way. Then the rest of getting ready can sometimes be a challenge. I would suggest keeping her confined to an area if you can with baby gates, playpen, whatever. It's good for her to also learn how to play by herself when mommy is buisy.

I have 14 month old twins and I keep them in a pack and play in my bedroom (which is off the bathroom)while I shower. I know they are safe in there. Or keeping her in her crib to play may also be an option. good luck!

One of M. friends shuts all of the doors in the hallway & puts a pressure baby gate up at the open end. She puts some toys in the hallway with her son to keep him busy. Then she takes a QUICK shower. She does leave the door open for him to peek into the bathroom though, which sounds like not an option for you.
I have twins, so it's not that easy for me. AND luckily I'm a SAHM, so I can wait until their morning nap to shower (or I get up before they do if I need to be showered earlier).

While my boys are too young to be too curious, I bring them in the shower with me. I really don't like showering at night, but sometimes I've had to do that, too.

My husband thinks the best thing we did was have our daughter take showers with us. When she was a baby he would do it (I was too nervous about being slippery - he says chest hair helped her stick). Then when she could stand, I'd take it with her. She hangs onto my legs and splashes around. We do have a hand held shower which makes it easier to rinse her off. I prefer to take showers when he's home then he can lift her out for me and dry her off and I can have an extra minute for myself.

The problem with this is that NewBaby should come this week which will make showering for all of us a bit complicated for a bit.

And you have to be comfortable with being nekked with your child. One of my friends has told me she just could not handle what we do. But then giving my daughter baths just didn't work out for her.

As a mother of twin boys, I relied on their cribs when I needed them safe and confined. I would put books, toys, etc. in their cribs and then get myself showered, etc. If they don't like being in their cribs- it's o.k. to let them cry a little!! Better knowing where they are... Good luck!

I personally put both kids (almost 4 and 2) in the bathroom with me and let them bring toys in. Sometimes they cry and scream because they don't want to be contained and they fight but that's how it goes. I've also woke before them and showered while they were sleeping. When they were real little I'd bring the monitor in the bathroom with me.

SHOWER THE NIGHT BEFORE! :) Seriously, I understand where you are coming from as I have a 3 year old & a 2 year old and I don't even go to work- I stay home. HOWEVER, a shower or a bath are hard to come by for me too if my husband isn't home or they aren't napping, so I shower at night & in the morning it is easier to get ready with them in the bathroom with me. Sorry for the lack of advice.... I hope somebody has better logistics for you (& me)!!

M.,

This is going to sound weird, but it works. I put my little one in the dry tub in the master bath with some toys. It works like a playpen and I can see them just fine. You can only do it until they are big enough to climb out of the tub or turn the faucet knobs, but it is great until then.

Good luck,
S.

Shower FAST! I got showering down so that I could take a shower in 2 minute, washing my body, hair and conditioner. 3 minutes if I have to shave.

You could bring her in the bathroom with you along with a few toys. Lock her in there with you so she can't escape.

I would say you may need to put her in a play pen with a few toys.. It is very hard with that age.. Don't fell like you are being mean doing that because your not, you are being a good mother by keeping her safe!!

I locked my daughter in the bathroom with me until she was able to figure out how to get the door open anyway. She would cry because she didn't want to be cooped up but I would just play peek-a-boo around the shower curtain or bring toys in the bathroom that were fairly new or that she hadn't seen in a while. Now that she can open the doors herself, I just baby-gate her in her room and living room area. I make a thorough look through the area to make sure there isn't anything that could harm her first. I have found now however that because she's not confined to the bathroom that she actually hangs out in the doorway and plays :) Good luck! It's hard but can be done!

I don't know if this would work out better for you, but I found that showering at night is so much easier. I wait till the kids are asleep in bed, and then I slip away and have a nice, LONG, relaxing shower without the stress of worrying about the kids. This also would allow me a little extra time in the morning to get ready since half the battle is over. Hope that works for you ;)

You can also put your daughter in the high chair and put a favorite video on that will keep her attention while you shower. I did this with my son...actually, I knew he'd stay interested enough that I just let him sit on the sofa. Not that I'm advocating tv to babysit, but it works for you being able to take a shower!

I'm not sure what your schedule looks like, but around here, I save both time and water by having the girls in the tub with me when I'm getting ready for my day. Bring in LOTS of tub toys and put her on one side of the tub while you take a quick shower on the other. Not only does this allow you to get your shower done, but then afterwards, while you're still in the bathroom getting ready for your day, you can let her play in the tub for a couple more minutes with her tub toys, and then once you're ready, get her out of the tub and dressed for her day as well!

I have always just showered with my daughter. It is so much easier!

Take your child into the shower with you. Placing a towel on the shower floor makes it less slipery. I've never has my children begging to get out, so I've been able to take a nice long shower.

Pack-n-play or crib! Get some toys for her to play with in there and she should be fine for a shower. Or if you choose the pack-n-play, place it in the living room with a Baby Einstein movie on so she can be distracted! Even if she cries, it's okay as long as she's in a safe place! Most mom's (and dad's) have to deal with this problem. And some of us have multiples to try to deal with while showering! Both of mine are out of cribs so they can get into all sorts of trouble while I'm in the shower! But as long as they are safe, we hope that they can't do too much to each other while we're showering! :) Good luck!

I take her in the shower with me. She loves to sit on the floor and splash in the water...started around 9 months, and at 19 months that is how we bathe her!

Pack and Plays work WONDERFUL!!! Put it as close as you can to shower and give her lots of goodies to play with when you shower...

I used to put my kids in the crib with a few toys while I showered. I know this isn't too profound, but it worked for us. Otherwise, could you get in the shower before he gets up, or possibly shower at night?

I put them in their cribs with music on, it is the only safe way for me to get a shower. They don't always like it and sometimes they cry, but better for them to cry for a few minutes and be safe than to trust them for even a second where they could possibly find trouble.

I take a shower at night while my husband is putting my 18 month old daughter to sleep or after she's in bed. I would rather not have to shower at night, but currently it's what works for us. I do however like the pack and play idea so I might have to give that a try once in awhile.

I used a play pen, it was really the saving grace for me with many things that I needed to get done around the house. I know you dont have the other option I had, which was wait until nap time, so I hope your little one isn't a climber and you can put her a play pen. I hope this helps.