According to Dr. Eboni Hollier, infants, and toddlers with bowel movements in the tub are pretty common. This is because the bath’s warm water causes the baby’s muscles to relax, making it easier to have a bowel movement in the tub than in the diaper.
So how can you make your baby stop doing so, and what is the ideal way to clean the mess? When my little munchkin was 4 months old, he pooped in his bath for the first time, and all I did was laugh.
Soon after that, he made his habit of pooping every time while bathing. Of course, cleaning the mess and baby is challenging work.
But at that time, I wondered why my baby always poops in the bath and how can I make him stop doing so?
Why does my baby poop in the bath?
It’s common for babies to poop in the bath, and there is nothing to worry about. There are three main reasons which cause your baby to poop in the bathtub:
- We, adults, feel that our muscles are relaxing while bathing in warm water; the same is the case with babies. All your little ones’ muscles, including the intestinal muscles, are relaxed in warm water, causing your baby to poop while having a bath.
- Secondly, your baby is too small to figure out the right time or place to poop or pee. Also, he can not control his bowel movement and bodily functions, and he pees or poops whenever he wants to without realizing where he is pooping.
- Lastly, your baby might be pooping because you are bathing him right after his mealtime. It happens because the gastrointestinal urge to have a bowel movement after eating is strong in babies. Due to gastrointestinal urge, the large intestine contracts and empties itself shortly after the baby has eaten.
How can I make him stop pooping in the bath?
Having your little one pooping in the bath frequently can be frustrating. Here are some tips to help them stop pooping during bath time.
1. Change your baby’s routine
Suppose you’re bathing your baby before bedtime or in the afternoon and noticing that your baby is pooping at the same time every day. Then you can consider altering his bathing time by either pushing it forward or backward by 30 minutes.
This change in routine might disturb your other daily chores, but eventually, you will adjust and notice that your little one is no longer pooping in the bath.
Also, make sure that your baby gets a sufficient amount of break after his mealtime before you take him for a bath.
2. Understand your baby’s body language
Be aware of signs that your baby makes before pooping; they can be weird faces or pushing his stomach. The bubbles in the bath can also indicate that your baby is ready to poop at any time.
As soon as you notice any sign, rinse him up instantly and get him out of the bathtub to avoid all the mess.
What is the right way to clean the mess?
It is essential to clean poop right away from the bathtub because many pathogenic bacterias live in human stool. These pathogens in poop can cause diarrhea and pink eyes.
1. Keep calm
Keep your expressions neutral and avoid raising your voice as shouting or screaming can scare your child and make the scenario even worse for you.
The first step you must take is to rescue your child from the bathtub and quickly rinse him from the shower.
Thoroughly clean his hands and wrap him in a comfortable towel. Dress him up and place him in his crib with toys.
2. Catch the floaters
Use disposable gloves or disposable glass to catch the floaters and flush them in your toilet nearby.
3. Properly clean the bathtub
Drain the water from the bathtub and rinse it. Next, sponge the bathroom cleaner and disinfectant cleaner inside your tub to kill all the unseen germs.
After that, rinse the tub again with water and allow it to air dry.
4. Wash toys
If there were any toys in the bathtub, wash and disinfect all the toys before the next bathing session.
FAQs
Is it okay if my baby poop in the bath?
Yes, it is completely fine if your little one poops in the bath. In fact, it is a very common situation that parents face.
It happens because warm water relaxes the muscles, including the intestinal muscles, resulting in your baby pooping in the bath.
What’s the first step I should take if my baby poops in the bath?
The first step that you must take is to take your baby out of the bathtub as soon as possible.
Rinse him using clean water and then start cleaning the bathtub. Please stay calm and refrain from scolding your baby.
What if my baby’s toys are in the bathtub?
Take out the toys and clean them properly using an antiseptic or bathroom cleaner.
Conclusion
It is very common for babies to poop in the bath, and there is nothing to worry about. If such a mishap happens, then all you need to ensure is that the bathtub, your baby, and his toys are cleaned properly.
After that, make some alterations to your baby’s routine and try understanding his body language to recognize the time when he is about to poop. These small steps will stop your little one from pooping in the bath.
My sons never did such a thing, but my aunt’s daughter used to poop every time she was placed in warm water.
My aunt told me that all she did was change the bathing time and ensure that her daughter had a bath an hour after her mealtime. Doing so stopped her daughter from pooping in the bathtub.
We would love to hear about your experience in the comment section below.
References
- https://www.romper.com/p/what-causes-a-baby-to-poop-in-the-tub-they-arent-just-torturing-you-66940
- https://www.todaysparent.com/baby/baby-development/what-to-do-when-your-baby-poops-in-the-bath/amp/
