Bathing newborns - the process is both very pleasant and very responsible. Usually, kids like this procedure extraordinarily, they relax in warm water, dangling arms and legs, smiling. And, looking at them, adults rejoice no less.
On the other hand, there are a lot of subtleties that must be observed. In the first weeks and months of life, the water for bathing the baby should be perfectly clean, so it is best to use not tap water, but bottled, packaged in 19-liter cylinders.
A special thermometer will help determine the most comfortable temperature of the aquatic environment: it should be somewhere around + 37ºС. This is precisely the temperature of the amniotic fluid, in the environment of which the child spends the entire period of maternal pregnancy.
Also, careful control is needed to ensure that water does not fall into the ears, nose and eyes of a small bather, and for this you need to constantly maintain his head in such a position that it is above the surface of the water.
Because of all these difficulties, it is often necessary at the same time to take part not only to both parents, but also to grandparents: one holds, the other soaps, the third waters it, etc.
To avoid all these problems will help such an easy and convenient device as a slide for swimming. Let's find out if you really need a slide for bathing newborns, is it dangerous?
What it is?
It is something like an armchair in which the child is in a reclining position, with the upper part of the body in a raised position. It is intended primarily for the adoption of hygienic procedures for newborn babies who are still not able to hold their heads on their own, much less sit.
Parents often ask themselves: is it worth buying a device, and how can it help? The answer is definitely positive, and here's why. Having put the baby in such a chair, the adult will no longer need to support the crumb under the back and under the head, while soaping, then watering, while ensuring that the baby does not accidentally slip out.
With a bathing lounger mom or dad can and alone cope with such a difficult task - because they will have both hands free. Therefore, the device, invented, oddly enough, relatively recently, managed to gain wide popularity among those who became parents - both for the first time and once again.
And those who bathed their eldest offspring without him will be able to fully appreciate all the benefits.
In children's supermarkets, customers are offered a very extensive selection of these accessories. They can be:
- foam rubber;
- tissue;
- plastic.
With the help of such chairs you can easily and quickly bathe the child, not only in a small, but also in a large adult bath. They are equipped with special suction cups, allowing for reliable attachment to the bottom and sides of the tank.
In this case, the baby does not lie in the bath itself, but in a special bed, which provides guarantees of safety not only with regard to movements, but also in hygienic terms.
In some models, there is also a “seat belt” for the small owner, virtually eliminating the possibility of accidental slipping, even if the grown-up toddler suddenly decides to show her independence, until her mother turns away to take a mug, soap or towel.
How to choose
It is necessary to buy this bathing item even before being discharged from the maternity hospital, so that when the newcomer appears in the apartment, everything will be ready for his solemn meeting.
From what age you can bathe a child on a hill? Usually, use begins immediately after complete healing of the umbilical wound. Which model to choose depends primarily on the material capabilities, and also on how old you are to use this device.
Usually "swimsuits" are designed for children from birth to 8 months - older devices have no need for anything, because many of them at this age not only sit quite confidently, but also try to get up on their feet. Prices for children's bathing facilities are very diverse, so you can choose a model that will be quite affordable even for the wealthiest young parents who have recently embarked on this thorny path.
Most likely, as the infant grows up, it will have to be changed, since the products are designed for different weight and height. We offer you a small review of such devices.
So, the following options are offered slides for bathing babies:
- Foam rubber is suitable for bathing very small crumbs (up to 6 kg and weighing no more than 60 cm tall) in a baby bath. It is made of durable porous foam rubber of bright color. It is a kind of high mattress (20-25 cm at the head, to the legs - lower), which has special notches on the front side, designed for a baby body. It can be put directly on the bottom of the bath. After soaking with warm water, soft foam will “stick” to the plastic and become the perfect bed in which the baby will be very comfortable. After use, it is very easy to stretch and dry. These are the cheapest bed - from 150 to 250 rubles.
- The lounger with anti-slip system is designed for older children - up to 14 kg in weight and 70 cm tall. The frame is made of durable and lightweight plastic, the inner surface is made of mesh silicone. The shape of the bed is ergonomic, and fully consistent with the anatomical data of the child. The design is light, comfortable and easy to use, takes up little space on the wall in the bathroom. The price is quite high - around 2000 rubles.
- Another option is fabric, in the form of a plastic frame, on which a flannel or terry case is stretched. It looks like a rocking chair. Such a chair is considered unsafe, because it has no recesses or fasteners that prevent it from slipping. At the same time, many parents prefer them - because of the relative cheapness (300-400 rubles) and ease of care: the cover is removed, erased, ironed and worn again.
- The most comfortable are plastic bathing slides, made with regard to anatomical parameters, in which a baby can half-sit, recline. They are equipped with suction attachments that allow them to be securely mounted on the bottom of the bath. Some have special holders to ensure reliable fixation of the baby in them. The range of prices for such types of products is quite wide - from 250 to 2000 rubles, depending on the quality of plastic, the presence of safety devices, etc. Care of plastic slides is minimal: they need only be washed with soap immediately before and after use.
To say which is better slide for bathing newborns, it is difficult, since it depends on the requirements for it.
How to bathe children
Before you put the child in a bathing slide in the bath, put it on the floor or on the bed, and put the baby in it. If he is comfortable to lie down, and all the notches will exactly match his parameters, it means that the slide is chosen correctly and you can begin to use it.
By the way, it can also be used as a children's chaise longue, for example, at a dacha - of course, under the vigilant supervision of elders.
When installing the product in the bath, be sure to check it for slip and stability. Everything is fine - we put it. Water is poured in such a way that it covers the body of a toddler, leaving the shoulders and head on the surface. Some models of slides have a water level indicator that tells adults how much to pour.
The older the peanut, the more demands are placed on insurance. For babies after 6 months, we need a construction that looks more like a chair with a fence. Some of these structures are equipped with a system that allows them to rotate, and the children themselves can control the rotation, which naturally delights them.
And the last thing: when bathing children in a hill, do not consider her completely safe, do not lose your guard, do not lose sight of the child and do not move away from him further than at arm’s length.
Reviews of parents about the slide for bathing newborns
About how convenient to use the slide for swimming, say reviews moms:
Grandma gave us a flannel slide. Despite the fact that I heard that it was difficult to care for her, in fact, everything turned out to be easier: just wash it with laundry soap and rinse thoroughly. In winter, dried in the bathroom near the battery, and by the summer we grew out of it and changed to a bathing chair.
Olga, 21, Cheboksary
After I started complaining that my back hurt and it was difficult for me to bathe my daughter, leaning over the bathroom, my husband bought a plastic slide - a miracle! I forgot about the back pain, and my daughter just loves this bathing affiliation. I advise everyone!
Anna, 27 years old, St. Petersburg
With the first child, we had a hammock slide, but it was not very comfortable, so when the second one was born, we decided to buy a plastic one with a “seat belt”. Very pleased - and I, and baby.
Larisa, 32 years old, Makhachkala
An example of another slide for swimming is in the following video.
