Triplet bathtime

Let me start off by saying that we give the boys a bath twice a week. We used to dread bath nights because the babies hated the bath and would cry the whole time and the entire experience was traumatic for parents and babies! They've started to like the bath a little better though. And by saying they like it a little better, I mean that they don't cry the whole time, maybe only 25% of the time they're in the bath! Haha! Every now and then we get a lucky break and a baby won't cry at all during bath time, just afterwards when he's getting his lotion and pajamas on. So we're not jumping at moving towards every day or every other day for bath nights. Plus, it's a lot of work to bathe 3 babies!

We've chosen to do baths at nighttime prior to giving them their last bottle before going to bed. We had hopes that the bath would calm the boys and get them more ready to have a nice, good sleep, but instead it makes them cry and get all wound up. Oh well! Part of the reason they're crying could be because it's almost time to get another bottle and they're hungry. We can't do it right after a bottle though due to the risk of spit ups. I think they're getting used to the routine though and eventually they will probably like it and look forward to their bath before bed.

We use the guest bedroom and bathroom for baths and although it's probably an inconvenience to our guests that are staying with us, it works out better that way. I wouldn't mind using our bathroom but our master bath has his and hers vanities and neither counter is long enough for us to put the baby bath tub on it. We can't put the baby tub in the bathtub yet because it would hurt our backs to bend down that far for that amount of time. I do think it will be fun when the boys can sit up in the bathtub to get their baths!

We've chosen to do the assembly line method for bathing. I took pictures of each step the other night to give you an idea of what bath time is like. It's a two person job and I'm glad to have Thomas around to help. I could definitely do it by myself but it would take a heck of a lot longer!

Step 1: Get all materials and the triplets laid out on the guest bed. I typically put a towel down underneath the babies in case of spit, poop or pee (all have happened!). Then I get a diaper, diaper cream, onesie, sleeper and towel for each baby and lay them all out. Add in the baby lotion and we're good to go!

All the baby gear laid out on the bed

The babies awaiting their bath

Step 2: Thomas (or other helper) gets baby #1* undressed down to his diaper. At the same time, I get 3 wash cloths, baby wash and the bath tub out and ready. I then put lukewarm water into the bath tub.

*We don't go in any particular order. Baby #1 is just whichever baby is randomly first on the bed. In this post, Stokes is baby #1, Ryan is baby #2 and William is baby #3, which is, coincidentally, their birth order.

Stokes ready for his bath

Step 3: Thomas brings baby #1 to me with diaper on. I take the diaper off at the last minute and put the baby in the bathtub and start his bath. While I am giving baby #1 a bath, Thomas is starting to undress baby #2.

Me bathing Stokes

Stokes' bath time pictures

Ryan getting ready for his bath

Step 4: When I am done bathing baby #1, I let Thomas know and he brings the towel over to the bathtub and I place the baby in the towel. Thomas then takes baby #1 back to the bed and starts drying him. While he is doing this, I pour out the bathwater and refill the tub with clean, lukewarm water.

Thomas bringing Stokes to the bed after his bath

Stokes in his towel

Thomas drying Stokes

Step 5: When I have the bathtub refilled and ready, I go and get baby #2, remove his diaper and put him in the bathtub. Then I give baby #2 a bath. At the same time Thomas is working on baby #1. Once baby #1 is dry, Thomas will put on a new diaper, baby lotion and pajamas.

Ryan ready to go to his bath

Ryan's bath time pictures

 

 

Step 6: Repeat steps 4 and 5 but with baby #2 and baby #3.

 

Ryan in his towel

 

 

William's bath time pictures

Me giving William a bath

William in his towel

 

 

Step 7: Once all 3 babies are bathed, I dump the bath water and rinse out the tub, gather the wash cloths, put the baby wash away and then help Thomas with lotion application, pajama dressing, etc that hasn't been done yet.

 

Although we typically dress each baby as the next one is getting his bath, on this evening, we left all the babies in their towels with the thought of getting a cute picture of all of them. If you haven't noticed on this blog, it's very difficult to get a picture where all three babies are happy. Usually at least one of them is mad or crying!

 

Pictures of the triplets in their towels

 

 

The babies in their pajamas

 

The whole bath process takes us about 30 minutes. We have actually gotten faster and more efficient over the last 2 months, but it still takes that long. If I had to do it by myself, it would take significantly longer as I wouldn't be able to multitask by dressing and bathing babies at the same time.

 

After the bath, we wind down and feed the babies once again before they go to bed. For this feeding we turn off the overhead light and just use the lamp in an effort to promote nighttime and sleep time.

 

Me feeding Ryan and William

 

Thomas feeding Stokes

 

William ready for bed

Ryan ready for bed

 

 

Stokes ready for bed

 

Night night, babies!