According to a report from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, nearly 90 kids drown at home each year—and about 66 percent of those incidents occur in the bathtub.
Fortunately, You can reduce that risk by baby-proofing your tub to ensure your kids enjoy their bathing experience.
Baby-proofing your bathtub means developing a safe bathroom for your kids. In this post, we’ll outline those at risk, briefly explain the reason why a parent should Baby-proofing their tub, and followed by a guide on how to baby-proofing a bathtub.
Read on to make sure your bathtub is a safe place for your little one.
A bathtub is meant to be a fun place to enjoy a bath for your kids. Unfortunately, it can be a place of danger if there are no safety precautions, and this is the reason why baby-proofing your bathtub is essential for your child safety.
Below are a few reasons why you need to your tub.
Accidental drowning is the #1 leading cause of death in children within the ages of 1 to 4. Most infant drownings happen in bathtubs, and that poses a risk for toddlers.
That’s why it’s essential to baby proof your tub and prevent accidental drowning. Baby proofing your bathtub can help make bath time with your kid easier, safer, and more relaxing.
Minor cuts are common in a bathtub. You can avoid these cuts by baby-proofing your tub if you have a faucet or drain opener with sharp edges.
Slips are among the most common bathtub accidents, especially for babies, toddlers, and small children, and can lead to severe injuries like concussions, broken bones, and even death. The best way to prevent slips from happening is to baby-proof your tub.
A bathtub can be a dangerous place and can pose a variety of hazards to babies, toddlers, and small children.
According to a report, more than 43,000 children get emergency treatment for bathtub-related injuries every year. Baby-proofing your tub can prevent many of these bathtub injuries.
Follow the safety guide below to baby-proof your bathtub.
Child supervision is the most proactive method of baby-proofing the bathtub from arguably the biggest hazard.
Leaving a child alone in a tub could result in an accidental drowning.
Making sure you have towels and other necessary accessories ready means; you are less tempted to leave your child unsupervised.
Keep a basket or caddy with your kid’s bath essentials such as toothpaste, soaps, shampoos, and other commonly used items near the tub.
Keeping things you need in one place will limit your stress so you won’t need to leave the bathtub.
Always test the temperature of your bathtub water with your elbow, wrist, or something more scientific like a water thermometer before your baby gets in.
You can lower your hot-water heater temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent scalding.
Baby skin is sensitive to heat, so you can install an anti-scald device in your bathtub to avoid too high of temperatures.
Many of these devices will automatically switch off the water heater if it is becoming too hot, so this is one less thing that you need to worry about.
The spout is going to hurt your baby if he or she accidentally hit his or her head on it. That could result in severe injuries that could send your kid to the hospital for concussion treatment, stitches, and more.
Therefore, spout cover is a must when baby proofing your bathtub. The spout covers, made off a soft material will slide over your faucet and form a protective barrier, thereby prevent your child’s falling head from painful bumps.
Don’t think a bath seat will keep your child safe in the tub. It’s best to install no-slip mats in the bathtub.
This mat will ensure that your baby does not slip when they are inside the tub. Some mat even has suckers attached to the base, if yourmat has this feature then ensure you press it down firmly before placing your baby in the bath.
Always empty the bath immediately after bathing your kid. Babies can easily drown in less than one inch of water, and while it’s unlikely that your child will topple back into the bath, it can happen.
Make sure to scrub out any remaining water before you get him or her out of the tub.
Kids like to do things when no one is watching them, like going to the bathtub to do some splashing. Installing a gate near your tub is right for your kids.
That way, him/her can’t enter, which means less worrying for you.
Accidents ranging from the minimum to the fatal happen in the bathtub every day. Thus, the only way to ensure your kid safety is to baby proofing your bathtub. Following the guide above will go a long way for your children’s safety when taking their bath.
You’ll be well informed on ways to have a safe, yet functional bathtub for your entire family.
Though baby-proofing your tub can be a long process, the good news is that once you get it done, you can have the peace of mind knowing that you’ve taken the necessary steps to reduce your baby’s risk of injury.
Barbara is a full-time mom of 3 children and a part-time blogger since 2018. She likes to write on various topics about motherhood. She drinks a lot of coffee, loves French pastries, reads a lot, also enjoys crafts and Montessori activities.
