Bath Time Thoughts (Pt. 1)
I sit here as my 3 month old daughter, Honey, splashes in her bath, finally getting a second to breathe, pee, and not hear screams. The bath tub has been a sanity saver for me. At six weeks old, I remember her screaming, me not knowing what on earth to do, so I decide she and I will take a bath together. As soon as she heard the water turn on, the screams stopped. It was like magic. Since then, when I am overwhelmed, and she can’t calm down, we go to the bath.
At first I was taking baths with her. I loved it. I struggled to feel like she and I had bonded due to complications right after her entrance into the world. At two days old, we took our first postpartum herb bath together. Herbal Bath That made such an impact on me that I began taking baths with her every couple of days. That was my time to just rest, have skin on skin, let her nurse if she wanted, and take a deep breath from the day with my baby. (More on this in another post)
We were given a baby tub with an infant net before she was born, but I only used it two or three times. She didn’t like the net and I liked our baths together. Then about 3 weeks ago, life started picking back up again. Things got busy. I didn’t “nest” before she was born and so the house was dirty. I didn’t feel like I had time to take a bath with her, so I tried the sink. We both hated that. I felt so scared when I laid her back to rinse her hair out and she turned her head out of habit to nurse. I wasn’t there; water was. I don’t think she breathed any in, but she got a mouthful, that’s for sure. I panicked the whole day, fearing she was going to dry-drown, googling all the questions and how-to’s if I started seeing the signs.
Two weeks ago, I packed up the car while my husband was doing an 18 hour shift at work. I brought a laundry basket full of clothes for a week for a 6’4 man, a 5’11 woman, and a 3 month old baby, including cloth diapers. I added a drying rack, some hobby things, a bouncer seat, Honey’s toy, some food stuffs, small necessities such as bottles, pumps, toiletries and such, and on my last round through the house, I saw that little blue tub. Pausing, I take out the net and examine it. I shrug, decide, “Hey, why not? I have room still in the van.” and toss it in.
I can’t believe how much I have used that thing! We stayed at my in-laws while they were out of town because hubby’s grandpa lives with them. They didn’t want to leave him alone. We volunteered. It’s closer to church, our animals, property, and it just worked out.
On the second night we were here, I couldn’t console my baby. You know how it is, the low fuss building to a scream as she let me know she was not feeling good, unhappy and having a generally bad rotten day (Even though five minutes before she had been smiling and giving all the cheese). I had fed her, changed her diaper, fed her again, tried bouncing, walking, dancing, singing, playing music, feeding again, talking to her, explaining that her screams were not good for her because they weren’t good for my sanity, everything I could think of, I did. Finally, I spy the little blue tub on the table. I don’t have the energy to take a bath…but she may enjoy it. I plop it down in the big bath tub, squirt some soap in it, and plug the hole, all the while she is screaming the song of her people.
I turn on the water and silence
She knew what that sound meant! Bath time!
I fill the tub with warm water, stick her in it and she was the happiest little duckling in her own pond. She kicked, splashed, squealed, and was content. The water low enough so I didn’t have to hold her up, the tub situated so she can lay back in it and kick to her hearts content. I tell you what, that little blue tub was a God-send.
She takes a bath every night now. When her witching hour “Hour of the Llamas” (Because she is spitting mad) comes, I start getting things together before she starts screaming (Because I don’t want her to think she gets her way if she throws a fit) and when she lets me know she is feeling the way she is, I ask her if she wants a bath, walk in there and as soon as we are in the bathroom, any sort of fussing goes away. I set her on the toilet. She uses the bathroom before she gets into the tub, and then she plays to her little heart’s content while I take a breath, take a chance to use the bathroom myself, smile because she is happy, and maybe send a text or two to the husband if he is at work.
All in all, we are two weeks into this ritual, especially after a friend of mine gave us the Sweet Almond Honest Company’s Bubble Honest Co. Bubble bath. She loves it. I love it. (More on this brand in a post to come.) Some days, Honey gets an extra bath or two. If I don’t get her to the toilet in time to catch a poo, If she is particularly fussy, or if I am particularly stressed out, I use that bubble bath every time.
All in all, babies aren’t giving you a hard time, they are having a hard time. For whatever reason, a Bubble bath helps me, and apparently it helps her too. I am so thankful that we have found something that works. It’s okay, momma, to be stressed. Keeping a human alive is a stressful job that really only pauses if someone you truly trust is there to help you. It’s okay if you are overwhelmed. It’s okay to ask for help. And It’s okay to pull out your little blue tub in the middle of the day, put the baby in it, close the lid on the toilet, and just sit there, taking a breath, as the little Llama plays in her water. Do what you’ve gotta do. Remember, even if “All you’ve got” is 50% of what you could do before your baby was born, then if you are giving that 50%, you are giving it all.
Have a beautiful day,
God bless,
-C.L.
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