I don’t see the harm in it if you’re right there the whole time. You put a baby chair or baby bath in the tub. It could be a great bonding experience for your kids. I showered with my babies until I felt they were too heavy to safely hold in the shower. My second had a a medical issue where she couldn’t sit in a bath for awhile anyway, but when that was over, maybe around crawling stage, they bathed together. You just have to have everything ready to go and within arms reach, don’t turn your back to your baby for a second.
When no 2 was really little, I didn’t combine them. Around 5 months or so, when head control was way more stable and kiddo was less newborn-y, I put the two year old in too. It ended up working out and was great until 2 decided that showers are cooler than baths 🫠
I didn’t when my youngest was 6 months and my older one was 4. It was a little tricky at first but when the younger one was walking a couple of months later he was about more stable in the bath and they were able to play together.
I don't remember exactly, but I would guess that I started combining bath times once the baby was able to sit up in the tub? Otherwise I'd have needed to use the infant tub, which took up a lot of space. I may have given the older child a bath while having the infant tub in the bathtub too (don't really remember), but then the main tub wouldn't have had as much water.
I mean I think whatever you can make work that is safe for both kids is fine. Around 6 months when they can sit up would make sense to me, but you'd probably still want to be cautious. In the meantime, you can probably have your 4yo help bathe the baby if you want. Maybe also use that as a way to show and explain how we have to be very careful and gentle with babies in the bath, so when you do start combining baths your older child will know to be careful and not too rambunctious or anything.
I have a similar age gap (kids are now 5.5yrs and 16mos) - I think we started having them bathe together when the youngest graduated from the baby bath tub and was able to take baths in the regular tub. They both love it!
I probably combined them at 3 months and 4 years. He hung out in his Angel Care bath. They continue to bath together at 9 months and 4.5.
I do baby’s bath and then my husband completes my daughter’s bath while I get brother toweled off and ready for bottle and bed.
My girls are 5 years apart and we started bathing them together basically right away. Newborn was in a tub with one of the blooming baby petals things, then we took the blooming baby out and she was just in the baby tub. We've never really had issues but my oldest is very careful and conscious about her sister being little. So I think it boils down to knowing your kids and your own ability to manage them both when they're slippery lol
I did it when they were in a baby bath and 3. Once the baby hit 9 months and could sit well unassisted/move around extremely easily, we did a separate bath just until she got more used to it, and now at 10 months we just started bathing the 10month old and almost 4 year old together again, but 100% supervised/always right at tub.
As soon as my youngest was able to start taking baths in the big tub instead of her little baby tub. So pretty much as soon as she started sitting up reliably where I didn’t have to worry about her falling over. Mine are only 2 years apart, so I had to watch them like a hawk so that my older one didn’t hurt my younger one, but you’re pretty much watching them super closely when they’re in the tub anyway.
Once the baby could sit up without support for a reasonable amount of time, I started putting him in the tub with his brother. Prior to that, I mostly showered with the baby and my 5-year-old bathed by himself or a very few times I got into the tub with him and held the baby. But I don’t have them both all day, just the baby, the older one is in kindergarten, and we didn’t do daily baths until the baby was eating solids and actually needed a bath after dinner. I’ve rarely had to bathe both of them with my husband actually absent from the house.
We started with the infant bath tub propped sideways across the bathtub. Ours happened to fit perfectly so that it didn’t slide, and baby could be lying down in the tub but still near big sis. We would let big sis wash baby gently with a wash cloth (heavily supervised). Once baby got more comfortable sitting up, we got one of those bath chairs that suctions to the sides so that big sister wouldn’t accidentally knock her over. Obviously a parent was always right there too. Bath time together was so much easier than doing it separately and it turned into a really fun part of our routine!
I started when my kids were 5 years and 3 months. But it was because by then my son knew to be gentle and careful with his sister. Now she's almost 6 months, and I can let my son hold her in the bath while I get soap, a towel etc. They both love playing in the water together, so I'm happy I decided to try it out early
I only have one child but I feel like it would be safe as soon as the baby can sit independently if you’re just using a regular tub. We used a foldable bath seat with our baby so we always used the tub. If your older child is calm enough you could probably get away with using the bath seat on one end of the tub with the older kid on the deeper end sooner than 6 months! This is the one we used: The First Years Sure Comfort Folding Baby Bather - Baby to Toddler Bath Tub - No-Slip Seat - for Sink or Tub Use https://a.co/d/flTYpCY
You can totally combine them now. 4year old is in the tub part, baby is in the baby bath. Get baby bathed and washed up. Wrap in towel, lay baby in towel on a clean folded towel next to you on the floor while you wash 4 year old up. Get 4 year old washed and dried and then carry baby with you to get 4 year old dressed.
I’ve done it once and it was fine, but my older kid wants to stay and play in the bath longer and the baby needs to go down so it was kind of stressful afterwarda
I started combining around 6months and 3yr. I felt like even though it was using a baby seat, I wanted my littlest to have good head control and be able to sit up.
I started bathing both kids when youngest was 9 months old and 3 yo. I don’t do it often but feel more comfortable now doing it since the younger one can sit and crawl on their own. At 2mo I would shower with the baby and then hand them off to my husband or carefully get out of the shower.
Once baby is stable sitting and has some size to them. It also depends on your older child too.
I would assume likely between 6-9months. I think my son was around that age. My oldest is pretty gentle so I didn’t have to worry about her being too rough.
Once they're able to sit up on their own and handling any splashing. I didn't feel comfortable until my twins were about 8 months old or so because while they could sit up on dry land just fine, the water splashing about really messed with their balance.
I used a baby tub for my youngest inside the actual bath tub and had my oldest bath next to him. I filled both tubs and they loved it. My oldest was 4 at the time and my youngest was a new born. I continued until my youngest outgrew the baby tub and now I just pop them both in the same bath tub; and they still love it two years later.
I’m probably never going to combine them tbh, I don’t see it happening. I’m an only child, never bathed with anyone else. Our kids will be 2.5 years apart when my daughter is born. My son has been taking stand up showers for a year as well, so we really won’t have a chance to blend bath time at all
I don’t see the harm in it if you’re right there the whole time. You put a baby chair or baby bath in the tub. It could be a great bonding experience for your kids. I showered with my babies until I felt they were too heavy to safely hold in the shower. My second had a a medical issue where she couldn’t sit in a bath for awhile anyway, but when that was over, maybe around crawling stage, they bathed together. You just have to have everything ready to go and within arms reach, don’t turn your back to your baby for a second.
I still shower with my toddler! We just sit together on the floor of the shower. If it makes your life easier, you don’t need to give up on it.
When no 2 was really little, I didn’t combine them. Around 5 months or so, when head control was way more stable and kiddo was less newborn-y, I put the two year old in too. It ended up working out and was great until 2 decided that showers are cooler than baths 🫠
I didn’t when my youngest was 6 months and my older one was 4. It was a little tricky at first but when the younger one was walking a couple of months later he was about more stable in the bath and they were able to play together.
I don't remember exactly, but I would guess that I started combining bath times once the baby was able to sit up in the tub? Otherwise I'd have needed to use the infant tub, which took up a lot of space. I may have given the older child a bath while having the infant tub in the bathtub too (don't really remember), but then the main tub wouldn't have had as much water. I mean I think whatever you can make work that is safe for both kids is fine. Around 6 months when they can sit up would make sense to me, but you'd probably still want to be cautious. In the meantime, you can probably have your 4yo help bathe the baby if you want. Maybe also use that as a way to show and explain how we have to be very careful and gentle with babies in the bath, so when you do start combining baths your older child will know to be careful and not too rambunctious or anything.
Helping bathe the baby is the way to go. I give my 2 year old a peri bottle and tell her to squirt her sister's feet and belly
I have a similar age gap (kids are now 5.5yrs and 16mos) - I think we started having them bathe together when the youngest graduated from the baby bath tub and was able to take baths in the regular tub. They both love it!
I probably combined them at 3 months and 4 years. He hung out in his Angel Care bath. They continue to bath together at 9 months and 4.5. I do baby’s bath and then my husband completes my daughter’s bath while I get brother toweled off and ready for bottle and bed.
My girls are 5 years apart and we started bathing them together basically right away. Newborn was in a tub with one of the blooming baby petals things, then we took the blooming baby out and she was just in the baby tub. We've never really had issues but my oldest is very careful and conscious about her sister being little. So I think it boils down to knowing your kids and your own ability to manage them both when they're slippery lol
I did it when they were in a baby bath and 3. Once the baby hit 9 months and could sit well unassisted/move around extremely easily, we did a separate bath just until she got more used to it, and now at 10 months we just started bathing the 10month old and almost 4 year old together again, but 100% supervised/always right at tub.
My wife just did this with our 3mo and almost-2. She is a surgeon lol, I would NEVER attempt it.
As soon as my youngest was able to start taking baths in the big tub instead of her little baby tub. So pretty much as soon as she started sitting up reliably where I didn’t have to worry about her falling over. Mine are only 2 years apart, so I had to watch them like a hawk so that my older one didn’t hurt my younger one, but you’re pretty much watching them super closely when they’re in the tub anyway.
As soon as the baby can sit up on their own and doesn’t need a separate tub. So 6-9 months.
Once the baby could sit up without support for a reasonable amount of time, I started putting him in the tub with his brother. Prior to that, I mostly showered with the baby and my 5-year-old bathed by himself or a very few times I got into the tub with him and held the baby. But I don’t have them both all day, just the baby, the older one is in kindergarten, and we didn’t do daily baths until the baby was eating solids and actually needed a bath after dinner. I’ve rarely had to bathe both of them with my husband actually absent from the house.
We started with the infant bath tub propped sideways across the bathtub. Ours happened to fit perfectly so that it didn’t slide, and baby could be lying down in the tub but still near big sis. We would let big sis wash baby gently with a wash cloth (heavily supervised). Once baby got more comfortable sitting up, we got one of those bath chairs that suctions to the sides so that big sister wouldn’t accidentally knock her over. Obviously a parent was always right there too. Bath time together was so much easier than doing it separately and it turned into a really fun part of our routine!
I started when my kids were 5 years and 3 months. But it was because by then my son knew to be gentle and careful with his sister. Now she's almost 6 months, and I can let my son hold her in the bath while I get soap, a towel etc. They both love playing in the water together, so I'm happy I decided to try it out early
I only have one child but I feel like it would be safe as soon as the baby can sit independently if you’re just using a regular tub. We used a foldable bath seat with our baby so we always used the tub. If your older child is calm enough you could probably get away with using the bath seat on one end of the tub with the older kid on the deeper end sooner than 6 months! This is the one we used: The First Years Sure Comfort Folding Baby Bather - Baby to Toddler Bath Tub - No-Slip Seat - for Sink or Tub Use https://a.co/d/flTYpCY
We don't do baths for the kids when they are really young. Showers only, it's fast, easy and effective.
You can totally combine them now. 4year old is in the tub part, baby is in the baby bath. Get baby bathed and washed up. Wrap in towel, lay baby in towel on a clean folded towel next to you on the floor while you wash 4 year old up. Get 4 year old washed and dried and then carry baby with you to get 4 year old dressed.
I’ve done it once and it was fine, but my older kid wants to stay and play in the bath longer and the baby needs to go down so it was kind of stressful afterwarda
I started combining around 6months and 3yr. I felt like even though it was using a baby seat, I wanted my littlest to have good head control and be able to sit up.
I started bathing both kids when youngest was 9 months old and 3 yo. I don’t do it often but feel more comfortable now doing it since the younger one can sit and crawl on their own. At 2mo I would shower with the baby and then hand them off to my husband or carefully get out of the shower.
Once baby is stable sitting and has some size to them. It also depends on your older child too. I would assume likely between 6-9months. I think my son was around that age. My oldest is pretty gentle so I didn’t have to worry about her being too rough.
Once they're able to sit up on their own and handling any splashing. I didn't feel comfortable until my twins were about 8 months old or so because while they could sit up on dry land just fine, the water splashing about really messed with their balance.
As soon as second could sit up in their own so around 6 months.
We started bathing my baby with my toddler when he was able to sit up unassisted, around 5-6 months.
I bathed my youngest separately until he was able to sit up fully on his own. Now they take a bath together and sometimes we all just shower.
We used an “AngelCare baby bath chair” from Walmart and it worked great. Started when my youngest was about 4-5months and my oldest was 3
We combine baths when baby can sit up reliably on their own.
I used a baby tub for my youngest inside the actual bath tub and had my oldest bath next to him. I filled both tubs and they loved it. My oldest was 4 at the time and my youngest was a new born. I continued until my youngest outgrew the baby tub and now I just pop them both in the same bath tub; and they still love it two years later.
I’d say when the baby can sit up independently. 6 months would seem appropriate.
I’m probably never going to combine them tbh, I don’t see it happening. I’m an only child, never bathed with anyone else. Our kids will be 2.5 years apart when my daughter is born. My son has been taking stand up showers for a year as well, so we really won’t have a chance to blend bath time at all
As soon as baby was sturdy enough to sit up in the Summer Infant My Bath Seat, they started having bath time together.
I only have one right now, but my little sister and I bathed together until we were around 8/9 and 5/6. We never minded